NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans film industry, once dubbed "Hollywood South," is experiencing a significant downturn in 2025, with no major productions underway. According to Film New Orleans, the only upcoming production listed is an untitled indie feature being filmed in June.
While Louisiana was once a primary hub for domestic filming, the proliferation of tax incentives across approximately 75% of U.S. states has diluted its competitive edge.
The industry previously supported over 10,300 jobs and generated substantial revenue, but it has seen a shift to film production abroad. While Louisiana offers some of the lowest production costs in the U.S., it still struggles to compete with international locations.
Dr Miles Doleac, Miles Doleac, Chair, Digital Filmmaking, School of Communication & Design at Loyola University New Orleans, says that filmmakers are attracted to Louisiana’s lower costs and tax incentives but also the unique culture of south Louisiana. “There’s certainly a cultural component, but, remember, Louisiana was the first state to offer a proper film tax incentive back in 1992 and that was a major draw. We were on the cutting edge of the thing and the studios, in particular, are going to follow the money. If they feel like they can cut costs by shooting in a particular location, even if that’s Bulgaria, they will,” said Doleac.
When incentive programs first emerged, Louisiana remained at the forefront of filmmaking. “Louisiana was a top non-coastal shooting locale along with places like Georgia and New Mexico, but now, with the vast majority of states offering tax incentives for film production and very attractive programs cropping up in places like Canada and Europe, the competition for shows is just much stiffer,” said Doleac.
There are several measures Louisiana could take to address the decline. “I think we can further enhance incentives for local productions,” said Doleac. “Some are built into the existing program for Louisiana screenwriters or for shows shooting outside the New Orleans metropolitan area, but I think we can go bigger for productions with local ties.”
Doleac also thinks Louisiana can invest more in workforce training. “Let’s do more work to target and subsidize universities or other institutions with professional development programs,” said Doleac. “My program at Loyola has benefited from a grant from the Louisiana Entertainment Development fund to purchase new state-of-the-art cameras and equipment to train our students. We need to be doing more of this. A strong local crew base is a big attraction, especially if the tax credit program incentivizes the hiring of Louisiana resident crew.”
According to Doleac, Louisiana already has a very skilled workforce in film production. “I can say with certainty that Louisiana Film professionals have a robust and diverse skillset that covers every aspect of film production. I’ve seen it firsthand,” said Doleac. “The problem is that, with the decline of production in state, many of these folks have had to seek work elsewhere or have even left the industry entirely.”
This trend is not just impacting Louisiana but the entire nation. “The combination of COVID, the 2023 SAG and WGA strikes (and the anticipation of them), incentive programs in Canada and Europe just outdoing us, along with resources and labor also being cheaper there has the US Film industry as a whole reeling,” said Doleac. “We’re going to have to become salespeople for film production if we want to return to our previous status as a major production hub.”
Doleac says that when the film industry dries up, local film industry workers are forced to look elsewhere. “They have to find jobs outside the industry or seek film work out of state,” said Doleac. “Or they get very fortunate, like me. I have the best gig on the planet, instructing the next generation of filmmakers at Loyola while maintaining some measure of job security.”
Another factor is that there are more ways to watch movies and content than ever before. “This has reshaped our industry in significant ways. The shift from theatrical first to digital first, with films often bypassing movie theaters means that brick and mortar cinemas have taken a hit and theater owners have had to rethink what they offer the consumer, which is why you see more theaters with bars or offering more premium food items now,” said Doleac. “The movie theater experience is and will have to continue to evolve, at least for many people, if it’s going to outstrip watching a film in the comfort of one’s own home. Personally, I believe watching movies should be a shared, communal experience that at-home viewing can’t really provide, but I may be in an increasing minority in this regard.”
There is another aspect that the New Orleans region can explore when it comes to attracting film audiences which Doleac says is exciting. “I would say there’s an opening for independent films and filmmakers because these smaller films have a better shot at finding an audience without the need for an expensive theatrical campaign. In some ways, there’s been a leveling of the playing field,” said Doleac. “I remain optimistic, especially about New Orleans, because there’s just nowhere like it. And we’re a city that always finds a way. The culture, the architecture, the vegetation in our city is by its very nature cinematic and it will remain a point of attraction. We may just have to work a little harder to sell our brand. And that means looking hard at the incentive program to see if we can improve it, that means going further to subsidize and support our local crew base and investing in facilities infrastructure to ensure that shows have stages, post-production houses, and other places to work.”
