Louisiana amoung "Top Production Incentives" in the World.

The trade publication “P3 UPDATE” highlights Louisiana in its September issue ranking “Top Production Incentives” in the world.The magazine makes special note of Jefferson Parish as a locale that “sweetens the deal” for productions by offering a 3% cash rebate on qualified local spending.

“The 3% rebate is the draw that continues to put Jefferson Parish on the map in the film industry,” Jefferson Parish Film Liaison Jennifer Van Vrancken said. 

Louisiana offers a 30% transferable tax credit to productions shot in the state.  Another 5% is available for hiring Louisiana residents who are part of the state’s growing film labor pool. Jefferson Parish then offers an additional 3% cash rebate on qualified local spending on costs that include payroll for residents and lodging. Productions must lease studio space or production office space within the parish and submit an audit of spending in Jefferson Parish performed by a Louisiana certified public accountant.

“The rebate program is the thing that draws productions and dollars across the parish line,” Jefferson Parish President John Young said.  “Productions like Miley Cyrus’ So Undercover shot much of its location work earlier this year in uptown New Orleans, but leased studio space and office space in Elmwood at NIMS Center Studios and housed the bulk of its crew at Elmwood area hotel properties,” Van Vrancken added.

Four recent productions spent a total of $3,919,906.68 in Jefferson Parish, and with Council approval will receive the following rebates $45,363.60 for Chasing the Hawk, $46,726.14 for The Chaperone, $13,082.70 for the Worst Prom Ever, and $12,424.77 for The Mortician.

Two of those, Chasing the Hawk and The Chaperone, are among six WWE NOLA, LLC productions based in Jefferson Parish.  “We filmed six movies back to back in Jefferson Parish over 13 months.  We came because of the additional 3% tax credit. We stayed because of the experienced and professional crew, vendors, and the support of the parish officials,” said Lori Lewis, Production Finance Controller, WWE Studios.