Kumar goes to Washington?

Kal Penn, whose character smoked dope with a Dubya impersonator in "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay," has been hired by the Obama administration to be a liaison between the White House and arts groups. No kidding. ... Read here.

I wonder if his new bosses saw the above clip from "HK2?" I'm guessing it wasn't one of Penn's work samples.

Now, I've interviewed Penn a couple times and let's just say that his roles -- with the exception of perhaps "House" -- don't represent him well. At all. He's super-smart. He was reading The New York Times when I met him. (Right side up and everything.) And he studied international security at Stanford while acting, according to HK2 bio. In other words, the dude's not Kumar.

On a Shreveport set in February 2007, Penn told me: "I will say to that dude who hasn’t met me, he’s going to be sorely disappointed. I’m a pretty boring guy. If you hang out all day [on set], you’ll see me drinking water, sitting there reading the newspaper, and then doing my job when I have to do it. That’s it. There’s this weird assumption that I’m some sort of dancing monkey just because I play the role of Kumar, which is sort of flattering because it means you’ve done a believable job in playing the character. But fans are regularly disappointed."

But really, now, what do I think of Penn working for the White House? Um, well ... hmm. I'll quote Dubya as played by James Adomian in "HK2": "You just blew my f***ing mind."

'Year One' slapped with an R rating

Apparently, the biblical humor in "Year One" gets pretty dicey. The major Sony release (June 19) just earned an R rating from the MPAA. Yikes. That's less than great news for The Shreve, because it's going to limit its audience base. As a major release, local industry advocates want to make sure this flick reaches as many people as possible. Why? Chalk it up to the "Benjamin Button" effect. Big movie = more interest in northwest Louisiana as a location.

Reports the Hollywood Reporter, "The film's producer Judd Apatow and its director, co-writer and producer Harold Ramis appeared before the board to argue for a more lenient rating for the comedy that stars Jack Black and Michael Cera as a couple of barely-out-of-the-cave men who travel through the ancient world."

Check out the article here.

Trailer: 'Wonderful World' starring Matthew Broderick

Shot in The Shreve. Thoughts?

Meet the makers of 'Zombie Girl' tonight

"Zombie Girl" continues its run at the Robinson Film Center this week. Tonight, you can meet directors Erik Mauck and Justin Johnson at Q&As following the 5:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. screenings. The documentary follows a 12-year-old Austinite on her two-year quest to make "Pathogen," a feature-length zombie flick. "Zombie Girl" won a 2009 Spirit of Slamdance award. (Unfortunately, RFC's Abby Singer's Bistro will not be serving fresh brain martinis. Strickly a BYOBrain affair.)

Bring your questions to Thursday’s forum with Mayor Glover

Plan to attend
WHAT: Mayor's office forum re: Louisiana's film industry incentives.
WHEN: 3 p.m. Thursday (April 9).
WHERE: Independence Stadium Skybox, Shreveport.
WITH: you, Mayor Cedric Glover, and local and state lawmakers.

Have you been reading the news about Studio Operations (Nu Image/Millennium Films) opening the Worldwide FX visual effects studio in Shreveport? You should pay close attention because this developing story – like the recent announcement of DigiLou Studios – is a very big deal for the local industry. Bringing postproduction and digital animation to this market represents a chance for The Shreve and the state to capture high-paying jobs in the film industry, and seed a new sector that could ultimately drive a big part of the local biz.

If you're local crew member, however, you're more concerned about earning a paycheck now. I get that. It's no secret that The Shreve's production calendar has been startlingly quiet for the first quarter of '09, and not a week goes by that I don't receive an email expressing deep concern about the industry's local future. I hear you, and I'm reporting whatever I can get on the record.

Thursday, however, represents an opportunity to get heard by leaders and lawmakers. If you want to see more movies made in The Shreve and in Louisiana, then go to the mayor's forum Thursday and join an ongoing public dialogue.

For what it is worth, here's what I'm thinking about. This outline might help you frame some of your questions:

What's going to happen with tax credit legislation when the session begins on April 27? Should the state strengthen the incentives or not?

• Louisiana's production incentive (25 percent) is not as aggressive as Georgia's (30 percent). Will Louisiana legislators re-up the ante in the upcoming legislative session? Will they follow Gov. Bobby Jindal's view and keep it at 25 percent for two more years? It's too early to tell, and the issue is not as cut-and-dry as it seems. In the short term, Georgia's production calendar is outpacing Louisiana's. But will this prove true in the long term?

