Geaux Tigers
19 December 2005, 11:57 PM
One of my wife's best friends just called to let us know that she had Jimmy Fallon standing in line behind her at Target in Shreveport. We've been hearing from our friends over there about all the movies being filmed in Shreveport since Katrina destroyed New Orleans, so I found this article online. Apparently Kevin Costner has been seen all over town!!
TV series 'Thief' begins production
October 18, 2005
By Alexandyr Kent
akent@gannett.com
Production for the television series "Thief" stole into the newly renovated Hunter Building on the corner of Spring and Lake Streets in downtown Shreveport on Monday morning. Lines of tractor-trailers surrounded the perimeter as the series began shooting footage for five episodes.
Betty Jo LeBrun-Mooring, executive director of the Shreveport-Bossier Film Office, described the moment as important.
"It's wonderful. It's the first in a series of productions that are shooting here," she said. "It's going to affect us substantially in economic development."
At least a dozen films will be filmed here in the coming months, and the dollars spent locally will reach into the millions.
"Thief," which will debut on the FX Network in early 2006, is the first production that moved from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to begin filming locally.
Robin Batherson, who is handling extras casting for "Thief," said day one was going smoothly.
"Everyone showed up so that was a very good day," Batherson said.
About 15 local people were hired to work as extras on Monday's shoot. Eighty are scheduled to work today.
Batherson said production will continue well into December. Shooting for each episode will take one week or more.
The series is the brainchild of Executive Producer Norman Morrill, who also produced television's "The Visitor" and "Early Edition."
Morrill said the state initially had bent over backward to attract "Thief" to Louisiana, and he thought it was important to keep it in the state.
By remaining in Louisiana, the production will continue to take advantage of the state's tax credits, which are among the most aggressive in the country.
"My producing staff has been very, very grateful for all of the passion this city has had," Morrill said about their experience working in Shreveport and Bossier City.
While the series will still appear to be set in New Orleans when it airs on TV, Morrill believes the production will be able to conjure up the necessary ambience on local sets.
"I never intended to do the Big Easy. I wanted to do more of the working class side of New Orleans," he said, "The typical Bourbon Street, that's been done. I wanted to show something that was specifically New Orleans but generally the South."
He believes using locations here will give the series a fresh look. "This is a landscape that has not been overly filmed, with images the audience hasn't seen before."
"Thief" stars Andre Braugher, who won an Emmy in 1998 for his role as Det. Frank Pembleton in the NBC series "Homicide: Life on the Street." The ensemble cast includes Yancy Arias ("Kingpin"), Malik Yoba ("New York Undercover") and Mae Whitman ("State of Grace").
Alex Schott, director of the Governor's Office of Film and TV Development, credits the local mayors' offices, the chambers of commerce, the Shreveport-Bossier Film Office, the Robinson Film Center, and a "long list" of local supporters for helping productions relocate here.
"When all those offices come together, it makes things much more friendly for the people involved in production," Schott said. He later added, "It's a highly mobile industry, and it's a huge success story in our eyes to have businesses stay within the state and keep workers employed."
He singled out the Louisiana Institute of Film Technology as an example of one New Orleans-based production service company committed to strengthening the state's film industry.
"Indigenous companies, such as LIFT, are committed to expanding all over the state," Schott said. "This is one step in that direction."
LIFT recently set up shop in Shreveport to provide production crews for "Road House II," which begins shooting Thursday. It stars Jake Busey, son of Gary Busey.
Other movies to be shot here include "The Guardian," starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher, and "Chlorine" starring Ray Liotta and David Arquette.
Schott estimates one-third of each production's budget will be spent within the local economy. The impact promises to be significant. "Road House II" is budgeted at $5 million to $5.5 million, "Factory Girl" at $8 million and "Premonition" at nearly $20 million. While information regarding the budget of "The Guardian" has not been made available, it is likely to dwarf those of other productions.
Money will be spent in hiring and housing production crews and actors, catering sets, arranging transportation, and paying for a variety of services.
