With a temperate climate and generous tax incentives, Louisiana has been luring the California-based film industry south, creating thousands of new jobs and businesses in the process.
“We have been on a steady upward trajectory since Louisiana adopted its incentive program in 2002,” said Chris Stelly, executive director of Louisiana Entertainment, a government organization tasked with developing the state’s entertainment industry. “2013 was our biggest year.”
With films like G.I Joe, The Butler and Enders Game shot in the Bayou State, last year it topped Film L.A.’s Feature Film Production Study as the number 1 location for motion picture filming. From 2002 to 2012 (the last year data was available), the industry created more than 14,000 jobs — more than half of which were between 2010 and 2012, according to the Louisiana Department of Economic Development.
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