We should know more about 'The Pardon' soon

I recently spoke with Jim Davis. He's executive producer for "The Pardon," which was shot in Shreveport in mid-2007. What's the status of the film? "We'll have a distribution deal inked within the first quarter," Davis said. "The offers we're getting are for national distribution."

Davis also noted that he aims to skip the festival circuit and go directly to theaters.

"The Pardon" revisits the story of Toni Jo Henry (played by Jaime King), the only woman to die in the Louisiana electric chair. She was convicted of murder and executed in 1942 at Calcasieu Parish jail. Henry was born in Shreveport in 1916.

PHOTO: Jaime King on the set of "The Pardon" on May 31, 2007. (Douglas Collier/The Times)

Gary Chason to conduct workshop

Gary Chason will hold a screen-acting workshop, which begins Thursday. Participants will get DVD copies of their work. Details:

If you go
WHAT: Gary Chason's Film-Acting Workshop.
WHEN: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. March 19; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 21; 1 to 8 p.m. March 22.
WHERE: Acclaim Talent, 1411 Fairfield Ave., Shreveport.
COST: $150.
CONTACT: gchason@prodigy.net, www.garychason.com or (512) 468-8293.

'The Last Lullaby' to hold 'premiere weekend' from May 1 to May 3

"The Last Lullaby," a locally produced independent feature, will open its theatrical run during a "premiere weekend" May 1 through May 3 at Louisiana Boarwalk's Regal Cinemas 14 in Bossier City.

The crime drama will play on one screen, and director Jeffrey Goodman hopes to attract as many patrons as possible.

"Our goal is for 3,000 moviegoers to buy a ticket and see the film during our premier weekend," said Goodman in a press release. "I hope people feel as I do, that this is really the community’s film and they can have a direct impact on its success."

Goodman will host a Q&A after each screening.

The goal is to generate a high per-screen average and attract interest from a distributor. Goodman has screened the film at roughly 10 festivals during the past year, including AFI Dallas and, most recently, the Cinequest Festival in San Diego.

PHOTO: Tom Sizemore and Sasha Alexander star in The Last Lullaby." (Special to LaMovBlog)

Times-Pic tracking what's on the ground in New Orleans

Mike Scott, of The Times-Picayune, has a good overview of what's filming in New Orleans. As happens annually, according to Scott, the N.O. industry is experiencing a spring surge.

Coolest bit of reporting?

"A recent Twitter update from a local film-crew member said it all: 'Drought for months and then all of a sudden job offers from everywhere, and different departments even.'"

N.O.-based site tracking incentive news

While pursuing the ongoing story about tax credit legislation, I found a pretty solid resource. Ed Metz, of Robert Berning Productions in New Orleans, just started the Movie Tax Credits Report. The site features news about tax incentive programs from all around the country.

I added a feed widget to my blog on the right hand side (scroll down a wee bit).

Ed and I spoke last week about his interest in setting up the site. Like many in the biz, he'd noticed a major uptick in discussion about incentive legislation and wanted to provide folks with a resource to find current news.

"All of the activity has gotten very intense," Metz said. "Some states are jumping on board with both feet, and other states are giving it more scrutiny with how the money is spent."

The scrutiny will be particularly intense during the coming weeks as Gov. Jindal, Louisiana Economic Development, legislators and industry leaders begin hammering out legislative plans for 2009.

'The Year One' movie set ... yeah, they still build 'em like they used to

Without question, "The Year One" is the wildest movie set yet built in northwest Louisiana. It's six acres, surrounded by many more acres of desert-looking sand, and stands in for the Biblical city Sodom. The set will get oodles of screen time when the Jack Black comedy debuts June.

Times photographer Greg Pearson (his work below) and I got a tour of it last week, led by Phillip Jordan Brooks. Brooks now spends his weekdays showcasing the set to scouts. The set hopes to book another picture there, and really it could be re-dressed as anything from Sodom to a stereotypical Middle Eastern village to a modern-day sword-and-sandal epic to a western. Who knows, but the site has tons of potential for future filming.





Here's a little about Brooks (pictured), who some may recognize as a stage actor who graduated from Centenary College's Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. He's also a filmmaker who shot the war short "Deliberate" in the bowels of Shreveport Municipal Auditorium.

After Brooks graduated, he began eying the film industry and ultimately landed his biggest movie industry gig on "The Year One" as assistant location manager.

He's between movie jobs right now, so he's focusing his efforts on developing a script of his own: a suspense thriller tentatively titled "Modern Day Lotus." Not much detail yet, except to say it's set in northwest Louisiana and that Brooks is modeling his efforts after those of director Jeffrey Goodman, who funded and filmed "The Last Lullaby" locally. If you want to get in touch with Brooks, just lemme know.

Nu Image/Millennium pressing forward with studio

Did you catch part 3 of the miniseries? By the end of April, Nu Image/Millennium Films hopes to begin building their $8M studio in the Ledbetter Heights neighborhood. Later today, I'll post some shots of key pieces of local infrastructure.

Two stories on the industry today

We published two stories today: one on the current slowdown in the local film industry, and another that looks at the competitiveness of Louisiana's film incentives. Within the next six to eight weeks, there will continue to be a lot of behind the scenes talk about incentives, and whether or not they should be solidified or strengthened. The Legislature convenes April 27.

Animated short to be produced in The Shreve

Shreveport’s movie industry is opening a new frontier.

Children’s author and moviemaker William Joyce has teamed with producers Lampton Enochs and Alissa Kantrow to found DigiLou Studios. The animation studio will produce a short animated film called “The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore.” The project is early in development.

According to a press release, DigiLou Studios is a cooperative effort between the founders, LSU-Shreveport and the Louisiana Economic Development Department. The project is being developed with the help of seasoned animators John Miralles and Raffaele Scaduto-Mendola, who teach in LSUS’s animation and visual effects program.

Joyce, an acclaimed children’s author and TV producer living Shreveport, carries an expanding movie résumé. He helped conceive characters for “Toy Story” (1995) and “A Bug’s Life” (1998), and took on producing roles for “Robots” (2005) and “Meet the Robinsons” (2007).

Enochs and Kantrow cofounded Louisiana Production Consultants, a Shreveport-based company that has lured numerous movie and TV projects to northwest Louisiana. Titles include “The Mist,” “Wonderful World,” “The Killing Room” and “Tekken.”

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore” should be completed in 2010, according to the release.

There is no further information at this time. When more details become available, I'll let you know.

Looking for trade training opps? FIT has 8

The Film Industry Training Program is offering 8 training opportunities in the following trades: hair, scenic painting, props, sound, set dressing, makeup, wardrobe and special effects.

Classes begin March 23. They're free. To apply, call Cyndi Brenner at 318.682.5680. (I'd hurry.)

All are five days per week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and taught by film industry pros.

Classes last three weeks, except for special effects (six weeks).

Program is a partnership between Louisiana Production Consultants and Louisiana Technical College: Mansfield Campus, which received grant money.

Observe SLJ Day with 'Pulp Fiction'

Don't believe there was a Samuel L. Jackson Day in Shreveport? Believe it.

