Filmmakers find south Louisiana enticing for movie production

Lights, camera, action – a filmmaking catchphrase that is being uttered more frequently by movie directors right here in south Louisiana, and with the immense economic impact filmmaking has on the state, nobody seems to be complaining.

“We believe that that’s money that’s coming in, it doesn’t put any burdens on our infrastructure or of services but yet there’s money flowing in,” said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet. “They rent facilities, rent equipment and all types of other things, too – so the flow of the money is going good.”

According to Louisiana Entertainment’s website, the economic growth since the Motion Picture Incentive Act was put into place in 2002 has been “robust.” Since the act, Louisiana offers a 30 percent transferable incentive for total in-state expenditures related a motion picture production.

“Since the program began through 2008, there have been 185 projects produced in Louisiana,” it states on the website. An expenditures report on productions that occurred from 2005 through 2007 estimates that expenditures were approximately $429 million, meaning a $763 million impact on the state.

“When a film production comes to an area, they hire out a lot of the locals for certain things like food, local hotels and rental equipment,” said Michelle Edwards, marketing director for the Terrebonne Parish Economic Development Authority. “So there’s a lot of money that is used for a production in the local area.”

In addition to hiring locals for basic production needs, Louisiana also sees a pike in revenue in other areas when productions come to the state.

“They’re going to restaurants at night, the cleaners, the movies, doing things in and around the state of Louisiana,” said Chris Stelly, director of film for the state of Louisiana. “We are starting to see more and more Louisiana residents working on these projects, and they’re buying houses and renting hotels. We have seen former residents move back to Louisiana to work on these productions, and it’s giving old residents a reason to stay here.”

Stelly also mentioned a push to make filmmaking in Louisiana a homegrown infrastructure.

“We’re taking it to the next level to maintain production levels that we’re at, but build a sustainable industry that is truly indigenous, from the screenplays to investment to post production to distribution,” he said.

Aside from the economic pros of producing a movie in Louisiana, film producers are also drawn to the state because of its unique quality.

“I think Louisiana is really a one of a kind state, it’s unique as far as what can be found here culturally,” said Michael Gottwald, of the production company Court 13 and co-producer of “Beasts of the Wild,” Court 13’s first feature length film.

“The landscape, especially down in the bayou, has things you can’t see anywhere else in the country, and it makes for evocative stuff for movies,” he said.

Gottwald’s film production spent 40 days near the bayou in Montegut and Bourg at a family owned gas station. The film itself is an adaptation of a play written by Lucy Alabar, about a young girl and her father who live on an island down the bayou called “Bath Tub,” that is separated from the rest of the state by a giant levee. The storyline focuses on the changing relationship between the girl and her father as their town is threatened by a huge storm that could cause extinction.

“I think our movie isn’t necessarily about Louisiana, but it gives light to these beautiful places that people haven’t seen, and to spark imagination about what’s really out there,” Gottwald said.

According to Edwards and Sharon Alford of the Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (HACVB), many other projects are in negotiation for filming.

“We have small and large companies interested in doing documentaries relative to oil spill,” Alford said. “But we need to have place to accommodate crews, which difficult right now because of the clean-up workers.”

But Alford said the documentaries, when able to be produced, will bring awareness to general public as to the problems and challenges facing Louisiana not only in regards to the oil spill, but also wetlands issues.

In addition to drawing attention to the Gulf through documentaries, Edwards discussed a way for Terrebonne Parish to capitalize on the New Orleans film market.

“The advantage in Terrebonne, besides a beautiful environment, is that it’s an hour away from New Orleans,” Edwards said. “When productions are looking for locations, there is a union requirement that they are not to exceed one hour within the destination location for offsite shooting. So, we’re in that radius, which works out real well for us.”

Edwards also mentioned the launch of a website database that will be a recruitment tool for film productions in south Louisiana.

“Currently we are working on a guide with a database of sites and pictures. We also will incorporate local talent and provisions like caterers, electricians and plumbers, The website would have links to Lafourche and Houma Convention of Visitors Bureaus, and these productions will be able to look at the database when looking for people to assist them,” Edwards explained.

“This helps in gradual recruitment because if we have the infrastructure in place and the talent in place, productions can find people in our area more readily, and it will be more likely that they will choose our area,” she said.

With film productions increasing over the last five years, Stelly is optimistic, too.

“The trend is up in Louisiana for 2010, and there’s no end in sight,” he said.

A list of films that were recently wrapped, are in pre-production, and are currently being filmed can be found at: www.Louisianaentertainment.gov.