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.
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11 comments:
My curiosity wonders what city leaders and film professionals think of the sudden collapse of The Shreve's film market.
At first I attributed the slowing to projects having funding issues, but this list is amazing. All these new projects and NONE to this area? Even a few that were slated to film here have headed south. That can't be a coincidence.
Sounds like there is something in the water, and it can't all be the Brolin arrest (so don't post us to death about that Mr. Anonymous!)
I just want to know what has happened to virtually stop film production around here. We all hear rumors, whispers and whatnot, but some concrete answers would be nice.
OBVIOUSLY, THINGS ARE BOOMING EVERYWHERE IN LOUISIANA EXCEPT SHREVEPORT, SO THE FUNDING EXCUSE DOESN'T HOLD UP. ALSO, THE SAG EXCUSE DOESN'T CUT IT, EITHER.
ITS BUSY EVERYWHERE BUT SHREVEPORT.
IT ALL STARTS AND ENDS WITH CITY LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE NONE.
JUST MAYBE IT REALLY IS ALL THE BAD PUBLICITY SHREVEPORT RECEIVED FROM THE JOSH BROLIN ARREST AND THE FALLOUT FROM THE WAY MAYOR CEDRIC GLOVER MISHANDLED EVERYTHING. LETS NOT BE AFRAID OF LOOKING AT THE TRUTH, OR WE WILL NEVER GET THE FILM INDUSTRY BACK TO SHREVEPORT.
MAYOR GLOVER HAS GOTTEN A BAD REPUTATION ALL OVER THE USA, AND ESPECIALLY HOLLYWOOD, FOR WHAT HE DID TO THE ACTORS BY FAILING TO RELEASE THE BROLIN ARREST VIDEO FOR 6 MONTHS. THEN HE TURNED HIS BACK ON THE FILM INDUSTRY AND STOOD BEHIND THE CORRUPT POLICE.
WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS FACE THE FACTS? SHREVEPORT WAS BOOMING BEFORE THE BROLIN ARREST, AND NOW NOTHING. IT DOESEN'T TAKE A GENIUS TO FIGURE IT OUT. LETS NOT MAKE BOGUS POLITICAL EXCUSES!
AND CONCERNING CONCRETE ANSWERS...WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO ALL THAT PROPOSED CONCRETE DOWN AT MILLENNIUM STUDIOS?
P.S. GET RID OF MAYOR CEDRIC GLOVER, AND GET A PRO-FILM MAYOR (INSTEAD OF A CORRUPT POLITICIAN), AND WATCH THE MOVIES FLOCK BACK TO SHREVEPORT...BUT DON'T WAIT UNTIL ITS TOO LATE!
Anonymous,
Trust me.... I am nothing even close to being a supporter of Mayor Glover. Without a doubt, the Mayor has tarnished the credibilty of the mayor's office and has wildly and unashamedly blemished Shreveport's image nearly everywhere he has been. It is a sad reality, but a reality nonetheless.
So to say that anyone (myself included) is trying to ignore that fact or overlook the obvious is a bit much. I know the Glover administration has been very unhelpful to ANY industry --- much less the film industry. I get that. I also understand the magnitude of the absolutely damning publicity this area received after the Brolin-Wright arrests. I get that, too.
But that can only explain part of the story. The past few years have seen dozens and dozens of projects here in the Shreveport area. Then, SUDDENLY, it has all but evaporated.
I wish I could blame this all on the Mayor and his staff, as that would make solving the situation much easier. But it cannot explain it all.
Is it the lack of infrastucture?
Is it the lack of a film "community"?
Is it the lack of a real transit hub?
What about a lack of film arts and sciences education?
Or a lack of citizen support?
Or is it something deeper?
Is our own film office to blame perhaps?
What is it? That is what I want to know. I realize the easy thing to do is put all the blame in one place --- I get that. But the industry is too big and complex to shun Shreveport because of a terrible mayor and pathetic publicity.
But I could be wrong. And if I am, if projects are leaving Shreveport or just completely bypassing the Shreve all because of the actions of the Mayor... well, I want to know that.
This would be a great story, Alexandyr. Call it "The Curious Case of the Disappearing Film Industry." I'd read it!
The slowdown isn't just as simple as pointing to a single incident and placing blame, and I'm reporting on this for Sunday.
It's about a crappy credit market, wherein independent projects like many shot in The Shreve couldn't (and perhaps still can't) get credit as easily as before.
It's about Georgia's 30 percent production credit (ours is 25), which is attracted a lot of attention.
It's about 39 states now having production incentives, and Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and California getting serious.
It's about "The Expendables" and Millennium choosing New Orleans over Shreveport because of set necessity. It needed to shoot in a cargo ship, and they found one in New Orleans.
It's about SAG and its ongoing contract negotiations.
I've also, however, been assured my many that The Shreve should see more films in the coming weeks and months.
What has to happen for The Shreve to return to its highest production levels? Depends on who you talk to. Some say "increase the production tax credit to 30 and erase the sunset." Some say offer local incentives, like tax breaks, etc.
These are the things on the record, and that's all I can entertain as a reporter.
If you know something to the contrary and want to talk about it on the record, then call me at 318.459.3256.