And celebrate it Monday at the Robinson Film Center with a screening of "Pulp Fiction."

When? 7:30 p.m. Monday (March 9).

Eats? Big Kahuna burgers and $5 milkshakes.

RFC is dusting off some other dandies, too: On Friday, "Citizen Kane" opens. Ever heard of it? On March 27, the monthly Friday Night Freakout breaks out the Wii bowling for "The Big Lebowski." Dude. ... Correction: The Dude.

PHOTO: Samuel L. Jackson spoke to students at the CCAA Balistine Hopkins Head Start Center in Shreveport on March 9, 2007. (Shane Bevel/The Times)

A view from New Orleans

Yesterday, in direct response to observations about New Orleans' production levels, I sent the following three questions to Jennifer Day, director of the New Orleans Office of Film & Video. Here are her answers.

Question: Are you experiencing a surge in production of late? If you are, what do you attribute it to?

Answer: I wouldn't necessarily say that we're seeing a "surge" of production. New Orleans experienced a record-breaking year in 2008 so this current pace, while slightly less than 2008, is similar to the level of activity that we experienced last year during these quarters. Considering the current economic climate and increasing competition from other incentivized states, we are very pleased with the slate we will be hosting over the coming months.

What we all have to realize is that during times of economic hardship such as these, production incentives like the ones offered by Louisiana, become vital to production. Increasingly projects must look for quality incentive states in which to do business. In many cases incentives are the key to getting films made period. That is why our lobbying efforts to stabilize the current production credits at a competitive rate will be critical. Our communities must demand that our lawmakers take action not only retain the millions of dollars our communities are reaping but allow the Louisiana industry to move forward competitively to capture even more business.

Q: Has anything changed in the way that New Orleans markets itself to the industry?

A: We are always striving to improve upon our marketing strategies and strengthen the New Orleans and Louisiana brand. One of the most powerful techniques that all film industry professionals in Louisiana can engage is superior customer service. Here in Louisiana we see a fair amount of repeat business which means that our clients are happy with what we have to offer. From the hundreds of Louisiana vendors to our workforce- all who service film and television projects must work harder and more brilliantly to continue this trend.

I feel so honored to represent New Orleans and all the city and the region have to offer. The state Office of Entertainment Industry Development has done a tremendous job promoting the state and the New Orleans brand is extremely potent. We are a world-class city with an amazingly diverse range of resources from locations to hotel accommodations. Here at the New Orleans Office of Film & Video we are always looking for the most efficient way to communicate our strengths to as many markets as possible. Film offices across the state will be traveling to the Association of Film Commissioners International's Locations Trade Show in April. This show is a staple in our marketing activities and allows for networking in Los Angeles which is still the mecca for the feature film industry.

Q: What's your outlook on production activity in N.O. for the near future?

A: For the near future our market looks to be stable. For the first two quarters of 2009 the Greater New Orleans production hub will have hosted 5 major projects (and that is not including documentary, still photography, commercial, or music video work). We are currently courting another 5 projects that could possibly shoot later this year. That being said, we are working diligently everyday here in the office to keep the idea of doing business in New Orleans, Louisiana at the forefront of industry professionals thoughts. But again, stabilizing our production incentives in April will be THE most important issue for continued success. I urge all who support the Louisiana film industry to contact their local film office to learn how they can participate in our lobbying efforts.

'The Story of Bonnie and Clyde' to shoot mostly in Louisiana, Mississippi

I just got off the horn with Tonya S. Holly, writer and director of "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde." It's a $15M, three-state project and will spend most of its eight-week shoot in Louisiana and Mississippi, Holly said. The project aims to commence production in St. Francisville (Angola prison) during mid-April.

"It's very organized, and it's not bouncing from state to state," Holly said. After completing the Louisiana shoot, "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde" will move to Mississippi (based in Philadelphia) and finally Alabama. "Unfortunately, we can't go everywhere Bonnie and Clyde went."

Local crewmembers and history buffs will be happy to know that the town of Gibsland -- about 40 minutes east of Shreveport -- is still in the mix as a possible location. Bonnie and Clyde were killed near there in a shootout ... with the law!

Hilary Duff and Kevin Zegers will star, and Holly is currently casting the final roles.

"I'm being very picky about casting," Holly said. Don't expect "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde" to be a remake of the classic 1967 film. It's rather a new adaptation of a well-known story and legend. I took from our conversation that this project will delve deeper into motive, character and luv. "Of course I can't call it a true story. The only people who know the truth are Bonnie and Clyde."

More about it here and here.

State releases economic impact study

The Office of Entertainment Development released an economic impact study today. The study was authored by Economics Research Associates. After my first read, here's what I find interesting:

• The state attracted 135 movie and TV projects between 2002 and 2007 that qualified for state tax credits. In 2008 alone, the number of projects was 80.
• In-state production and post-production expenses have steadily increased from year to year. In 2005, projects spent $238.6 million directly in Louisiana. In 2007, the number was $429.2 million.
• During 2007, an average movie and TV project spent an average of $5.9 million in Louisiana (on in-state expenditures). In 2002, the number was $4 million. In 2005, the number was $6.6 million.
• Between 2001 and 2007, employment in the state’s motion picture industry grew 22 percent annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• In 2007, the motion picture industry directly employed 3,310 workers in Louisiana. An additional 2,920 jobs were supported indirectly, for a total of 6,230 jobs which earned $203.7 million in wages. The average salary among all these jobs was about $32,700.
• Wages within the state’s motion picture increased 8.2 per percent per year between 2001 and 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• The State of Louisiana will issue an estimated $115.1 million in tax credits for productions made in 2007 and recoup $14.6 million in state taxes as a direct result of these projects. The incentive program amounts to a cost of $100.5 million for the State of Louisiana.
• In calculating the impact of the motion picture industry on the state’s economy, the report noted that $429.2 million of direct in-state spending for 2007 ultimately amounted to $763 million of economic benefit to Louisiana, when things like rents, royalties, profits, dividends, property taxes and various indirect benefits are factored in. That means that $6.64 of new spending, or economic stimulus, was generated for every $1 in tax credits issued by the state.

What’s up for March

Here's the latest update from the state's Office of Entertainment Industry Development:

Welcome to (225) 342-FILM, the official hotline of Louisiana Entertainment. Here's what's happening for the first week of March 2009:

The independent feature film "Leonie" starring Emily Mortimer is in pre-production in Metairie with shooting scheduled for April 13 through May 15. Resumes are being accepted by e-mail at leoniemovie@gmail.com.

The Midgard Entertainment and Red Pictures feature film "Punishment" is in pre-production in Hammond with shooting scheduled from June 1 through July 1. Resumes are being accepted by e-mail at punishment@rocketmail.com.

The Warner Bros. feature film "Jonah Hex" starring Josh Brolin and John Malkovich is in preproduction in the New Orleans area with shooting scheduled from mid-April through the end of June. Resumes for crew and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at jonahhexnola@gmail.com.

