Guardian Unlimited Film | News | Film shoots fall victim to Katrina

Guardian Unlimited Film | News | Film shoots fall victim to Katrina

Poor Louisiana ... This is another bad news that a major source of their icome might not be that willing to go back after Katerina ...

But I am wondering will LA really go for some tax shortcuts to bring in more local shooting?!


Film shoots fall victim to Katrina

Staff and agencies
Friday September 2, 2005


Louisiana film officials are scrambling to put on a brave face in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, amid claims from Hollywood-based rivals that New Orleans faces years in the wilderness.
At least three high-profile local shoots have been put on hold following the natural disaster, namely Disney's time-travel thriller Deja Vu starring Denzel Washington, Kevin Costner vehicle The Guardian, and Warner Bros' horror picture The Reaping, which stars Hilary Swank and David Morrissey.

Studios ordered all their casts and crews to evacuate the state last Saturday and there is mounting speculation that they will relocate to safer locales rather than return to the ravaged southern region.
Until Katrina struck Louisiana was a booming film centre buoyed by tax incentives that raised local production revenues from $20m (£11m) in 2002 to a projected $425m (£231m) this year.

The state's film overlords have stressed that only 20% of Louisiana was seriously hit by Katrina. "The national media make it seem like the entire state is under water," Chris Stelly of the Louisiana Governor's office of film and television development said.

However, the prognosis from Jack Kyser, chief economist at the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp, was not so rosy. "Louisiana had been on a roll, but they literally came to a crashing halt. New Orleans is not going to be a good location for filming, probably for several years."

Kyser's comments were not surprising. In recent months California has become increasingly vocal in its efforts to lure business back to the Golden State following years of 'runaway' productions to more financially attractive sites like Louisiana, New York, New Mexico, Canada and Eastern Europe.

Californian lawmakers are debating a bill designed to encourage inward investment in the state through subsidised shoots.