Schott added that as more television and film producers see that shows can be filmed here, the more important Shreveport and Bossier City will become to the state's film industry.
"I think it certainly can stay in the game," he said about the area's long-term prospects for attracting productions. He pointed to the availability of housing and proximity to Dallas, where a lot of film equipment comes from, as distinct advantages.
What's filming here?
Project: "Chlorine," a movie through Mercer Films and Miranda Entertainment. Country club member becomes involved in a savings and loan scandal.
Status: Filming Oct. 29-Dec. 9. Expected to be out in fall 2006.
Stars: David Arquette, Ray Liotta and Julianna Margulies.
Project: "Road House II," a movie being filmed using crews from Louisiana Institute of Film Technology (LIFT). Nephew of Patrick Swayze's character in "Road House" has his own bar to defend.
Status: Filming to start Thursday, end before Thanksgiving.
Stars: Jake Busey.
Project: "The Guardian," a movie being distributed through Disney. A Coast Guard enlistee is helped by a renowned rescue swimmer haunted by an accident.
Status: Filming to start about Dec. 5, end in the first week of March. Will be in wide release a year from now. About half of locations are secured, but this will be an ongoing process throughout the filming.
Stars: Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner.
Project: "Thief," a television series through FX Network. The head of a robbery crew, though recently reformed, plans one final heist.
Status: Filming started Monday. Five episodes will be shot, and parts of the pilot will be reshot.
Stars: Andre Braugher.
Project: "Factory Girl," a movie through LIFT. About Andy Warhol's muse.
Status: Shooting will start Nov. 28.
Stars: Sienna Miller and Guy Pierce.
Project: "Premonition," a movie through LIFT. A housewife finds her husband is dead, then wakes up the next morning to find he's alive.
Status: Filming likely to start in early 2006.
Stars: Sandra Bullock.
Additional movie projects: The Shreveport-Bossier Film Office recently announced that "White Lies" (starring Darryl Hannah), "Salvation," "The Lodge," and three films by Big Bad Entertainment ("The Dark," "Quality of Mercy" and "Pilot Jack") will be filmed in the area.
Source: Times research
TV series 'Thief' begins production
October 18, 2005
By Alexandyr Kent
akent@gannett.com
Production for the television series "Thief" stole into the newly renovated Hunter Building on the corner of Spring and Lake Streets in downtown Shreveport on Monday morning. Lines of tractor-trailers surrounded the perimeter as the series began shooting footage for five episodes.
Betty Jo LeBrun-Mooring, executive director of the Shreveport-Bossier Film Office, described the moment as important.
"It's wonderful. It's the first in a series of productions that are shooting here," she said. "It's going to affect us substantially in economic development."
At least a dozen films will be filmed here in the coming months, and the dollars spent locally will reach into the millions.
"Thief," which will debut on the FX Network in early 2006, is the first production that moved from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to begin filming locally.
Robin Batherson, who is handling extras casting for "Thief," said day one was going smoothly.
"Everyone showed up so that was a very good day," Batherson said.
About 15 local people were hired to work as extras on Monday's shoot. Eighty are scheduled to work today.
Batherson said production will continue well into December. Shooting for each episode will take one week or more.
The series is the brainchild of Executive Producer Norman Morrill, who also produced television's "The Visitor" and "Early Edition."
Morrill said the state initially had bent over backward to attract "Thief" to Louisiana, and he thought it was important to keep it in the state.
By remaining in Louisiana, the production will continue to take advantage of the state's tax credits, which are among the most aggressive in the country.
"My producing staff has been very, very grateful for all of the passion this city has had," Morrill said about their experience working in Shreveport and Bossier City.
While the series will still appear to be set in New Orleans when it airs on TV, Morrill believes the production will be able to conjure up the necessary ambience on local sets.
"I never intended to do the Big Easy. I wanted to do more of the working class side of New Orleans," he said, "The typical Bourbon Street, that's been done. I wanted to show something that was specifically New Orleans but generally the South."
