LOUISIANA COMES TO HOLLYWOOD STATE GETTING FILMING PLANS BACK IN PLACE.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer Members of a Louisiana delegation, on a three-day swing through Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. this week, announced Friday that they have already landed more than $200 million in post-Katrina film and television projects for their state in 2006. The trip coincided with the American Film Market in Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. and gave the delegation a chance to meet this week with executives at Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) ., Sony, Disney, NBC Universal NBC Universal is a media and entertainment company formed in May 2004 by the combination of General Electric's NBC with Vivendi Universal Entertainment (part of the French Media Group, Vivendi SA). GE owns 80% of NBC Universal with the remaining 20% owned by Vivendi SA. , 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Showtime cable channel, Lifetime television and Black Entertainment Television. Delegation members also had meetings with independent producers and film financiers. The Louisiana group included Sen. Jay Dardenne John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr. (born February 6, 1954), is the Republican secretary of state of Louisiana. Formerly, Dardenne (pronounced DAR DEN) was a state senator from the Baton Rouge suburbs, having served from 1992 until after his election on September 30, 2006, as secretary , R-Baton Rouge; Baton Rouge Baton Rouge (băt`ən r  zh) [Fr.,=red stick], city (1990 pop. 219,531), state capital and seat of East Baton Rouge parish, SE La. Mayor-President Kip Holden, D-Baton Rouge; and Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. President/CEO Paul Arrigo. ``We had productive discussions with studio executives and producers who are extremely interested in the greater Baton Rouge area,'' Dardenne said. ``Recognizing the post-hurricane growth of our area, the film and television industry expressed a continuing commitment to projects in South Louisiana. Our aggressive tax incentives program is a magnet for those who invest in these projects.'' Among the projects to be shot in Louisiana next year are a slate of films from Spice Factory/Cameo FJ Entertainment including ``Winter Heat,'' ``Miamiland'' and ``My Funny Valentine.'' Also on tap is ``Banner Days'' from V Entertainment Group, which also plans to shoot a television pilot and a murder mystery feature film in greater Baton Rouge. ``We are very excited about the substantial new productions coming to the area as a result of the delegation's trip and are pleased to support the efforts of the city and state,'' said Chris Stelly, economic development manager of the Governor's Office of Film and Television Development in Louisiana. Louisiana has become serious competition to the Southern California movie industry with a growing number of projects being lured south by generous tax incentives and a rapidly growing production infrastructure. The biopic bi·o·pic n. A film or television biography, often with fictionalized episodes. biopic Noun Informal a film based on the life of a famous person [bio(graphical) + pic(ture)] ``Ray,'' the comedy ``Dukes of Hazzard'' and the mystery ``Skeleton Key'' were among the 2005 releases shot in the state, and next year's ``All the King's Men'' starring Sean Penn was also filmed there. The hurricane initially appeared to have jeopardized the state's ambitious plans to become something of a Hollywood South since several major studio films had to be halted in midproduction after Katrina. But The Walt Disney Co, for example, has agreed to delay the start of production on the films ``Deja Vu'' and ``The Guardian'' in order to stick with their Louisiana locations. Greg Hernandez, (818) 713-3758 greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com |
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