StageWorks lease being signed today

[dimebag1980]

Downtown Shreveport's old convention center, Expo Hall, is in the process of being leased to StageWorks as I type this. The company will use the building as a permanent movie production facility and is in talks with Disney and FX for use with future productions.

With the movies currently being filmed in the area, StageWorks hopes to build on that success.

Premonition, starring Sandra Bullock, is filming now.

Factory Girl, starring Sienna Miller, recently wrapped up filming.

The Guardian, starring Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner, recently wrapped up filming.

Kevin Constner also said his next movie, in which he plays a serial killer, will be filmed here as well.

There are many other projects I can't think of right off that are currently filming in the area as well.

[richyb83]

Great news for Shreveport ! I guess "Hollywood South " is not refering to just New Orleans, but the entire state of Louisiana !

[dimebag1980]

Great news for Shreveport ! I guess "Hollywood South " is not refering to just New Orleans, but the entire state of Louisiana !

Yes, the entire state is doing well with movie production, thanks to the lucrative tax incentives offered. This is one area where our state is a proven leader, and it's about time Louisiana was a leader in something!! Things like this are small steps, but I think our state's status among other states is going to make a change for the better as time goes on. Well, at least I hope so!

Shreveport has had pieces of movies and TV shows filmed here, and even hosted the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA pageants for a few years back in the 90's until the city finally got fed up with the organizations and told them not to come back. As much as it sucked to lose that, the city made a wise choice.

Unfortunately most of Shreveport's recent movie-making successes have come at the expense of New Orleans. Every single one of these productions was slated to be filmed in New Orleans until Katrina uprooted them. LIFT, the production company based in the New Orleans area, always wanted to open an office here but never did because this area lacked the proper production infrastructure. Well, that all changed... literally overnight... after Katrina wreaked havoc on New Orleans. The infrastructure had to be built, and it was. Now that it's in place, and LIFT has an established office here, Shreveport is well on its way in the film-making industry. Disney even donated to Shreveport the huge water tank and blue screen used to film the movie The Guardian, making Shreveport a viable option for future movies set at sea.

It's all starting to come together, and Louisiana is on a roll... obviously led heavily by New Orleans.

[dimebag1980]

Well, the lease was officially signed yesterday, giving StageWorks control of the former Expo Hall downtown. And today, the first movie is set up and ready to go. Kevin Costner's movie, Mr. Brooks, which stars Kostner, Demi Moore, and William Hurt begins production in the facility soon, with soundstage construction for the movie starting today.

today's article about StageWorks

[richyb83]

Louisiana is also a major player now in the video-game industry with Georgia . Most of that has been in California or Texas .

[NCB]

This is great new's for Shreveport! I know most of these projects came to Shreveport at the expense of New Orleans, but it's much better to see them move to another Louisiana city, than to Georgia, Tennessee, or any other state offering similar tax incentives to Louisiana's.

Richy noted that the Video Game industry is coming to Louisiana, and I wanted to see if that is taking place in Shreveport as well? There are many different video game production facilities and "studio-esque" buildings planned for New Orleans, and I've heard of a few in Baton Rouge as well. Is Shreveport in the mix now too?

[dimebag1980]

This is great new's for Shreveport! I know most of these projects came to Shreveport at the expense of New Orleans, but it's much better to see them move to another Louisiana city, than to Georgia, Tennessee, or any other state offering similar tax incentives to Louisiana's.

Richy noted that the Video Game industry is coming to Louisiana, and I wanted to see if that is taking place in Shreveport as well? There are many different video game production facilities and "studio-esque" buildings planned for New Orleans, and I've heard of a few in Baton Rouge as well. Is Shreveport in the mix now too?

Not that I know of. There's a video game making company in Shreveport I read about last year, who actually had one of their games go national, but they're nothing huge. Maybe with Louisiana getting in on this, that will help open the way for even more companies like this.