Louisiana Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews
Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Louisiana? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Louisiana
For an introduction to shooting in Louisiana see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.
Louisiana Film Locations
Louisiana is a Deep South state known for New Orleans, Baton Rouge, antebellum mansions, plantations, cemeteries, Mississippi River, lakes, swamps, prairies, woodlands, and coastline.
Agricultural film locations include sugarcane plantations, cotton fields, peach orchards, rice paddies, crawfish and shrimp boats. Louisiana is the home of Tabasco sauce. The state has oil and natural gas production facilities. Energy locations include coal and natural gas fired power plants, and nuclear power plants.
Louisiana is one of the busiest film production centers in the United States and has hosted a long list of productions including The Boogeyman (2023), Greyhound (2020), The Hunt (2020), True Detective (2014-2019), True Blood (2008-2014), Logan (2017), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), Terminator Genisys (2015), Jurassic World (2015), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), 12 Years A Slave (2013), Django Unchained (2012), Looper (2012), American Horror Story (2011-), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), The Mist (2007), The Skeleton Key (2005), Out of Sight (1998), Interview with the Vampire (1994), Steel Magnolias (1989), and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951).
Film locations can be divided into the following regions:
Greater New Orleans
Located in the southeast of the state, the region is know for New Orleans, the Mississippi River, bayous, wetlands, and nature preserves.
New Orleans is famous for its French Quarter nightlife, Cajun cooking, Creole architecture, mansions, cemeteries, museums, and parks. Streetcars run along tree-lined streets, and steamboats paddle the Mississippi River.
New Orleans has hosted a long list of productions including The Boogeyman (2023), The Hunt (2020), True Detective (2014-2019), Captain Marvel (2019), Logan (2017), The Magnificent Seven (2016), Terminator Genisys (2015), Jurassic World (2015), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), 12 Years A Slave (2013), Django Unchained (2012), Looper (2012), American Horror Story (2011-), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), The Skeleton Key (2005), Interview with the Vampire (1994), and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951).
French Quarter film locations of note include Bourbon Street, French Market, Café du Monde, Preservation Hall, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, Napoleon House, Pat O’Brien’s Bar, Sazerac Bar, and St Louis Cathedral.
Mansions of note include Magnolia Mansion, Buckner Mansion, Louise S. McGehee School, Carroll-Crawford House, Brevard-Mmahat House, Payne-Strachan House, Walter Grinnan Robinson House, Cornstalk Fence Mansion, 3711 St Charles Ave, 5603 St Charles Ave, Melrose Mansion, Lalaurie Mansion, Luling Mansion, and the Doullut Steamboat Houses.
Academy of the Sacred Heart is a beautiful building.
Government buildings of note include Gallier Hall, United States Court Appeals building, and US Custom House known for its grand marble hall.
Museums of note include the National WWII Museum, Mardi Gras World, New Orleans Museum of Art, The Presbytère, Louisiana State Museum Cabildo, New Orleans Jazz Museum, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Memorial Hall Confederate Civil War Museum, New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum, New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, and Museum of Death.
Parks of note include Jackson Square, Louis Armstrong Park, City Park, Audubon Park, Crescent Park, and Lafreniere Park.
Cemeteries of note include St Louis Cemetery, St Patrick’s Cemetery, Lafayette Cemetery, Metairie Cemetery, St Roch Cemetery, Masonic Cemetery, Cypress Grove Cemetery, Greenwood Cemetery, and Holt Cemetery.
Tulane University buildings of note include Gibson Hall, Richardson Memorial Hall, Tilton Memorial Hall, Freeman School of Business, Turchin Stadium, and Yulman Stadium.
Abandoned locations of interest include General Laundry Building, Domino Sugar Chalmette, Entergy Power Plant which hosted Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), and Six Flags Jazzland amusement park which hosted Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013).
New Orleans has several interesting bridges. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway consists of two parallel bridges running 23.83 miles. The I-10 Twin Span Bridge is 5.4 miles long. Claiborne Avenue Bridge is a vertical lift bridge. Crescent City Connection is another bridge available for filming.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport was filmed for Jurassic World (2015). Lakefront Airport is also available for filming.
Stadiums of note include Caesars Superdome, and Smoothie King Center.
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is known for its Cajun culture and alligators. Bayou swamplands featured heavily in True Detective (2014-2019).
Chalmette Battlefield is an American Civil War Site.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) also filmed in Mandeville, Donaldsonville, Morgan City, and Laplace.
Acadiana
The Acadiana region is located in the south of the state. The region is known for its distinctive Cajun culture.
Plantations are also a major reason productions come to film in Louisiana with many plantations found within a 2hr drive of New Orleans.
Magnolia Lane Plantation featured in 12 Years A Slave (2013).