The Nu Image/Millennium feature film "The Expendables" starring Sylvester Stallone, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li and a host of others is in pre-production in Jefferson Parish and the New Orleans area with shooting scheduled for the this spring. Resumes for crew only and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at theexpendablesmovie@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "Dead of Night" starring Brandon Routh is in pre-production in the New Orleans area with approximately seven weeks of principal photography scheduled to begin the first week of April. Crew resumes only are being accepted by e-mail at deadofnightcrewresumes@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "The Chameleon" starring Famke Jannsen and Ellen Barkin is shooting in Baton Rouge through March 6. Inquiries are being accepted by fax at (225) 610-1670 (no headshots please).

The Nu Image/Millennium feature film "Cool Dog" is in production Shreveport with shooting scheduled from February 17 through mid-March. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at cooldogproductions@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "My Last Goodbye" is in pre-production in the Lafayette area with ten weeks of shooting set to begin March 30. Resumes and headshots are being accepted by email at wxartinc@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "American Gospel" is in development in the Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled for this spring and summer. Resumes are being accepted by e-mail at americangospel@gmail.com.

The HBO television series pilot "Treme" is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled for March 9th through 31st. Resumes for crew and inquiries are being accepted by email only at blowndeadlineprod@gmail.com. For Treme's extras casting, please visit www.couloncasting.com or call (504) 569-0683.

The HBO television series "True Blood" starring Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer will shoot portions of the series in the Baton Rouge area in June. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at truebloodbr@gmail.com.

The Disney Channel television series "The Imagination Movers" is in pre-production in Harahan with shooting scheduled to start in late March. Resumes for crew are being accepted by e-mail at imaginationmovers1@earthlink.net.

The Films in Motion feature film "Wrong Side of Town" starring Rob Van Dam and Batiste is shooting in Baton Rouge shooting scheduled to begin in late March. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@filmsinmotion.com.

Soft prep for the Bullet Films feature films "Jaws of the Mississippi," "Medusa," and "Wolf" has begun in Lafayette. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at jobs@bulletfilms.net.

The Most Wanted Films feature film "Video Girl" starring Meagan Good is shooting in Baton Rouge through late March. Inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@mostwantedfilms.com.

And for more information about the film and television industry in Louisiana please visit us online at www.louisianaentertainment.gov.

'The Last Lullaby' social event tonight

Director Jeffrey Goodman will discuss "The Last Lullaby" tonight (Feb. 26) at Columbia Cafe, 3030 Creswell Street. The Shreve-made movie debuts in theaters in May.

Here's Jeffrey's note:

Social Event at Columbia Cafe (one of the locations in the film) from 7-9PM. We are not providing the food and drink (but Columbia is offering some great food and drink specials that night.) People are invited to come and just enjoy a good night at Columbia, visiting and talking about the film.

In addition to these social events, I continue to push for people to sign up for our monthly updates. Please feel free to encourage people, as well. All they have to do is send an e-mail to register@thelastlullaby.com with "Register Me" in the subject of the e-mail.

I also am continuing our major internet push. I have started a blog that I hope you will all follow. You can access it here:

http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/

MovieMaker puts The Shreve at no. 4 for indie filmmakers

MovieMaker Magazine ranked Shreveport no. 4 in its ninth annual list pf best cites for indie filmmakers. You can read all about it by clicking here. No. 1? Chicago. No. 2 and 3? Atlanta and New York. No. 10? Austin.

Here's the list:
1. Chicago, Ill.
2. Atlanta, Ga.
3. New York, N.Y.
4. Shreveport, La.
5. Albuquerque, N.M.
6. Boston, Mass.
7. Stamford, Conn.
8. Memphis, Tenn.
9. Milwaukee, Wis.
10. Austin, Texas

Very interesting.

The Shreve was no. 3 in 2008 and no. 6 in 2007.

Thoughts?

Kenneth Loggins wins Times Oscar contest

The Times’ Oscar Contest featured three perfect ballots from 140 entries.

Guessing the ten featured categories correctly were first-place winner Kenneth Loggins, of Shreveport; second-place entry E.J. Ratcliff, of Arcadia; and third-place Holly Garrett, of Shreveport.

Places were determined by a random drawing.

Loggins will receive a free one-year membership to the Robinson Film Center plus six free movie passes to the downtown movie theater and a T-shirt.

Ratcliff and Garrett will received free movie passes, too.

chris-brad wins; Oscars rocked

What can we say? chris-brad is invincible. He picked all of the major categories perfectly and that won it for him. Timothy Miller and I came in second, but Timothy didn’t make selections in all categories! I think we both squeaked by a spanking.

This year’s Oscars ceremony was the best is recent memory because of its throwback classiness, its freshened up awards presentations, and its elegant sense of history.

I really liked the presentations for the actors/actresses categories, where five past winners introduced the five nominees. The idea made us feel as if we were being invited into a conversation -- however scripted -- between the best talents in Hollywood, and that's pretty cool. The Oscars needs to draw those connections to history, and doing it so simply -- from one actor to another -- was super smart.

The show’s directors/producers employed onstage projection technology in a way that was fun, informative and imaginative. Loved the onstage orchestra. Loved the best script presentations. And Hugh Jackman’s homemade opening act was the best since Billy Crystal. Oh, hell. It was better than Billy. Hugh's dance number for “The Reader” was hilarious.

And by the end, we got two speeches that were good: Kate Winslet getting a whistle from her dad, and Sean Penn calling everybody commie-, homo-loving sons of guns. Good stuff.

The only thing missing was a true surprise in one of the wins for the major categories. Those moments of shock, like last year's best actress or that Brody win years ago, are what really survive.

But perhaps Penn's surprisingly funny and serious acceptance speech will be enough. (The closest we came to a big moment was Dustin Lance Black's speech for his "Milk" screenplay. I know Hollywooders get criticized for turning the Oscar stage into a soapbox, but it's very appropriate with these films. To deny these artists an opportunity to represent themselves truly would be the biggest disservice to their art. Which means I like the edgy stuff.)

Enjoyed the night. This show will really help the Oscars as it moves forward, especially if more popular stuff gets nominated.

Best picture: 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Final contest results:

alex, 17
*chris-brad, 18
chris lyon, 14
patrick, 10.5
marian d, 15
pan's pantry, 15
timothy miller, 17

Very suspenseful, entertaining, fulfilling night. More about the show in a bit.

Best actor: Sean Penn for 'Milk'

Contest score?
alex, 16
chris-brad, 17
chris lyon, 13
patrick, 9.5
marian d, 14
pan's pantry, 14
timothy miller, 16

Most political - but barely so - by Penn.

chris-brad wins! Congrats.

Best actress: Kate Winslet for 'The Reader'

Contest score?
alex, 16
chris-brad, 16
chris lyon, 13
patrick, 9.5
marian d, 13
pan's pantry, 13
timothy miller, 15

Good speech by Winslet.

Best director: Danny Boyle for 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Contest score?
alex, 15
chris-brad, 15
chris lyon, 13
patrick, 8.5
marian d, 12
pan's pantry, 12
timothy miller, 14

Best foreign film: 'Okuribito' ('Departures,' Japan)

Contest score?
alex, 14
chris-brad, 14
chris lyon, 12
patrick, 7.5
marian d, 11
pan's pantry, 11
timothy miller, 13

Score is unchanged. By my count, "Slumdog Millionaire" has six awards already.

