Studio head: B.R. denied film ‘production center’ designation

Baton Rouge will not be designated a film “production center” in the next three-year agreement between the IATSE, the biggest entertainment industry union, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, according to Patrick Mulhearn, a local studio head who has been following the negotiations closely. The designation, supporters say, would have made it cheaper to film in Baton Rouge, and might have made the capital city more competitive with New Orleans and other production centers around the country. In an email, Mulhearn says the decision “cost Baton Rouge an untold number of productions, hundreds if not thousands of jobs, and millions of dollars in sales tax revenue,” adding, “I guess we will try again in 2015.” To read a recent Business Report story about this issue, click here. —David Jacobs