I find it interesting that the bad credit market, the SAG negotiations, the tax incentives in competing states, and the lack of infrastructure and crew does NOT appear to effect the current film industry activity in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lafayette.
The problem in Shreveport is much greater than this. We need intelligent and ethical leadership, not zoot suits and excuses. Remember, our Film Office falls under the Mayor's Office.
The last big production to come to Shreveport was the film "W" in May of 2009. Mayor Cedric Glover and the police acted irresponsibly and made international news. Our city may never recover from the wrongdoing of Mayor Cedric Glover's administration.
You do the math.
I can't agree more when Mr. Anonymous wrote: "I find it interesting that the bad credit market, the SAG negotiations, the tax incentives in competing states, and the lack of infrastructure and crew does NOT appear to effect the current film industry activity in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lafayette."
Exactly. My question wasn't why film in general was seeing a downturn. All that makes sense. My question was why is Shreveport being left in the cold? I get that the tax breaks, credit lines, contracts, etc., all have an impact. But if that is the case then why are there so many films still in Louisiana's other cities?
It just feels like something is missing form this equation. Something deeper than the surface issues. Because whatever the problem is, it is a Shreveport problem. Not a Louisiana-wide problem or an industry-wide problem. But a Shreveport problem.
PS. To the rest of the readers, I realize Alexandyr can't post the conjecture from around town. But if anyone, anyone else, knows of something concrete, please post away or give him a call.
I can't wait to read Kent's article Sunday, and I sincerely hope he doesen't sugar-coat the LOCAL film "problem."
The point is that the film slowdown is a Shreveport problem, not an industry problem.
The film business is a labor intensive industry where people & personal relationships and good communication is vital for success. Perception is everything in the business world.
Consequently, when the mayor Cedric Glover, the city council, and the police department are hostile toward an industry and make film crews, actors, and producers feel unwelcome in a city, it has a devastating impact on their perception of that city.
Word travels fast when Josh Brolin, Oliver Stone, and the crews are telling others about their experiences in Shreveport...and they are not wrong for telling the truth.
Local people are going to believe what they feel comfortable believing. Everything that happens in Shreveport (police brutality, political corruption, violent crime, depressed economy, etc.) is related to how a mayor and city council conduct their business. Its a matter of prioritizing what is most important to that mayor.
We have seen first hand that Cedric Glover will sell out the movie industry for future votes from the police and city workers.
Never forget that the Film Office is directly under Mayor Glover, and any problem with the city or its image can be directly traced to the policies set by his office.
I have been to south Louisiana numerous times and the comments are always the same. Mayor Glover makes all Shreveporters look like redneck idiots. Our city has an true image problem due to Mayor Glover...Loud foul mouth and loud zoot suits!
I believe the film problem IS predominantly a Mayor Glover problem, because he harms the image of Shreveport by his attitude and actions. The film industry is a relationship business, and you can't bully your way with them or they will go elsewhere. Likewise, if you treat them with respect, they will want to come and stay in your city, even if the tax incentives are not the absolute best.
Perhaps Josh Brolin explained the attitude of the film industry best when he said "let Shreveport be Shreveport, we will go film somewhere else."
...and the rest is history!
P.S. Josh Brolin's next $80,000,000film in pre production in New Orleans, Louisiana. Care to guess why it isn't in Shreveport?
But production took awhile to even get going again here in New Orleans. And, production is down across the state from this time last year.
In L.A., a lot of feature producers are having a hard time getting projects up and running. Studios aren't putting their big profits back into production, instead the parent companies are using the profits to bolster other sagging departments.
Also, North Carolina just opened a new facility and Michigan just announced a new facility complete with funding for productions (something the state should think about - funding locally generated projects so we start having professionals above and below the line). Georgia has picked up production after years of being stagnant - and some of those are show which could have just as easily been made in Louisiana.
But there is a slow down in production across the country. Not just Shreveport. Every project and producer is having to redo budgets and some shows are shutting down because of the current economy.
This is a business, and you have to look at the whole of it.
It is more than a slowdown, though. There are barely any flames left in Shreveport's fire. That is the point of discussion. Not a slowdown. A disappearance.
I just got a great idea. The only way to get the film business back in Shreveport is to send Shreveport mayor Cedric Glover to New Orleans.
I assure you EVERY film in New Orleans will relocate to Shreveport or Baton Rouge (and only do the New Orleans location shots in New Orleans).
Let me assure you that the No.1 problem with the film industry in Shreveport is Mayor Cedric Glover. I guarantee it.
I have heard it from too many independent sources in the film industry that he is bad for business due to his arrogant bully-style underhand tactics and his blind support of a police force that wants to intimidate everyone who comes to town...except the real criminals. Ever notice how policemen with a history of police brutality are the ones Glover most protects. So it was in the Brolin case, and Glover stood against the film industry. Simply put, the film industry personnel from out of the area do not vote in Cedric Glovers district, so he sold us all out.
The public doesn't understand this now, but when the film industry is gone, I assure you it will not come back to Cedric Glover and his administration. Has anyone ever checked on how many members on Glover's city council have been arrested, convicted or otherwise involved in criminal activity?
And they blindly support everything he does.
...and you want to blame everything on the economy?
PERSONALLY I THINK BERNIE MADOFF IS TO BLAME!!! LOL
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