He believes using locations here will give the series a fresh look. "This is a landscape that has not been overly filmed, with images the audience hasn't seen before."
"Thief" stars Andre Braugher, who won an Emmy in 1998 for his role as Det. Frank Pembleton in the NBC series "Homicide: Life on the Street." The ensemble cast includes Yancy Arias ("Kingpin"), Malik Yoba ("New York Undercover") and Mae Whitman ("State of Grace").
Alex Schott, director of the Governor's Office of Film and TV Development, credits the local mayors' offices, the chambers of commerce, the Shreveport-Bossier Film Office, the Robinson Film Center, and a "long list" of local supporters for helping productions relocate here.
"When all those offices come together, it makes things much more friendly for the people involved in production," Schott said. He later added, "It's a highly mobile industry, and it's a huge success story in our eyes to have businesses stay within the state and keep workers employed."
He singled out the Louisiana Institute of Film Technology as an example of one New Orleans-based production service company committed to strengthening the state's film industry.
"Indigenous companies, such as LIFT, are committed to expanding all over the state," Schott said. "This is one step in that direction."
LIFT recently set up shop in Shreveport to provide production crews for "Road House II," which begins shooting Thursday. It stars Jake Busey, son of Gary Busey.
Other movies to be shot here include "The Guardian," starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher, and "Chlorine" starring Ray Liotta and David Arquette.
Schott estimates one-third of each production's budget will be spent within the local economy. The impact promises to be significant. "Road House II" is budgeted at $5 million to $5.5 million, "Factory Girl" at $8 million and "Premonition" at nearly $20 million. While information regarding the budget of "The Guardian" has not been made available, it is likely to dwarf those of other productions.
Money will be spent in hiring and housing production crews and actors, catering sets, arranging transportation, and paying for a variety of services.
Schott added that as more television and film producers see that shows can be filmed here, the more important Shreveport and Bossier City will become to the state's film industry.
"I think it certainly can stay in the game," he said about the area's long-term prospects for attracting productions. He pointed to the availability of housing and proximity to Dallas, where a lot of film equipment comes from, as distinct advantages.
What's filming here?
Project: "Chlorine," a movie through Mercer Films and Miranda Entertainment. Country club member becomes involved in a savings and loan scandal.
Status: Filming Oct. 29-Dec. 9. Expected to be out in fall 2006.
Stars: David Arquette, Ray Liotta and Julianna Margulies.
Project: "Road House II," a movie being filmed using crews from Louisiana Institute of Film Technology (LIFT). Nephew of Patrick Swayze's character in "Road House" has his own bar to defend.
Status: Filming to start Thursday, end before Thanksgiving.
Stars: Jake Busey.
Project: "The Guardian," a movie being distributed through Disney. A Coast Guard enlistee is helped by a renowned rescue swimmer haunted by an accident.
Status: Filming to start about Dec. 5, end in the first week of March. Will be in wide release a year from now. About half of locations are secured, but this will be an ongoing process throughout the filming.
Stars: Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner.
Project: "Thief," a television series through FX Network. The head of a robbery crew, though recently reformed, plans one final heist.
Status: Filming started Monday. Five episodes will be shot, and parts of the pilot will be reshot.
Stars: Andre Braugher.
Project: "Factory Girl," a movie through LIFT. About Andy Warhol's muse.
Status: Shooting will start Nov. 28.
Stars: Sienna Miller and Guy Pierce.
Project: "Premonition," a movie through LIFT. A housewife finds her husband is dead, then wakes up the next morning to find he's alive.
Status: Filming likely to start in early 2006.
Stars: Sandra Bullock.
Additional movie projects: The Shreveport-Bossier Film Office recently announced that "White Lies" (starring Darryl Hannah), "Salvation," "The Lodge," and three films by Big Bad Entertainment ("The Dark," "Quality of Mercy" and "Pilot Jack") will be filmed in the area.
Source: Times research