Best song: 'Jai Ho' from 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Contest score?
alex, 14
chris-brad, 14
chris lyon, 12
patrick, 7.5
marian d, 11
pan's pantry, 11
timothy miller, 13

Best score: 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Contest score?
alex, 13
chris-brad, 13
chris lyon, 11
patrick, 7.5
marian d, 11
pan's pantry, 11
timothy miller, 13

Best editing: 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Contest score?
alex, 13
chris-brad, 12
chris lyon, 10
patrick, 6.5
marian d, 11
pan's pantry, 10
timothy miller, 12

Best visual f/x: 'Benjamin Button'

Best sound mixing: 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Best sound editing: 'The Dark Knight'

Best documentary short: 'Smile Pinki'

Contest score?
alex, 10
chris-brad, 10
chris lyon, 8
patrick, 4.5
marian d, 9
pan's pantry, 8
timothy miller, 9

Nobody got this one right. Are chris-brad and I heading for a showdown? Too early to tell. If only timothy miller would have entered pics in all categories.

Best documentary feature: 'Man on Wire'

Contest score?
alex, 10
chris-brad, 10
chris lyon, 8
patrick, 4.5
marian d, 8
pan's pantry, 8
timothy miller, 9

Best supporting actor: Heath Ledger

Contest score?
alex, 9
chris-brad, 9
chris lyon, 8
patrick, 3.5
marian d, 7
pan's pantry, 7
timothy miller, 9

And the award for ...

... most overexposed celebrity goes to ... Beyonce. I think I saw her this morning at Target buying bagels.

She's frickin' everywhere!

Best live action short: 'Spielzeugland'

Oo! I'm back in it. (Temporarily.)

alex, 8
chris-brad, 8
chris lyon, 7
patrick, 2.5
marian d, 6
pan's pantry, 6
timothy miller, 8

Best cinematography: 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Ben Stiller's Joaquin Phoenix was hilarious! Loved how he wandered over to the clips on the screen behind him.

Contest score?
alex, 7
chris-brad, 8
chris lyon, 7
patrick, 2
marian d, 6
pan's pantry, 6
timothy miller, 8

Best Makeup: 'Benjamin Button'

Contest score?
alex, 6
chris-brad, 7
chris lyon, 6
patrick, 2
marian d, 5
pan's pantry, 5
timothy miller, 7

Two for "Benjamin Button." Better than pessimistically predicted by many experts.

Best Costume: 'The Duchess'

Contest score?
alex, 5
chris-brad, 6
chris lyon, 5
patrick, 2
marian d, 4
pan's pantry, 4
timothy miller, 6

Best art direction: 'Benjamin Button'

Louisiana-made movie gets its first win!

Contest score?
alex, 4
chris-brad, 5
chris lyon, 5
patrick, 2
marian d, 3
pan's pantry, 4
timothy miller, 5

So far, this is a great show

This is the first time in a long, long time that the show producers have delivered on a revitalized show. It plays really well to movie-lovers, on the one hand, and I think the casual viewer gets a little bit of infotainment with the behind-the-scenes award presentation style. Kind of like watching the DVD extras of the Oscars!

Best animated short: 'La Maison en Petits Cubes'

Contest score?
alex, 3
chris-brad, 4
chris lyon, 4
patrick, 1
marian d, 1
pan's pantry, 3
timothy miller, 4

chris lyon gets back in the game with best animated short! That was a big, big pick.

Best animated feature: 'WALL-E'

Contest score?
alex, 3
chris-brad, 4
chris lyon, 3
patrick, 1
marian d, 1
pan's pantry, 3
timothy miller, 4

'Slumdog Millionaire' wins best adapted screenplay

Contest score?
alex, 2
chris-brad, 3
chris lyon, 2
patrick, 0
marian d, 2
pan's pantry, 2
timothy miller, 3

The race is squaring up! c-b v. timothy miller. Very interesting.

'Milk' wins best original screenplay

Contest score?
alex, 1
chris-brad, 2
chris lyon, 1
patrick, 0
marian d, 1
pan's pantry, 1
timothy miller, 2

Penelope wins best supporting actress

And guess what? I'm already the underdog.

Contest score?

alex, 0

chris-brad, 1

chris lyon, 1

patrick, 0

marian d, 0

pan's pantry, 0

timothy miller, 1

I like the refreshed Oscar look

The curtain's up, and the stage looks way, way more fun than last year. Let's see of Hugh Jackman can have a little fun.

Oscar day has finally arrived

This morning, I'm powering up for the Oscars with a bagel and some last-minute surfing.

What's going to win best picture, and what deserves to win? I asked cinephile chris-brad to help answer that question in today's Times. Check out this article.

What films got left out of the nominations? Robinson Film Center's Chris Jay asked that question for this week's installment of "The Big Picture," a radio blog that broadcasts on Red River Radio on Friday afternoons. You can listen to Chris Jay talk to us by clicking on this MP3.

Have you entered your pics to compete in the LaMovBlog contest? You have until 6 p.m. (Central) to do so. Nominations are here. Just enter your predictions for what will win in the comments. What will you get if you win? A certificate that says you're "Keener than a Times reporter," like this one.

California gets tax credits

You didn't think the arms races over state tax incentives was serious? Well, OK, I know you did. The production tax credits for Michigan (up to 42 percent refundable tax credit) and Georgia (up to 30 percent transferable) are bigger than Louisiana's current 25 percent transferable credit.

But did you see that California got into the game yesterday? Check out this Los Angeles Times story, and the excerpt below:

The credits -- capped at $500 million over five years -- are modest compared with those offered by other states.

Still, the announcement was welcome news to many in Hollywood who were skeptical that the Legislature would help the entertainment industry given the enormousness of the task of plugging the state's $42-billion budget gap.

"We applaud the passage of this incentive, which will help make California competitive and not only save jobs that are being lost but generate much-needed revenue for the state," said a joint statement from Hollywood's actors and directors unions and the Motion Picture Assn. of America, which have been lobbying for the credits for a decade."

However modest California's credits are (or aren't, if you happen to get 'em), it's simply important to note this: yesterday, for the first time, the world's capital of film production officially acknowledged that tax credits are a really, really big deal.

What's more interesting to me about the Calif. legislation is that it focuses on low budget films ($1M to $10M) and relocating TV shows to California (up to 25%). Will they succeed? Time will tell.

Dozens of states offer tax credits, and Texas and Alabama are ones I'm currently getting up to speed (yet again) for a piece running March 8. You can be certain that La. lawmakers, lobbyists and industry pros are studying their legislation, and the successes of Georgia and Michigan. The state Legislature convenes April 27.

From what I'm learning, many in Louisiana want to push the production tax credit to 30 percent to remain competitive. Will the Leg do it? I don't know yet. But I'll learn much more about it in the coming days. In the meantime, if you have questions you'd like to have answered from city or state officials, lemme know.