• What specific tax credit is the most important to focus on during this legislative session? Locally, some say the emphasis must be put on the production tax credit, because it drives the most business. (It follows, too, that the Louisiana labor tax credit, which effectively boosts the production tax credit from 25 percent to 35 percent for in-state labor, is an important sweetener. Keep in mind, though, that Georgia has a sweetener of its own: it offers a sales tax rebate.)

• What should be done with the expired infrastructure tax credit? It was worth 40 until the end of 2008, but many of its critics point out that it was never intended to be worth so much (rather, just 15). The sense I have from local conversations is that there will be a push to reestablish it at 15 percent, with its value capped on per project basis. Who knows what will transpire in the end.
  The most interesting argument I've heard is this: "The production credit drives movie production, so it's the most important one to tweak. Strengthen it, and infrastructure will follow when necessary." On the flipside, some argue that infrastructure development (building studios, etc.), is key to the industry's longevity suggesting, "If you don't build it, they will no longer come."
  For The Shreve, which has three soundstage production facilities and will have four before the end of 2009, this is a big issue.
  The questions you should be asking here are: Do we have enough infrastructure to sustain the current industry and foster growth, or do we need more? And what should a renewed infrastructure credit look like?

• Are local lawmakers in northwest Louisiana looking to add local incentives, like the 3 percent tax rebate in Jefferson Parish (capped at $100,000 per project), and would it be cost effective?

• Do Louisiana's incentives add up to true economic gain for the state? You need to read every inch of this report to answer this. You also need to think about the driving idea of the original legislation: the incentives were designed to build an indigenous, or more self-sustaining, industry.
  We're a couple years into a modified program which specifically focuses on in-state investment, and the gains in Shreveport have been big. Have the gains, though, been big enough to justify the program's cost? Does the program simply need more time to bear more fruit?
  Understand that the program is costly. In 2007, for instance, the ERA study estimated that the incentive program cost the state about $115M in tax credits. It estimates the state would recoup $15M in state taxes.) That same report also claimed the industry spent more than $429 million in Louisiana in 2007, resulting in an economic impact of $763 million in 2007.
  Is it worth it? If you read the report as truth, then yes. In my mind, however, the best way to prove any big benefit is to cut it into bite-sized pieces. If you want to make your case the program pays off, then quantify your gain personally and talk about with the lawmakers. If you are below-the-line crew, how much money do you make from the film industry? What were your state taxes? And how much money do you re-spend in La.'s economy (through food, rent, etc.)?
  

• Again, is it too soon to think about sunsetting the film industry credits, as currently scheduled? Given the competitiveness of Ga. and Mich., can La. expect to hold its ground with the incentive program as it stands? On the contrary, should Louisiana refuse to get into an arms race with other states and simply hold its ground? Considering the national incentives race between states, at what point is Louisiana giving away the proverbial store? Read this story about Wisconsin industry study, which suggests incentives don't create real jobs. And read this story, from the Boston Herald, about study that suggests film incentives won't pay off in the long run. Don't discount the challenge of justifying an incentive program during a recession economy. State legislators are going to be feeling big pressure to make big cuts during their upcoming session.

Locally, how can northwest Louisiana regain a competitive edge and its momentum? There is a lot to think about on this front:

• I spoke about this with Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover at last Friday's press conference for Worldwide FX. Glover's up-to-speed on where the industry stands and its competitiveness with other states. To him, Worldwide FX "represents another successful step in building up that infrastructure" that sustains the industry, and, as we're often reminded, spends money locally.
  Glover's aware that production facilities like Mansfield Studios (run through Louisiana Production Consultants), Stage West, and StageWorks of Louisiana – along with Nu Image/Millennium – drive activity in the local production industry. On city-leased land, Nu Image/Millennium is adding their $8 million studio by the end of the year. About the studio, Glover said, "We are without question undaunted in our efforts" with the new studio. "It will come to a full and complete development."
  These are all signs that The Shreve has a good start.
  

• In nearly the same breath, Glover talked about The Shreve's need to "cultivate a niche" in small- and midsized independent film and TV production. This is a really important point. Small- to midsize projects have driven our market's growth to this date, and many believe it will continue to be these types of projects – count "Leaves of Grass," "Skateland," "Wonderful World," "Harold & Kumar 2" and "Streets of Blood" in this class – which drive the local industry. Major studio projects like Sony's "The Year One" are welcomed by local industry – and courted – but they're really just gravy. That's to say, "If the biggies come, fantastic. If they don't, then we have our bread and butter niche to keep us going."
  

