Saturday, June 11, 2011

Know More About Louisiana Film Tax Credit

By George Harris


While Louisiana may offer a seemingly good deal in its -30% transferable incentive for total and state expenditures related to producing a motion picture, there can be found a few significant disadvantages in filming there compared to other states.

While tax incentives induce economic advantages to that particular state, secondary economic benefits also take place. One example is movie induced tourism or FIT. However, Louisiana hosts hundreds of films, all of which haven't increased or even experienced film induced tourism.

A number of other states in close proximity have both tax incentives and also have been observing film induced tourism for the past decade such as Georgia and North Carolina. Though seemingly perfect for a production that has a non-urban or suburban setting, Louisiana is incredibly identifiable and does not have that "Anywhere, USA" adaptability that other cities say Atlanta or Wilmington have. In contrast to Louisiana, North Carolina has shorelines that are comparable to that of California, minus the steep Hollywood production cost. Additionally, travel in and out of Louisiana, particularly New Orleans, just isn't a piece of cake, especially since Hurricane Katrina's devastation and the resulting infrastructural failures. Once more, Atlanta provides a really practical substitute for Louisiana, as Atlanta hosts the busiest airport in the country and provides very adaptable travel arrangements that any production officer could require. And also, EUE/ Screen Gems, a renowned movie and tv production company, are conveniently located six miles from Atlanta's Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Louisiana has been struck really hard by the latest economic depression as well as natural disasters, forcing a number of locals to relocate somewhere else. The outflow of the labor force has proved to be damaging to the film industry as many laborers are now earning a living for other companies not located in Louisiana. Without a convenient airport nearby and a labor force that has been reducing within the last couple of years, the movie industry in Louisiana isn't what it used to be. Even though big movies have been filmed there, they're mostly computer animated and television shows are leaning more towards the production sites in North Carolina and Georgia. In fact, EUE/ Screen Gems is now home to over 9 tv programs this year, including a 9th Season of "One Tree Hill" which is currently being shot in Wilmington, North Carolina.

It's very important to offer a functional location for filming when selecting production studios to work with. As stated earlier, although Louisiana may offer cost-effective alternatives by means of extensive tax incentives, it doesn't provide a convenient urban location for filming. While New Orleans is an enjoyable place full of culture, it is distinctive and well-known, and truly cannot be used when searching for a "generic city" type feel. Thus, if a movie or television show requires urban scenes, it's likely that they will have to go to a close convenient city, increasing production expenses with transportation fees for stars, staff, and crew. This trouble seems unnecessary when EUE/Screen Gems production studios in Wilmington, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia have the 2 biggest stages eastern side of California.




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