Behind the scenes of 'The Last Lullaby': Opens in local theaters in May

'In the Electric Mist' debuts in New Iberia: Tommy Lee Jones v. Brenda's Dine In & Take Out?

I love honesty, and New Iberians shared tons of it last night with the Independent Weekly at a local premiere of "In the Electric Mist."

The Tommy Lee Jones project was made there and involved some Shreve-area crew and talent (you'll notice Pruitt Taylor Vince, who's in residency at LSUS right now). The movie will head straight to DVD after getting a one-week run in New Iberia beginning Feb. 20.

Here's one moviegoer wondering out loud, as quoted in the Independent:

"'You can tell it was a low budget movie,' says cane farmer Jackie Judice. 'Don’t get me wrong, I liked it. But I wonder why Tommy Lee Jones was in a movie going straight to DVD?'"

TLJ! The cane farmer challenged your street cred!

Here's an even funnier excerpt:

"Brenda Placide, who owns Brenda’s Dine In & Take Out on Pershing St. says Tommy Lee Jones ate at her place every day while he was filming. 'He liked the gumbo,' she says. 'He liked the barbecued ribs, the red beans and the crawfish etouffee.' When he was on location outside of New Iberia, he sent a driver over to pick up his lunch, Placide says. 'After the movie was over, he called me to make him some gumbo, so I sent it to him,' she adds. 'Then he called back and asked for the recipe, I sent that to him, and Tommy Lee Jones hasn’t called me any more.'

TLJ! Ya done stole Brenda's recipe! (Kind of.) What do you have to say for yourself?

"In the Electric Mist" will get its DVD release March 3.

Check out the full Independent Weekly story. Good stuff. And also check out the Variety review, and the trailer below.

Have you entered The Times' Oscar Contest? Better hurry ...

Our news website is featuring the The Times' Official Annual Oscars Contest. If you win, you get free stuff from the Robinson Film Center. You must complete this survey (click here) to enter!

Prizes are ...
1st place: One-year membership to Robinson Film Center, six free passes, a T-shirt, and concession and movie discounts for one year
2nd Place: six free RFC passes
3rd Place: four free RFC passes.

Entries are due 5 p.m. today (Feb. 18, 2009). (Which means "hurry!")

The contest open to adults 18 years of age or older at time of entry who reside in Northwest Louisiana/East Texas. One entry per person.

See complete official contest rules here.

NOTE: For those of you who have posted your picks on my informal blog contest, The Times's Oscar Contest is a completely separate deal. You must complete the survey, linked above, to win stuff.)

My Oscar predictions? Yeah, that's right. I gambled on WALL-E for sound

Will I lose in the annual contest against our resident Academy Award Psychic, chris-brad? You can bet on it (and I fault my shortcomings to my love of WALL-E and a fake endorsement from the Governator).

In the spirit of public punishment, here are my predictions. Please, please, please post your picks in the comments. If you need the list, click here.

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Kate Winslet for The Reader (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Best Achievement in Directing
Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Milk (2008): Dustin Lance Black

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Simon Beaufoy

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Anthony Dod Mantle

Best Achievement in Editing
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Chris Dickens

Best Achievement in Art Direction
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo

Best Achievement in Costume Design
The Duchess (2008): Michael O'Connor

Best Achievement in Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Greg Cannom

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
WALL·E (2008): Thomas Newman

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman, Gulzar ("Jai Ho")

Best Achievement in Sound
WALL·E (2008)

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
The Dark Knight (2008)

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
WALL·E (2008)

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Vals Im Bashir (2008)(Israel)

Best Documentary, Features
Man on Wire (2008)

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306

Best Short Film, Animated
Presto (2008): Doug Sweetland

Best Short Film, Live Action
Spielzeugland (2007)

PHOTO: Arnold Schwarzenegger at "T3" premiere in Berlin, 2003 (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber).

On tap for February

Here's the latest update from the state:

Welcome to (225) 342-FILM, the official hotline of Louisiana Entertainment. Here's what's happening for the second week of February 2009:

The Warner Bros. feature film "Jonah Hex" starring Josh Brolin is in pre-production in the New Orleans area with shooting scheduled from mid-April through the end of June. Resumes for crew and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at jonahhexnola@gmail.com.

The Nu Image/Millennium feature film "The Expendables" starring Sylvester Stallone, Mickey Rourke and a host of others is in pre-production in Jefferson Parish and the New Orleans area with shooting scheduled for the this spring. Resumes for crew only and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at theexpendablesmovie@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "Dead of Night" starring Brandon Routh is in pre-production in the New Orleans area with approximately seven weeks of principal photography scheduled to begin the first week of April. Crew resumes only are being accepted by e-mail at deadofnightcrewresumes@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "The Chameleon" starring Famke Jannsen and Ellen Barkin is shooting in Baton Rouge through March 6. Inquiries are being accepted by fax at (225) 610-1670 (no headshots please).

The Nu Image/Millennium feature film "Cool Dog" is in pre-production Shreveport with shooting scheduled from February 17 through mid-March. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at cooldogproductions@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "My Last Goodbye" will begin pre-production in the Lafayette area in February with ten weeks of shooting set to begin March 30. Resumes and headshots are being accepted by e-mail at wxartinc@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "American Gospel" is in development in the Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled for this spring and summer. Resumes are being accepted by e-mail at americangospel@gmail.com.

"Drill Deep: The Haynesville Shale Documentary" is in production throughout the Shreveport area through the end of February. Inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at GKallenberg@gmail.com.

The HBO television series pilot "Treme" is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled for March 9th through 31st. Resumes for crew and inquiries are being accepted by email only at blowndeadlineprod@gmail.com. RPM Casting is working on the day player roles. Casting will begin in the next two weeks. They are looking for all ages, ethnicities and types. Please send a photo, resume and contact information to their office as soon as possible to: RPM Casting c/o ArtEgg Studios 1001 S. Broad Street New Orleans, LA 70125. For Treme's extras casting, please visit www.couloncasting.com or call (504) 569-0683.

The HBO television series "True Blood" starring Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer is in preproduction in the Baton Rouge area and will shoot portions of the series in Louisiana in April and June. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at truebloodbr@gmail.com.

The Disney Channel television series "The Imagination Movers" are in pre-production in Harahan with shooting scheduled to start in late March. Resumes for crew are being accepted by e-mail at imaginationmovers1@earthlink.net.

The Films in Motion feature film "Wrong Side of Town" starring Rob Van Dam and Batiste is shooting in Baton Rouge through Feb. 24. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@filmsinmotion.com.

Soft prep for the Bullet Films feature films "Jaws of the Mississippi,"
"Medusa," and "Wolf" will begin this month in Lafayette. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at jobs@bulletfilms.net.

The Most Wanted Films feature film "Video Girl" starring Meagan Good is in pre-production in Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled for February 18 through March 15. Inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@mostwantedfilms.com

And for more information about the film and television industry in Louisiana please visit us online at www.louisianaentertainment.gov.

I'm out for a week; press play for entertainment

Sorry folks, I'm out of the office until Feb. 16. For your classic YouTube entertainment, press play. If you have movie news, let Alisa Stingley know at astingley@gannett.com.

