LA is the new L.A.

It's being called the "Hollywood of the South," and for good reason. Sure, it doesn't actually have a sign on a hill to validate such a statement, but Louisiana's rapidly growing film industry - ranking No. 3 in production quantity and revenue, just behind New York and California - can speak for itself.

Amassing more than $1.5 billion since 2002 in production revenue and hosting such movies as Ray, Mr. Brooks and The Guardian, Louisiana has positioned itself as one of the most sought-after filming locations in the industry. Chris Stelly, executive director of the Louisiana Film and Television Commission, believes one of the reasons for Louisiana's breakaway success is its trailblazing tax incentive program.

Irresistible Incentives

"Louisiana really led the way in implementing a tax credit program in 2002," Stelly says. "We were one of two or three other states at the time that were really getting in that ballgame. That is our primary method of attracting business to our state."

According to the Louisiana film commission's website, if a production's base investment is greater than $30,000, they receive a 25 percent tax credit along with an additional 10 percent applied to their payroll. As if that weren't enough to tantalize even the most frugal of clientele, they also offer an added 40 percent infrastructure tax credit, which Stelly says helps to spur growth in Louisiana's production facilities.

Bayous and Big City Doubles

Aside from Louisiana's fiscally accommodating tax incentives, Stelly says production teams are also drawn to the state because of its diverse range of scenery, not to mention guaranteed Southern hospitality. "Our incentives of course are important, but they're not the only asset that we have," Stelly says. "We also have a wide variety of looks - you can get Deep South, charming, hospitable communities like New Iberia. You can get Anytown, U.S.A., such as Shreveport when it doubles for New York City. We have a can-do attitude, and our hospitality is second to none."

Stelly suggests that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - which is being produced by Paramount Pictures - moved to the Big Easy from Baltimore, Md. because of the state's good relations with the company in the past. "Paramount had such a great experience on their previous films shot in Louisiana - Last Holiday and Failure to Launch - that the decision to make The Curious Case of Benjamin Button would have been easy, I assume."

Stelly also mentions how production teams are utilizing Louisiana's multitude of filming locations beyond the obvious cities such as New Orleans or Baton Rouge. "We have seen activity in Lake Charles, Alexandria, Natchitoches, Minden... Take The Dukes of Hazzard for example: They shot in Clinton [and] in St. Francisville, which also hosted The Reaping with Hilary Swank. A lot of communities in or around those larger metropolitan areas are getting activity."

Keeping it in "the Boot" and Breaking Stereotypes

Louisiana's film industry has made a name for itself outside the state, welcoming a continuous string of projects pouring in from various locations across the nation. However, Stelly points out the necessity of having films originate in Louisiana as opposed to receiving outside productions. "The ultimate goal of building any industry is really to make sure it becomes an indigenous industry. That is definitely an important aspect to what we're trying to do, because we want everything to happen here - from investment to post-production to everything else involved."

Many people who have never been to Louisiana - or the South in general - get a skewed vision of its denizens, believing them to be backward rednecks like the ones they see in movies such as The Waterboy (1998). "You just see movies, and some of them are really stereotypical," says Stelly, observing that Louisiana's success has not only helped in deconstructing stereotypes but has also proved the state to be a notable contender in the film industry. "With the influence and diversification that this industry offers to our economy, I think it changes [people's] perceptions [and shows] that we really have a high-tech, fast-paced new industry."

With numerous films currently in production - including Black Water Transit, In the Electric Mist and Denzel Washington's directorial endeavor The Great Debaters - Louisiana's status in the upper echelon of filming production stands terra firma and proves that filming locations need neither the glitz of Tinseltown nor the grit of The Big Apple, just a little Southern charm.

Louisiana Exports:
Ellen DeGeneres (Metairie) - If she didn't garner enough attention in the '90s for coming out of the closet, DeGeneres is sure getting her fair share today with her Emmy-winning talk show "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and also with her most memorable performance to date as the forgetful fish Dory in Finding Nemo (2003).

Reese Witherspoon (New Orleans) - Even though her rocky divorce with Ryan Phillippe in 2006 was ideal tabloid fodder, Witherspoon's impressive filmography - including Cruel Intentions (1999), Election (1999), Legally Blonde (2001) and her Oscar-winning performance as June Carter in Walk the Line (2005) - has made her popular for all the right reasons.

Harry Connick Jr. (New Orleans) - Being from the one of the birthplaces of jazz and blues, it's no wonder Connick has made a successful career in the music industry. Connick has also made a name for himself both on the small and big screen with acting credits including Hope Floats (1998), "Will & Grace" (2002-2006) and Bug (2006).

Faith Ford (Alexandria) - Best known for her role as Hope Shanowski alongside Kelly Ripa in ABC's "Hope & Faith," Ford has also starred in such as films as The Pacifier (2005) and Rob Reiner's North (1994).

Jared Leto (Bossier City) - To some, Leto is known as the actor in movies that include Prefontaine (1997), American Psycho (2000), Requiem for a Dream (2000) and Panic Room (2002). To rock heads and music buffs alike, however, he's simply the lead guitarist/singer of his band 30 Seconds to Mars.

Steven Soderbergh (Baton Rouge) - Born in Atlanta, Ga., he was transplanted to Louisiana when the Soderbergh family moved to Baton Rouge. Precocious Soderbergh took a film animation class at Louisiana State University while still in high school. He obviously took very good notes, going on to direct such films as Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989); Erin Brockovich (2000); Traffic (2000); and the Ocean's trilogy.

Patricia Clarkson (New Orleans) - The N.O. native has done her hometown proud, with an Oscar nomination in 2004 for her role in Pieces of April and acting credits that include Good Night, and Good Luck (2005); All the King's Men (2006); and, most recently, No Reservations.

Ray Walston (New Orleans) - This actor seems to have done it all with appearances on TV ("My Favorite Martian," 1966), in films (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, 1982; Of Mice and Men, 1992), and even on Broadway (Damn Yankees!, 1956).

Ali Landry (Breaux Bridge) - Probably best known as the smokin' hot brunette from the Doritos commercials in the late '90s, this former Miss USA has also acted in TV shows, including "Felicity" (2000) and "Fastlane" (2003), and also in such films as Beautiful (2000) and, more notably, Bella (2006), which won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival.

Ian Somerhalder (Covington) - Once a high-fashion model for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Guess?, Versace and Calvin Klein, Somerhalder also has a list of film and TV performances to add to his portfolio, including Life as a House (2001), The Rules of Attraction (2002),  "Smallville" (2004) and "Lost" (2004-05).

Films shot entirely, or in part, in Louisiana:
Premonition (2007)
Pride (2007)
All the King's Men (2006)
Déjà vu (2006)
Factory Girl (2006)
Glory Road (2006)
The Skeleton Key (2005)
Mr. 3000 (2004)
Double Jeopardy (1999)
Eve's Bayou (1997)