Indie Films Help Offset Industry Downturn. Jason A. Waggenspack, President of Film Louisiana and founder/CEO of The Ranch Film Studios offers insights. Getty image.
NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana’s filmmaking industry is in flux, shaped by national production declines and shifting economic forces. At the same time, independent “Indie” films are on the rise. Jason A. Waggenspack, President of Film Louisiana and founder/CEO of The Ranch Film Studios in Chalmette where he creatively holds the title of Head of Possibilities,
NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana’s filmmaking industry is in flux, shaped by national production declines and shifting economic forces. At the same time, independent "Indie" films are on the rise. Jason A. Waggenspack, President of Film Louisiana and founder/CEO of The Ranch Film Studios in Chalmette where he creatively holds the title of Head of Possibilities, says U.S. film production has fallen by 60% over the past three years, a drop he links to the pandemic’s disruption and the rapid shift toward streaming.
“This forced studios to figure out a new model of revenue that pulled away from the traditional ‘first to theater’ model,” said Waggenspack. He said the industry has weathered prolonged labor strikes hitting every level of production, from writers to crews, while rising U.S. interest rates and a strong dollar made filming in Canada and parts of Europe far more cost‑effective. “It seems that most pictures above $40 million are looking outside the US to make it work financially,” he said.
The Surge of Independent Filmmakers
Independent filmmakers are surging this year, according to Waggenspack, driven by a wave of storytellers working outside the studio system and exploring new paths to distribution. “More people want to tell great stories, and it seems that Louisiana is one of the best places to do that!”
The biggest differences between studio and independent productions are the size of their crews and budgets, and how quickly they can access tax credits or financing.
“Indies try to stay lean and mean on crew and don't have as many soundstages or large vendor needs,” said Waggenspack. “Additionally, studios don't usually have financial constraints to get their projects greenlit and therefore can start when ready and can wait longer for their credit to return to them. Indies are mostly using the ‘pre-certification’ of the credit to get their final financing in place to become green lit. So, indies are playing the game of timing with funding, actor availability and logistics with crews and locations to make it all work.”
Waggenspack said independent projects in Louisiana run the gamut, with work from both emerging and established artists across small, mid, and well‑funded budgets.
“There are a lot of smaller budget projects trying to get a great story told that couldn't get made at a studio,” said Waggenspack. “We’re seeing stars attached to those small ventures as well as stars driving budgets in the range of $10-$20 million that are considering our state.”
With studio projects declining, high‑profile actors are fueling more independent productions to bring passion projects to life.
“People are trying to go to work, and so the stars are driving a lot of these opportunities to tell the stories that they're very passionate about,” said Waggenspack. “That drive is leading them to find independent producers to make those stories become a reality!”
Several independent projects, including ‘Last Hand’, ‘Cash Out Three’ and ‘Lake Vernon’ have filmed in Louisiana this year, with more in pre‑production.
Indie Film Industry Helps Offset Downturn. “There are a lot of smaller budget projects trying to get a great story told that couldn't get made at a studio,” said Waggenspack. Getty image.
Legislative Boost
The Louisiana legislature’s passage of Act 44 in mid‑2025 dramatically expanded the state’s film tax credit—boosting the base rate to 40%, removing per‑project and per‑person caps, and granting Louisiana Economic Development rulemaking authority to tailor incentives faster.
“The number one thing our state offers independents is efficiency,” said Waggenspack. “Louisiana is financially efficient in resources, goods, and labor. Louisiana is just a great place to do business! We've also been doing this for over 100 years. And the last 25 years have been extremely rich for Louisiana since we started the film tax credit program. So, we have a deep and talented crew base. We have great vendors that cover production needs and locations that double for settings, cities, and rural areas from all over the world.”
The updated film incentive has sparked industry discussions about forging deeper, long‑term partnerships with Louisiana.
“There is a lot of conversation around how studios and producers can find better ways of partnering with the state for long-term opportunities and/or setting up roots in Louisiana,” said Waggenspack. “The economic impact is immense and multifaceted."
Waggenspack says the impact goes far beyond the direct jobs seen on the film set.
Think of it as a ripple effect," he said. "For every dollar a production spends on a local crew member’s salary, that money is spent on daily life at home. Like anyone else, they need to shop at local grocery stores, restaurants, etc. But the direct in-state spend is where the immediate impact is most visible. A single production can spend millions of dollars with local, Louisiana-owned businesses like lumber yards and hardware stores, catering companies, hotels and short-term rentals, rental cars, etc. At our peak film production was providing 10,000 jobs annually and nearly $1B in annual spending in the state. New Orleans being a major city with international flights and the most film infrastructure in the state has seen a good bit of that activity.”
Film Louisiana promotes and supports the state’s film industry through advocacy and marketing.
“There is a big push with Film Louisiana to make sure that producers and studios know the changes in our Film program and how it compares to other states by advancing social media and email campaigns as well as hosting events in Los Angeles to garner more support,” said Waggenspack.
Stability, Growth, Indies
“I am incredibly optimistic about the future,” said Waggenspack. “I see three key trends shaping our industry in Louisiana:
Stability – in a volatile global market our state’s tax incentive will become our greatest asset. Producers are tired of uncertainty. We offer a clear, legislatively sound program they can bank on.
Growth – we will continue to see private investment in our industry from film financing opportunities to new post-production capabilities and new technologies.
Rise of the Indies – we are perfectly positioned to become a primary hub for high-end independent film and television. As studios consolidate and streamers refine their content strategies, there is a growing market for well-funded, story-driven projects that fall between a micro-budget indie and blockbuster. Louisiana is the ideal home for this type of production.”
Waggenspack said Louisiana’s push to become more pro‑business will only expand opportunities for the state’s film industry. “I have seen great advances and investments in tech in this state and as our industry leans into the advancements in production we will be well prepared to build off the new business that will develop here.”
About Jason A. Waggenspack
Beyond leading The Ranch, Waggenspack is a founding partner of Neutral Ground Films. Since 2024, he has served as President of Film Louisiana, and previously was Treasurer of the Louisiana Film Entertainment Association.
Waggenspack produced an interactive iPhone app called ‘So You're Dating a Vampire’, web series including ‘Below Sea Level’ and ‘Arceneaux: Melpomene’s Song’ and feature films such as ‘The Lookalike’, ‘Maggie’, ‘The True Don Quixote’ and ‘Abby’s Joy’.
The Ranch was founded with the vision of building not just a film studio, but a creative ecosystem dedicated to education, storytelling, and local economic revitalization—especially in post-Katrina St. Bernard Parish.
About Film Louisiana
Film Louisiana (formerly known as LFEA) is a professional trade association created to grow the entertainment industry in the state of Louisiana. Film Louisiana plays a substantive role in the long-term prosperity of Louisiana’s film entertainment industry. The association works to bring together the individuals working in the entertainment industry with businesses invested in Louisiana. Film Louisiana’s goal is to speak with one voice regarding the positive economic impact the entertainment industry provides to Louisiana.
Louisiana has hosted over 2,500 film and TV series productions. This exposure serves as lasting promotion for Louisiana, bolstering tourism and benefiting various industries. The film industry supports up to $2.5 billion in annual tourism revenue.
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