Incidentally, if you want to compete in a friendly Times Oscar Picks contest, send me your predictions in all categories (here's the list, just bold your choices) and a mugshot at akent@gannett.com. I'll respond Feb. 16. We'll feature you against me and more in a chart running Feb. 22 in our print edition. Fun stuff.

Val Kilmer is King of Bacchus

Mardi Gras is making out with Hollywoood, yet again. This year's King of Bacchus is Val Kilmer, who recently made Millennium Films' "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" in the Big Easy. (He also did "Deja Vu" there.)

So why no King of Gemini? No King of Centaur? No Top Dog of Barkus & Meoux? No King of our Ark-La-Tex Mardi Gras? Kilmer, after all, shot a Millennium movie here this summer. ... Wait a minute. I get it. Theming a float as "Streets of Blood" might cause a wee bit o' panic for the family-friendly Ark-La-Texers.

That said, who would be the best Mardi Gras king for The Shreve? My vote is split between Harold and Kumar. Just think of the throws. Who would you vote for? Costner? Cube? Denzel? Sienna Miller? Josh Brolin? Jack Black?

Best actor contenders will slug it out on weekend screens

"The Wrestler" opens Friday at the Regal Cinemas Louisiana Boardwalk 14. Here's hoping that Mickey Rourke's comeback lives up to the hype, but methinks he has some serious competition on Oscar night. ...

"Milk" opens Friday at the Robinson Film Center. It's nearly impossible to bet against a great Sean Penn performance, especially when it's attached to a project that features a wealth of talent.

Which actor will bring home the Oscar for best actor? (Or are you predicting an upset?)

Benton's got buzz ... and bats ... and rats

"The Exterminators" debuts tonight at 9:30 on A&E. Judging by a review in The New York Times, the show's pretty entertaining: "Watching Mr. Bretherton get rid of snakes, bats, raccoons and other interlopers is both fun and enlightening; he dispenses interesting factoids about the various species as he works. And despite the skull in Vexcon’s logo, Mr. Bretherton proves to be an exterminator with a heart. He is more interested in relocating the animals than in killing them." Click here for the full review.

Local IMAX visits the home of Van Gogh for one-night only

The new IMAX film "Van Gogh: Brush with Genius" will be shown Thursday (Feb. 5) at Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center. Only members can attended the screenings at 4:30 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 7 p.m.

You can make a reservation at (318) 424-8660, which must be done by noon Thursday.

Not a member? Sci-Port's offering a special trial membership -- at $30 a pop -- to help fill the seats. Get one by calling Judy Mitchell at (318) 424-8672.

What could be neat about this 40-minute is seeing where it was filmed. It was shot entirely on location in France and the Netherlands. (Shown here is a field at Auvers-sur-Oise.) The project is based on 900 of Van Gogh's personal letters and explores how the artist produced 700 paintings in just 10 years.

I'm now officially depressed about my productivity.

To round out the screenings, Sci-Port has invited five area artists -- Jerry Wray, Brandy Hedgecock, Zama Dexter, Mary Virginia Hill and Martha Martin -- to display their work and discuss Van Gogh's mastery. There will also be hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. (The latter should help anyone cope with productivity issues.)

These member screenings are your only chance to see this film in the near future, as it will not be opening for a public run at Sci-Port anytime soon.

'Year One' Super Bowl ad ...

Civil Rights video series debuts

Hey, y'all. Apologize for my recent LaMovBlog neglect, but I've been up to my eyebrows in Avid Express Pro. For a few weeks, we've been finalizing a video series called Civil Rights: Then & Now for The Times' website. It features eight interviews with local pioneers and current leaders. We hope the series provides a solid overview of the Civil Rights Movement in Shreveport.

Why did we do it?

For starters, we revisit these stories annually in the paper and thought it was time to showcase these subjects in their own voices. They have important stories to tell, and a permanent website will make them more accessible.

Secondly, our newsroom is fully aware of how new media technologies have transformed the media consumer. These videos might reach an audience we otherwise wouldn't.

Thirdly, and personally speaking, I just like video production. Getting a chance to help these subjects tell their stories is pretty rewarding. You'll here my voiceover on the Curtis Joseph Jr. video.

Unfortunately, the series doesn't qualify for the state's production tax credit! (I put a lot of Louisiana labor into it, dagnabbit.)

Check out the site when you get a chance. Let us know what you think.

Jeffrey Goodman blogs for Moviemaker

Local director Jeffrey Goodman is blogging for Moviemaker Magazine. He'll post weekly about his "Adventures in Self-Releasing" "The Last Lullaby." The movie was shot in the Shreve in early 2007. Since March 2008, Goodman has been touring it from festival to festival. In May, he'll begin releasing the movie to theaters.

For his Jan. 30 entry, Goodman writes: "My plan is to do a three- to 10-city theatrical run with the film. I’m not sure if this run will be financially successful or not. But it is my goal for it to be self-sustaining, at the very least.

"I only want to go into cities where I feel like 'The Last Lullaby' has an edge over most other movies. This edge will come from one of two places: Either we’ll go into a city because someone involved in the film is from there, or we’ll return to a city where we already had a successful festival."

To read the whole post and follow the blog, click here.

What did you think of the 'Year One' Super Bowl spot?

This isn't it, but it's pretty interesting to see a Shreve-made (or Sibley-made?) movie advertised on Super Bowl Sunday.

'The Exterminators': Billy explains bees

What Josh Brolin said about Oscar nom

You noticed Josh Brolin ("W.") -- remember him? -- was nominated for an Oscar yesterday, right? He got a best supporting nod for "Milk." Here's what he had to say about recognition, according to Hollywood Reporter:

Nominated for his supporting role as county supervisor Dan White in the Harvey Milk biopic "Milk," Josh Brolin -- who also played President Bush in the 2008 release "W." -- said he was pleased to be recognized for his work on the "important" film. "'W.' was probably the most difficult job in film that I've ever done because you carry his age from a young age through (his presidency). 'Milk' was different," he said. "When I read it, I was so emotional and taken with the story that I just wanted to do this story. It's a timely story, and as timely as it can be with Prop. 8. So obviously, it's an important movie and a very visceral film at that." Brolin acknowledged that Oscar nominations can help an actor attract offers for future meaty roles. "There's more confidence that I can pull off more complicated roles, and luckily, because of the nature of the role of Dan White, we're getting offered really, really interesting roles." Brolin's next film -- Warner Bros. comics-spawned "Josh Hex," [sic] which he calls "a throwback to spaghetti Westerns" -- begins shooting in March.

Find the full article, and more reaction from the nominees, here.

'The Exterminators' coming to A&E

The locally made series, based on the exploits of exterminator Billy Bretherton and his fam (Vexcon), will debut Feb. 4 on A&E. 9:30 p.m. Central.

