Written by new-contact on Mar 13, 2015. Posted in On Location

FilmWorks New Orleans offers new adapted studio space in Louisiana

FilmWorks New Orleans has officially opened as a new adapted studio space for producers shooting in Louisiana. The state offers an uncapped 30% filming incentive and Matthew McConaughey’s Civil War drama The Free States Of Jones is currently filming near New Orleans.

The new studio is positioned in an adapted warehouse near New Orleans’ French Quarter and its facilities include a 20,000 sq ft stage and a 400,000 sq ft backlot.

“We are proud to contribute to the growth of the film industry in New Orleans, and we truly appreciate the incredible community support we’ve received,” said George Steiner, president of FilmWorks.

“FilmWorks New Orleans’ flexible studio space will help ensure that we continue to draw major film projects to the area.”

Louisiana already offers several world-class studio facilities, but as the state is one of the main production hubs in the US, demand continues to grow.

The state filming incentive in fact faces the prospect of an overhaul later this year, with an annual cap being considered as a way of keeping the programme’s spending under control.

Adapting existing warehouse buildings into studio spaces is becoming more commonplace around the world, especially in the biggest production hubs.

In the UK, most of the major established London film studios are expanding, but stage development is generally a multi-year process. Using existing industrial buildings is helping satisfy demand not just for show like Fortitude and 24: Live Another Day in London but also for shoots like Da Vinci’s Demons in Wales and Outlander in Scotland.

The practise is also cheaper for TV shoots that need a production base for months at a time.

(Image: STX Entertainment)