Posted 14 October, 2007 in LA News
Film frenzy
by Jaime Guillet
Posted: Monday, October 8, 2007
Filmmakers still love Louisiana as a location for film production.
In 2007, 33 films will be produced in Louisiana, a 65 percent increase compared with 20 in 2006. Fourteen films will be shot in New Orleans compared with 10 in 2006, a 40 percent increase.
Most industry insiders expect the trend to continue into 2008.
New Orleans native Florent “Danny” Retz is one such insider. Retz, a film editor with more than 50 feature films under his belt, returned from Los Angeles where he’d lived since 1976. Seeking opportunities in the burgeoning Louisiana film industry, he moved into a new Slidell home five days before Hurricane Katrina. The 18 months following the storm were rife with potential problems for Louisiana studios — the largest being the insurance crisis — and Rentz had trouble finding work.
“The hurricane certainly dampened things a little,” Rentz said.
Not anymore, he said.
“If every year is like this, I’ll be able to carve out a good living,” Rentz said. “Jobs are plentiful here and I hope they stay that way. This year we’ve had something every month — usually two or three a month.”
The number of films now being shot in Louisiana is “right on par with pre-hurricane numbers,” said Chris Stelly, director of Louisiana’s Office of Entertainment Industry Development. Uncertainty about hurricanes and skyrocketing insurance premiums halted many companies from working in Louisiana right after the 2005 storms. Two years later, those pressures are finally subsiding, he said.
“Just a year after, folks are much more comfortable,” said Stelly. “A lot of the insurance issues have been worked out and haven’t been an issue this year.”
Producers also now understand hurricanes “are totally predictable and we can plan our contingency plans accordingly,” Stelly said.
The nation’s most competitive film tax incentives are still the major lure. The Legislature this past session mandated the 25 percent tax credit would only be received on money spent in Louisiana. The number of films being shot in Louisiana demonstrates a growing level of confidence among filmmakers, he said.
The economic impact in the state from filmmaking in 2007 is estimated at $362.2 million, although the amount is indefinite until an independent audit verifies the total, said Stelly.
A 2006 Economics Research Associates report on state trends in film, music and digital media shows filmmaking growing at an impressive rate in Louisiana.
In 2003, film spending added $7.4 million to the state economy in wages, profits and sales tax. Productions were a rare presence in the state.
After the film incentives authored by state Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Elmwood, passed the Legislature, film spending mushroomed to $344 million in 2005. The number of film production jobs rose 247 percent from 5,437 in 2003 to 18,882 and wages have increased 31 percent annually.
Unfettered growth also created needs for a deeper labor force and more infrastructure.
Mike McHugh, business agent for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 478 union, said there has been great membership growth but people “aren’t beating down the door” to join.
“It’s just like anywhere else in the state: There’s just not enough labor,” said McHugh. “We’re definitely growing. We can’t grow fast enough.”
He said IATSE’s members hovered at 150 for years and pre-Katrina was at 300. Membership is now 550, marking 83 percent growth. The work force shortage outranks the infrastructure needs as a priority, said Stelly, but not so much the state has lost any productions.
Retz, who starts editing the new film “American Inquisition” Monday, said there’s one good way to enhance the labor force.
“The more filmmakers that come (to Louisiana to work), the more people we get to become experienced,” said Retz.
Your comment:
You must be logged in to post a comment.
