The Baton Rouge Film Commission has launched a new website in an effort to revitalize the local industry, which has been slumping since the Legislature, in 2015, made changes to the generous tax incentive program that had attracted dozens of tent pole productions to the state in the late 2000s.
Though lawmakers earlier this year again revisited the movie tax credit program in an attempt to fix some of the problems that drove movie producers away in 2015, many in the industry still do not know about or understand all the changes so it’s important to get the word out, says Katy Pryor, director of the Baton Rouge Film Commission.
“We have a new look (on our website) because we have new tax incentives and we’re back in the conversation again,” Pryor says.
Pryor, who took over at the helm of the commission in April, is particularly proud of the website’s updated database. It allows industry professionals to register and specify whether they’re talent, vendors or have a location that can be used for filming. When producers come to town they can access the database and, it is hoped, hire locals. Pryor cleaned out the site’s old data base several months ago and is encouraging anyone in the local industry to rejoin.
Though it’s hard to find signs that the movie industry in Baton Rouge is still alive—the state-of-the-art Celtic Studios has been sublet for mattress sales in recent months—Pryor says activity is starting to pick up and the phone is starting to ring again.
“We have several small productions going on,” she says. “Inquiry calls are also going up and we have a couple of scouts that will be visiting in the next few weeks so we’re encouraged.”
—Stephanie Riegel