What's on tap for the premiere: "Goth Bees & Killer Coons," apparently. Here's the synopsis: "Billy faces an angry mother raccoon trying to protect her young from his snare, and then goes on a mission to exterminate a seven-foot-long beehive. But bees aren’t the only thing that are causing a buzz in the Bretherton family. Ricky’s ex-wife, Pam, has returned to work at Vexcon, and that’s rubbing some of the Brethertons the wrong way."

I'm not sure I want to learn what's hiding in my attic, but I'm sure this series will teach me.

LaMovBlog Oscar contest ... we want you

For those of you new to LaMovBlog, you probably need to catch up on the history of our Oscar contest. Both in the paper and on my blog, we compete to see who can best predict the Oscars. Pretty fun, considering I 've twice got bested by chris-brad. Who's chris-brad? Rumor has it he's a psychic or something.

Anyway, this year I want to up the ante (meaning I want to give chris-brad some real competition). I want at least 10 people to join us, and I want them to publicly disclose their pics. For the next month or so, too, I'm going to obsess about what's best and what's not. That's where you come in:

1. Soon I'll be offering details on how to submit your Oscar pics. Stay tuned. If you can't wait, submit them as a comment.
   
2. If you have an Oscar favorite for best pic or a cool Oscar/actor anecdote and really, really want to write about it, send me an email. Send me a 300-word essay. Yeah, that's right. I gave you an assignment, and I won't pay you for it. How can you resist? akent@gannett.com
3. If you are connected to "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," tell me about it. Send me an email. I want to give cast and especially crew their props.
4. If you have a weird or fun Oscar night tradition, tell me about it. Send me an email. This is the Superbowl for movie-lovers, and I want you to tell us how you celebrate.

Initial thoughts on Oscars, Razzies

NOTE CORRECTION BELOW.

While I'm mad "WALL-E" got left out of the big prize -- at least it got the technical nods, best animated feature, best original screenplay, and best short for the curtain-raiser "Presto" -- there are a few things about the nominations that pique my interest.

• Of course, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is a big moment for Louisiana. Shot in New Orleans, it was the state's most ambitious project to date. Kudos to all the crew and cast who worked on it. Incidentally, if you are cast or especially crew from "Button," I want to hear from you stat. Send me a note at akent@gannett.com.
• And though "Benjamin Button" is a big deal for New Orleans and Louisiana, there was some horribly funny news yesterday. "Disaster Movie," made in The Shreve, nearly led the Razzies nominations with six. Six! ("Love Guru" got seven.) For those of you who like to view the state's industry as a competition between cities, don't worry. "Meet the Spartans," made in LaPlace and New Orleans, got five Razzie nominations. Five! Ouch. Gotta love the yin and yang!
• Amy Adams for "Doubt." She's brilliant and remains one of my faves. For local theater geeks, I have to also note that local actress Charity Schubert did the same role for a local River City Rep stage production and deserves a frickin' Tony! (Somebody get us a time machine!) Brilliant stuff, and I actually liked this stage production better than the movie.
• Josh Brolin finally got a long-deserved nomination with "Milk." (He got robbed last year for "No Country.") Wouldn't it have been interesting if he had gotten a nod for "W?" Too bad it wasn't a better film. I would have been ecstatic, and the potential interview would have been interesting indeed. Dude's a brilliant actor (and a good kisser, apparently).
• Marisa Tomei is back with a nomination for "The Wrestler," which means my wife has to go see a movie about combat. All right!
• Absolutely pissed that "Happy-Go-Lucky's" Sally Hawkins missed a nomination. That's as bad as Paul Giamatti missing for "Sideways." Both absolutely defined their movies, and both were robbed!
• The most competitive category? Best actress, to my mind, no question. Meryl vs. Kate is going to be Oscar night's biggest moment. Those are two major, major performances. Flip a coin. Perhaps the best screen performances of the year (beside WALL-E, Eve and the cockroach).

Enough of me. What did you think?

NOTE: Corrected at 4:35 p.m.: Argh. "Disaster Movie" wasn't the year's worst, as previously noted. It earned six Razzie nominations, whereas "The Love Guru" earned seven. My bad.

Oscar nominations: 'Benjamin Button' gets 13

That's big news for Louisiana.

And guess what? chris-brad beat me again in predictions: 22-20.

Best Motion Picture of the Year
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Frost/Nixon (2008)
Milk (2008)
The Reader (2008)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkins for The Visitor (2007/I)
Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon (2008)
Sean Penn for Milk (2008)
Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Angelina Jolie for Changeling (2008)
Melissa Leo for Frozen River (2008)
Meryl Streep for Doubt (2008/I)
Kate Winslet for The Reader (2008)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin for Milk (2008)
Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder (2008)
Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt (2008/I)
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight (2008)
Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road (2008)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams for Doubt (2008/I)
Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Viola Davis for Doubt (2008/I)
Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler (2008)

Best Achievement in Directing
Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Stephen Daldry for The Reader (2008)
David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon (2008)
Gus Van Sant for Milk (2008)

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Frozen River (2008): Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky (2008): Mike Leigh
In Bruges (2008): Martin McDonagh
Milk (2008): Dustin Lance Black
WALL·E (2008): Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Eric Roth, Robin Swicord
Doubt (2008/I): John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon (2008): Peter Morgan
The Reader (2008): David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Simon Beaufoy

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Changeling (2008): Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight (2008): Wally Pfister
The Reader (2008): Roger Deakins, Chris Menges
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Anthony Dod Mantle

Best Achievement in Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter
The Dark Knight (2008): Lee Smith
Frost/Nixon (2008): Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
Milk (2008): Elliot Graham
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Chris Dickens

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Changeling (2008): James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight (2008): Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando
The Duchess (2008): Michael Carlin, Rebecca Alleway
Revolutionary Road (2008): Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Australia (2008): Catherine Martin
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Jacqueline West
The Duchess (2008): Michael O'Connor
Milk (2008): Danny Glicker
Revolutionary Road (2008): Albert Wolsky

Best Achievement in Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Greg Cannom
The Dark Knight (2008): John Caglione Jr., Conor O'Sullivan
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008): Mike Elizalde, Thomas Floutz

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Alexandre Desplat
Defiance (2008): James Newton Howard
Milk (2008): Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman
WALL·E (2008): Thomas Newman

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman, Gulzar ("Jai Ho")
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman, M.I.A ("O Saya")
WALL·E (2008): Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman ("Down to Earth")

Best Achievement in Sound
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
The Dark Knight (2008): Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
WALL·E (2008)
Wanted (2008)

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
The Dark Knight (2008)
Iron Man (2008)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
WALL·E (2008)
Wanted (2008)

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Eric Barba, Edson Williams
The Dark Knight (2008): Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Timothy Webber, Paul J. Franklin
Iron Man (2008)

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Bolt (2008)
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
WALL·E (2008)

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (2008)(Germany)
Entre les murs (2008)(France)
Revanche (2008)(Austria)
Okuribito (2008)(Japan)
Vals Im Bashir (2008)(Israel)

Best Documentary, Features
The Betrayal - Nerakhoon (2008)
Encounters at the End of the World (2007)
The Garden (2008/I)
Man on Wire (2008)
Trouble the Water (2008)

Best Documentary, Short Subjects
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306

Best Short Film, Animated
Ubornaya istoriya - lyubovnaya istoriya (2007)
La Maison en Petits Cubes: Kunio KatoOktapodi (2007): Julien Bocabeille, François-Xavier Chanioux, Olivier Delabarre, Thierry Marchand, Quentin Marmier, Emud Mokhberi
Presto (2008): Doug Sweetland
This Way Up (2008): Alan Smith, Adam Foulkes

Best Short Film, Live Action
Auf der Strecke (2007)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy (2007)
The Pig
Spielzeugland (2007)

Guess the Oscars' best pic nominations

I'm predicting these five will be nominated for best pic tomorrow morning:

• "The Dark Knight"
• "Slumdog Millionaire"
• "Milk"
• "WALL-E"
• "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

What are you best picture guesses? chris-brad, you can officially begin the annual flogging of the LaMovBlogger.