• I also spoke with Studio Operations prez Diego Martinez (that's the local arm of Nu Image/Millennium) about this, and its move to add Worldwide FX. Why set up a visual effects shop? It keeps its movies close to home and inside Louisiana, for one, and secondly, it also allows Studio Ops to service its own projects. "We ultimately want to have full post-production in Shreveport," Martinez said. If that's not a statement of commitment to the local industry, I don't know what is.
  If Studio Operations can grow and ultimately finish its films Louisiana-shot films in Louisiana, it more fully becomes that "indigenous" industry everybody has been eying from the get-go.
  

• Does this company, and the rest, have the support they need to regain momentum?

• Do we have enough trained crew? Are they remaining in the area or leaving for jobs elsewhere?

• If you're crew, do you have transferable skills that can be moved from one industry sector to another? Can you acquire them through Worldwide FX, or the Animation and Visual Effects Program at LSUS? Digital animation and special effects are positioned to grow in this market, and it's a good idea to explore these opportunities.

• Is the local industry diverse enough to weather economic downtowns like the current recession? Think about all of these questions if you want to have a stake in the conversation.

Now the efforts of Mayor Glover, Diego Martinez and industry leaders are important, but yours are equally so. If you have concerns about the industry's competitiveness – and are deeply concerned by not getting work for weeks or months – then you need to attend the Mayor's forum on Thursday at the Independence Stadium Skybox. It's a chance for you to connect with local lawmakers as they continue to analyze the incentive program and map out the best course of action. "Part of what I intend to do is give them a chance to tell me" what needs to be done, Glover told me last week. I'd answer his call.

Director has a compelling view of self-distribution

Shreveport's Jeffrey Goodman is doing a whole lot of press about "The Last Lullaby," which opens May 1 in Bossier City. The director has been blogging for Moviemaker about self-distribution for a couple months, and today's entry is intriguing. He writes:

"I know I’m having to get out there and speak a great deal about the movie. But, I go on indieWIRE and see that Barry Jenkins (Medicine for Melancholy), Lance Hammer (Ballast), Azazel Jacobs (Momma’s Man), David Gordon Green (Snow Angels) and now Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo) are all doing the same thing. And all of them are much more established than I am. So that at least tells me, in this current landscape, you can’t be an anti-social moviemaker.

"You can no longer just make your movie and know that people will be there to see it. Like a politician running for office, you have to be out there, among the people, talking about your work."

Click here for the full entry.

PHOTO: Actress Sasha Alexander and director Jeffrey Goodman field questions about "The Last Lullaby" at the 2008 AFI Dallas Film Fest. (Alexandyr Kent/The Times)

What's on view at the Louisiana Film Fest? Zombies, fish tanks, a big lug, oil doc and pharaohs

The Louisiana Film Festival: Student Division begins tonight at the Robinson Film Center. Oodles of programming offered through Sunday, including the festival closer "Zombie Girl," which follows 12-year-old Emily Hagins (pictured) on her journey to make a feature-length flick about the undead. Find the schedule here.

Breaking news: Local film company opening visual effects studio

Nu Image/Millennium Films’ local subsidiary, Studio Operations, is opening a visual effects studio in Shreveport called Worldwide FX.

“It represents our Louisiana footprint,” said Scott Coulter, visual effects producer for Nu Image/Millennium. “It will be the studio that ultimately does all the visual effects for projects shot in Louisiana.”

Nu Image/Millennium has shot nine films in Shreveport since late 2006 — from “My Mom’s New Boyfriend” to the recently wrapped “Cooldog.”

Worldwide FX has been in operation for 10 years in Sofia, Bulgaria, where Nu Image/Millennium runs a major studio facility.

The local effects studio is beginning by hiring a staff of 10 to 15.

“It will definitely expand from there,” Coulter said.

Nu Image/Millennium also plans to build a new $8 million studio facility in Shreveport’s Ledbetter Heights neighborhood by the end of 2009.

Details about Worldwide FX will be announced during a press conference 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Clarion Hotel. Studio representatives and Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover are scheduled to speak.

The above is a huge piece of news, folks. Couple this development with the recent announcement of DigiLou Studios and you have the emergence of a small but new and local digital/post-production workforce. Big deal.

