Hollywood South gets a second line
Second Line Stages in city’s Lower Garden District (Shelley Brown, Fox 8 News) The grand opening of a new film studio in New Orleans shows how lucrative tax incentives have turned the state into a premier location for film and tv production. A mix of federal and state tax credits combined with private financing helped make Second Line Stages a reality. Many believe the old taxi cab repair garage in the Lower Garden District is sure to give Hollywood South a boost.
When it comes to its role in the film industry, New Orleans, more and more, is convincing the world it’s an international competitor. “The only place that does more than us in America is Los Angeles and sometimes New York,” said Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans Mayor-Elect.
In 2009 alone 80 major motion pictures were filmed in New Orleans. “We have over 20 productions in the state right now. One of the largest right now preparing to shoot right now at this stage,” said Sherri McConnell with the state of LA’s Entertainment division during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Second Line Stages Wednesday.
The first full-service media production facility in New Orleans is now open for business. Second Line Stages, a name that fits for New Orleans, is also the first independent green studio in the U.S. “It’s the biggest impact we’ve seen in the Lower Garden District.. film, video production corridor that we now have,” said City Councilwoman Stacy Head.
Owner and developer Susan Brennan said Second Line Stages is in part a renovated historic building and part new construction, offering 220,000 square feet. That space includes three sound-proof stages, support space for millwork, construction and stunt work, plus office space.
The stage doors were closed Wednesday afternoon, but Second Line Stages Director, Kevin Murphy tells Fox 8 News there’s a lot of action on the other side. “We do have a large feature that’s in here (Warner Brothers’ “The Green Lantern”). We’ve been 100-percent occupied since January. This will take us all the way through end of the summer,” said Murphy. Every big job that occupies space at Second Line Stages generates hundreds of more jobs.
“Hollywood South has really proven itself as a destination the industry wants to come to. It is benefitting from the tax credits the state has put up, so it’s creating a new industry here. that everyone across the country is pretty envious of,” said native New Orleanian and actor Wendell Pierce.
The state’s 30-percent production tax credit makes Louisiana more competitive with other states offering more aggressive breaks. Combine that with state-of-the-art studios like Second Line Stages, and it’s a marriage the state says can survive.
Second Line Stages hopes to be a catalyst for an entire entertainment district. The city of New Orleans has already completed a $1.6 million road construction project, on several streets surrounding the new stages.
