Call it the perfect storm, or merely a confluence of factors that has adversely affected film and television production across the United States. Louisiana, once the most popular film location in the country, currently has nothing shooting.
Billy Slaughter
The local production sheets are blank. Everyone, from actors and behind-the-scenes crews to casting directors and studio heads, is feeling the pinch.
Seasoned actor Billy Slaughter, who has 130 productions under his belt and is vice president of SAG-AFTRA Louisiana, shared his philosophy about the causes of the major domestic downturn in film production.
"There’s been a massive rolling back, generally, and a tightening of purse strings on those projects that have been greenlit,” Slaughter said. “Half of what is being produced is going overseas, or to Canada. ... It’s cheaper there, considering labor costs and materials. Studio heads will go where their money stretches the farthest.
"The 25% left shooting domestically in the U.S. used to essentially be divided up between five production hubs (Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, New Orleans and Albuquerque), but we now have (roughly) 75% of states with tax incentives, whereas at one time Louisiana was the only one.
"The pie is sliced so thin, that the math doesn’t compute anymore. There’s not enough to go around for sustainability.”
Absence of major studio productions
Liz Coulon
2025 has seen a dismal absence of major studio productions in Hollywood South. Casting director Liz Coulon said the last film she worked on was “Friday Night at Freddy’s 2.”
“That animatronic film wrapped in February, and it’s been pretty quiet since then, with only a handful of projects,” Coulon said. “I’m currently talking to someone about a low-budget SAG film looking to shoot here in November/December. That story is based in New Orleans, and the writer/director loves New Orleans." But until someone signs on the dotted line and the project lands here, it could be just another part of the ever-present rumor mill, she said.
Looking at an international production list of films being shot across the globe, the story is clear. While Los Angeles may have 25% of the bigger-budget films being shot in their backyard, the story after that is all about Canada: from British Columbia to Quebec, and everywhere in between. Other productions have moved to Europe. Even Australia has gotten in on the act.
Perhaps best illustrative of what’s happening here involves a recent comment by actor Rob Lowe, host of the successful new game show, “The Floor,” whose show has moved abroad after shooting the pilot in Hollywood.
“We are now shooting in Dublin, Ireland,” said Lowe. “Believe it or not, it’s cheaper to bring 100 American contestants to Ireland than it is to walk across the lot at Fox ... and do it there.”
Discussions with the powers that be
Jason Waggenspack
Many in the industry believe the time for action is now. For Jason Waggenspack, CEO of The Ranch film studios and president of Film Louisiana, that means having discussions with the powers that be in Baton Rouge, as well as studio execs in Hollywood.
“There will always be ebbs and flows in this industry,” Waggenspack said. “But we need to focus on how we as a state can we be more efficient and more economical. We’re working with the Legislature to be more competitive and attractive for people to film here.
"You cannot compete with Bulgaria," he said. "That said, Louisiana is one of the cheapest places in the U.S. when it comes to resources, labor and materials. On average, we are nearly 18% lower than other cities domestically, so your studio dollar goes further here.
"We have the best crews and the greatest locations, so we need to enhance our incentive program, and make people aware of the advantages in shooting their projects here. Trust me, at some point, people are going to get tired of traveling 16 hours to Europe to get to work.”
Brent Caballero
Negotiations and connections are clearly the name of the game. Casting director Brett Caballero, who supplied talent for two of the few productions shot here this year (“The Drama” and working-titled “Bluefin Tuna"), explains that they were packaged together by A24 Films, both starring Robert Pattinson.
“Studios can piggyback productions for the tax credits,” Caballero said. "'The Drama' filmed here in the beginning of the year, followed by a five-week shoot in February/March for 'Bluefin Tuna,' which is a takeoff on the old NBC reality show 'To Catch a Predator,' which turned undercover sting operations on alleged pedophiles into compelling reality television.
"The budgets weren’t huge, we were strict about local hires to save on costs, and we even cast nontraditional actors, like cops, because of the storylines.”'
Optimistic, but prepared
Casting director Meagan Lewis is a bit more optimistic about Hollywood South’s future. With offices in both New Orleans and Atlanta, she’s had a lot of big-name, high budget projects to her credit, including the just-released “Sinners.” Two Primetime Emmys and numerous nominations have cemented her track record.
“Yes, we’re in a slump, but I believe we’ll be back up and running by the end of the year,” Lewis said. “I have a horror film coming to town, wanting to shoot in the Garden District, and I hear three different companies are looking at Second Line Stages for possible shoots.
"If you’ve been in this business long enough, you can avoid a career change, but my motto is, ‘Prepare for the potato famine, and get ready to take a different job.’”
Ryan Glorioso at the Casting Society's 40th Annual Artios Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Feb. 12, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)
Casting director Ryan Glorioso is waiting to land a feature, and in the meantime just cast a couple of commercials, but his sentiment echoes that of nearly everyone in the industry.
“No one has given up hope,” Glorioso said. “We’re here, ready to work, and willing to go wherever we need to. Sometimes it only takes one show creator to turn things around for a state.
"Look how Taylor Sheridan, who’s created 'Landman,' '1883' and other long-running series has transformed Texas. We just need some of that here.”
Contact Leslie Cardé at lesliecardejournalist@gmail.com.