Casting director offering weekend seminar

Casting director Bill Marinella is hosting an auditioning seminar Saturday at the Robinson Film Center. The seminar will cover auditioning basics, preparation techniques, set etiquette and more.

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (April 4).
WHERE: Robinson Film Center, 617 Texas St., Shreveport.
COST: $40.
TO REGISTER OR MORE INFO: billmarinella@yahoo.com or www.acmecastingcompany.com.

City to host forum about incentives

WHEN: 3 p.m. April 9.
WHERE: Independence Stadium Skybox, Shreveport.

The following is a note from Arlena Acree, Shreveport's director of film, media and entertainment:

"You are invited by the Mayor to a meeting to discuss existing film tax incentives and the future of Louisiana's film industry and tax incentives before the legislative session begins in April. We want to hear from you and your thoughts on what you would like for Louisiana's future for the Film Industry. We hope to have our legislators there as well as local city councilman and police jurors, parish commissioners, crew, talent, and vendors. See the attached invite and please forward to anyone interested in attending so that we can have a big turn out. Thanks so much and we look forward to seeing you there!!"

Trailer: 'The Last Lullaby' runs May 1-3 at the Louisiana Boardwalk

The Last Lullaby trailer (Longer Version) from Jeffrey Goodman on Vimeo.

Haven't seen Jeffrey Goodman's "The Last Lullaby" yet? The local director's flick premieres May 1 locally. Here's an early look.

Trailer: 'Where the Wild Things Are'

I'm going off subject, but this trailer makes me hopeful. Why? A studio's fantasy flick actually looks more like live action than CGI. Here's to hoping director Spike Jonze gets it right.

Casting agency offering workshops

Casting directors Toni Cobb Brock and Sally Allen will offer a variety of acting workshops Saturday and Sunday (March 28-29) at the Robinson Film Center. You can learn more about them by visiting their website.

Actors will be taped, and the workshop will end with a Q&A about their work.

Workshop times:

• 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday: Kids workshop, ages 6 to 11. (Bring your own lunch.)
  
• 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday: Adult workshop, ages 17 and older.
  
• 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday: Teen workshop, ages 12 to 16.
  
• 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday: Adult workshop, ages 17 and older.
  

Location: Robinson Film Center, 617 Texas St., Shreveport.

Cost: $125, in advance, for each workshop; $150, at the door. To reserve, call Toni at (214) 752-9851.

LSUS offering intro workshop for animation/visual FX

LSUS's animation and visual effects program is offering another introductory workshop on March 28.

Program director John Miralles will head up the class, which is an intro to entertainment industry computer graphics. Students will produce their first visual effects during the workshop.

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28.
WHERE: LSUS Technology Center, Room 258.
COST: $10, middle and high school students; $29 for LSUS students, faculty and staff; $39, general public.
TO REGISTER: ce.lsus.edu, or contact the Continuing Ed department at 318.798.4177.

'Phone it home, baby. Phone it home!' says Dick Vitale about this weekend's screenings of 'E.T.'

Just got off the phone with Dicky V. No, really ... I did. He's more excited about E.T.'s latest comeback than the Tar Heels' inevitable triumph. Best quote I've ever written down: "This Diaper Dandy came from beyond the stratosphere in 1982 to win the hearts and minds of movie nation, baby. E.T.'s fingers make James Worthy's look like half-eaten fish sticks! His levitating moon ride made M.J.'s free throw line dunk look like hopscotch! His translucent chest skin is more mind-altering than Michael Phelps bong hit! Scribble in this magnificent Martian as a bracket topper, baby! He's unbelievable. Unbelievable, baby!"

That ranks as the weirdest imaginary interview I've ever logged.

The Robinson Film Center is screening "E.T." on Saturday and Sunday. Details.

BPCC casting for summer movie project

The BPCC Film Institute will hold auditions March 31 for its summer film project “At War with the Ants.” What do you need to know?

CASTING CALL
When: begins 5:30 p.m. March 31.
Where: BPCC campus, 6220 E. Texas St., Building D, 3rd floor, Bossier City.
Bring: a casting headshot/photo.
Info: Paula Kaszuba at (318) 678-6177 or pkaszuba@bpcc.edu.

Available parts:

• male actors from young 20s to upper 30s
• Female actors from young 20s to upper 30s
• one African American girl (around 3 years old)
• one Caucasian boy (around 6 years old)

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.