Some of the biggest movies ever filmed in Louisiana were shot at Celtic Media Centre. But for a long time to come, says Business Report Editor Stephanie Riegel, the state-of-the-art movie studio will best be remembered around here for the role it played as a temporary shelter in the early days of last month’s historic flooding.
“Before the Red Cross arrived, before state social service agencies mobilized, Celtic opened its doors to the neediest in Baton Rouge, and a staff of makeshift responders made up of many of the city’s bright young entrepreneurs used their quick wits and leadership skills to transform 150,000 square feet of empty space into a community of caring,” Riegel writes in her latest column.
The story—one of the many amazing tales to emerge from the recent disaster—began around 3 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14, when Celtic Executive Director Patrick Mulhearn got the call to open the studio, Riegel says. Mulhearn had previously offered the building as an option to city and state officials, but no one had really planned for it because no one expected the flooding to be so epic.
“Mulhearn and his director of studio operations, Aaron Bayham, scrambled to get to the studio, arriving at 4 a.m.,” Riegel writes. “They turned on the lights, powered up the AC and waited.”
At 5 a.m. people started coming.
“Elderly people, people in wheelchairs, babies,” Mulhearn recalls. “They walked into an empty sound stage and there was nothing there. They just kept coming and there was nobody there but us.”
Mulhearn initially tried to register his guests, but long lines began to form, Riegel says. He abandoned the idea and let them all in.
“That’s when reality hit. He had no furniture. He had no food. And he didn’t have any help from government officials,” she writes. “He’s not sure where they were, but they weren’t there—and wouldn’t be for many more hours.”
Mulhearn began scavenging for supplies. He found a few dozen folding chairs so people could sit and some Ritz crackers from the kitchen so the hungriest could snack. He tried calling for help, but AT&T cellular service was down. So, Riegel says, Mulhearn jumped on the studio’s Wi-Fi and took to social media, posting for help on Facebook and Twitter. The response was overwhelming.
“It was unreal how fast it went viral,” he says. “Word spread and people just started showing up.”
Among those who showed up were Jared Loftus, who owns several small businesses and is COO at MasteryPrep, Tommy’s TV owner Tommy Talley, Covalent Logic owner Stafford Wood, Fresh Junkie owner Pat Fellows and THRIVE charter school founder Sarah Broome.
“Together, they got busy. Over the next several hours, they would organize themselves and the countless other volunteers who came to help, bringing order to the chaos at Celtic,” Riegel writes. “They divided and conquered, each taking over a different area.”
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