My official backpedaling: I'm going out on a limb with "WALL-E," but it's the best movie I've seen this year (besides the documentary "Man on Wire"). I have to cheer for it! Conventional wisdom says "Frost/Nixon" will take "WALL-E's" spot.

"Benjamin Button" has lost some of its buzz, too, so I wouldn't be surprised to see another crowd-pleaser like "Gran Torino" sneak into its spot or "Milk's." In other words, I think it's very, very hard to predict the noms this year. "Slumdog" looks like the only lock, and there are no automatics like "No Country for Old Men" or "There Will Be Blood" or "Juno."

What will be robbed? "Synecdoche, New York." It's the most inventive pic I've seen this year but I don't think voters are ever in the mood for something more despairing than my 401(k).

Here are the proverbial bridesmaids that should earn some noms: "Frost/Nixon" * "Revolutionary Road" * "The Reader" * "The Wrestler" * "Cadillac Records" * "Doubt" * "Rachel Getting Married"

'God v. Science' screening at LSUS

The locally made short film “God vs. Science” will screen Friday at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Show time is set for 7 p.m. at LSUS’s University Center. Admission is $3.

Directed by Jabari Thomas, “God vs. Science” pits an atheist science professor against a Christian student in a dispute about the existence of God. The 21-minute movie, starring Ted Ferguson and Chris Weaver, was filmed primarily at LSUS.

The movie will be followed by a film industry and theater forum discussion featuring Thomas; Dawn Landrum of Landrum Arts LA talent agency; Pruitt Taylor Vince, a film actor and LSUS artist in residence; Robert Alford, an LSUS theater professor; Richard Folmer, artistic director of the East Bank Theatre in Bossier City; film director Jeffrey Goodman; and Dano Anderson, a first assistant director.

To reserve tickets, contact LSUS at (318) 797-5396. For more information about “God vs. Science,” contact Ferguson at (318) 464-8030.

Another January update from state film office

FYI: The Millennium project "Rin Tin Tin" is now "Cool Dog."

Welcome to (225) 342-FILM, the official hotline of Louisiana Entertainment. Here's what's happening for the third week of January 2009:

SHREVEPORT

The Weinstein Company feature film "Youth in Revolt" is in Shreveport for reshoots through February 7th. Youth in Revolt is now fully crewed. Inquiries can be faxed to (318) 681-9917.

"Drill Deep: The Haynesville Shale Documentary" is in production throughout the Shreveport area through the end of February. Inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at GKallenberg@gmail.com.

The Nu Image/Millennium feature film "Cool Dog" is in pre-production Shreveport with shooting scheduled from February 17 through mid-March. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at cooldogproductions@gmail.com. The Disney Channel television series The Imagination Movers will begin pre-production in Harahan on February 1 with shooting scheduled to start in late March. Resumes for crew are being accepted by e-mail at imaginationmovers1@earthlink.net.

LAFAYETTE

The independent feature film "My Last Goodbye" will begin pre-production in the Lafayette area in February with ten weeks of shooting set to begin March 30. Resumes and headshots are being accepted by e-mail at wxartinc@gmail.com.

Soft prep for the Bullet Films feature films "Jaws of the Mississippi," "Medusa," and "Wolf" will begin in February in Lafayette. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted bey e-mail at jobs@bulletfilms.net.

BATON ROUGE

The independent feature film "American Gospel" is in development in the Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled for this spring and summer. Resumes are being accepted by e-mail at americangospel@gmail.com.

The HBO television series "True Blood" starring Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer is in preproduction in the Baton Rouge area and will shoot portions of the series in Louisiana in February, April and June. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at truebloodbr@gmail.com.

The independent feature film "The Chameleon" is pre-production in Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled from February 2 through March 6. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by fax at (225) 610-1670 (no headshots please).

The Films in Motion feature film "Wrong Side of Town" starring Rob Van Dam and Batiste is in pre-production in Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled from Feb. 3 through Feb. 24. Resumes and inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@filmsinmotion.com.

The Most Wanted Films feature film "Video Girl" starring Meagan Good is in pre-production in Baton Rouge with shooting scheduled for February 18 through March 15. Inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@mostwantedfilms.com

NEW ORLEANS

The HBO television series pilot "Treme" is in pre-production in New Orleans with shooting scheduled for March 9th through 31st. Resumes for crew and inquiries are being accepted by email only at blowndeadlineprod@gmail.com. RPM Casting is working on the day player roles. Casting will begin in the next two weeks. They are looking for all ages, ethnicities and types. Please send a photo, resume and contact information to their office as soon as possible to: RPM Casting c/o ArtEgg Studios 1001 S. Broad Street New Orleans, LA 70125

The Most Wanted Films feature film "Sinners and Saints" is shooting in New Orleans through January 24th. Inquiries are being accepted by e-mail at info@mostwantedfilms.com.

And for more information about the film and television industry in Louisiana please visit us online at http://www.louisianaentertainment.gov/.

300 to 350 watch inauguration at Robinson Film Center

Revised 12:26 p.m.: RFC's Pierre Rubben estimated 300 to 350 people came to the film center this morning to watch the inauguration. Lots of clapping. A few standing ovations. In general, it seems people felt like Marcus Mitchell, 24 (pictured), who attended on a day off. "It gives you a different feeling to experience it with a crowd made up of different nationalities, different creeds and different races," he said. "I think it's a joyous occasion."

If you went to RFC, or if you watched the inauguration with a crowd, let me know what you thought. Why was it important for you to be part of a crowd, and what was it like?

Also, I posted this as a comment, but it's worth repeating: Right before the swearing in was beginning, a flood of people filled the theater. There were lots of local media outlets pointing their cameras both at the screen and at the crowd, but what was more interesting was the ways in which people were documenting the event by themselves. Lots of cameras, cellphone cameras, video cameras, etc., trying to capture a moment in time, ostensibly to show friends and future families where they were and why. It kind of shows me how newer technologies have further enabled people to become citizen journalists/historians/record-takers/etc. during big moments.

Lots of local media watch the watching.

It was a pretty diverse crowd, as Mitchell noted. At this moment, a Marine veteran bows his head in prayer.

I count three citizen cameras/cellphones pointed at the screen during this moment. As people watched, you saw quite a few cameras peek over the crowd.