Evergreen Plantation featured in Django Unchained (2012).
Felicity Plantation featured in 12 Years A Slave (2013), and The Skeleton Key (2005).
Destrehan Plantation featured in 12 Years A Slave (2013), and Interview with the Vampire (1994).
Houmas House Plantation and Gardens featured in Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964).
Oak Alley Plantation featured in Interview with the Vampire (1994).
St Joseph Plantation featured in 12 Years A Slave (2013), and All The King’s Men (2006).
Nottoway Plantation featured in Heaven’s Prisoners (1996).
San Francisco Plantation featured in A Taste of Louisiana (2006).
Homeplace Plantation featured in 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016).
Albania Plantation feautred in All the King’s Men (2006).
Ashland Plantation has featured in Fletch Lives (1989), The Long, Hot Summer (1985), Mandingo (1975), The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1971), The Beguiled (1971), and Band of Angels (1957).
Whitney Plantation featured in Django Unchained (2012).
Bocage Plantation was filmed for 12 Years A Slave (2013).
Laura Plantation is also located in the Acadiana region.
Thibodaux was filmed for Looper (2012), The Skeleton Key (2005), and Interview with the Vampire (1994).
Lafayette film locations include St John’s Cathedral, Old Lafayette City Hall, Cajundome, Acadian Village, and Vermilionville Historic Village.
The Gulf of Mexico is known for its barrier islands and beaches such as Grand Isle Beach, Holly Beach, and Rutherford Beach.
DeQuincy Railroad Museum is located in DeQuincy.
The Port of South Louisiana is the largest in the United States.
Nuclear power plants include Waterford Nuclear Generating Station is located in this region.
Florida Parishes
The Florida Parishes are located in the eastern part of the state.
Baton Rouge is the state capital. Film locations include the State Capitol building, Old State Capitol building, Governor’s Mansion, Old Governor’s Mansion, St Joseph Cathedral, and Huey P. Long Bridge. Louisiana State University buildings of note include the Memorial Tower, LSU Museum of Art, and Tiger Stadium. USS Kidd decommissioned destroyer featured in Greyhound (2020). Louisiana’s largest film studio complex, the Celtic Media Centre, is located in Baton Rouge. Captain Marvel (2019), The Magnificent Seven (2016), True Blood (2008-2014), The Maze Runner (2014), 22 Jump Street (2014), Oblivion (2013), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), Pitch Perfect (2012), Battleship (2012), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011), also filmed in Baton Rouge.
St Francisville is known for its beautiful antebellum homes such as Rosedown Plantation.
Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is a storied prison and the largest in the United States. Monster’s Ball (2001), Out of Sight (1998), and Dead Man Walking (1995) filmed in Angola.
River Bend Nuclear Generating Station is located in this region.
Central Louisiana
Central Louisiana is located in the central part of the state.
Melrose Plantation, and Frogmore Plantation are located in Central Louisiana.
Natchitoches was filmed for Steel Magnolias (1989). Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame is located in Natchitoches.
Northern Louisiana
Northern Louisiana is located in the northern part of the state.
Shreveport is the state’s third largest city. Film locations include Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, Caddo Parish Courthouse, and Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. Shreveport was filmed for True Blood (2008-2014), The Mist (2007), and Interview with the Vampire (1994).
The Mist (2007) also filmed in Vivian, and Minden.
Nature parks of note include Kisatchie National Forest, Jimmie Davis State Park, and Red River National Wildlife Refuge.
Louisiana Film Location Permits
Location fees for use of state property are assessed on a case-by-case basis and are often waived all together. The City of New Orleans has a blanket, free of charge film permit that is first required before acquiring all additional permits through other city agencies. Proof of insurance is also required. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Louisiana has a subtropical climate with long, hot, humid summers and short, mild winters, making it an ideal place for year round filming. Snow is uncommon with only Northern Louisiana getting some falls. June to November Louisiana is hit by hurricanes and tropical storms particularly in coastal areas. Louisiana also experiences tornados from January to March.
Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:
• New Orleans Mardi Gras takes place in February / March.
• French Quarter Festival in April.
• Jazz Fest in April / May.
• Rayne Frog Festival takes place in May.
• New Orleans LGBTQ+ Pride takes place in June.
• Essence Festival takes place in June / July.
• Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival takes place in October.
• Voodoo Music & Arts Experience takes place in October.
• LUNA Fete takes place in December.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in the United States.
Unique Local Stories
Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.
If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.
If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.
Louisiana Tax Incentives For Filming
Louisiana’s Motion Picture Production Tax Credit program provides motion picture productions up to a 40% tax credit on total qualified in-state production expenditures, including resident and non-resident labor. Some parishes and cities also offer additional rebates to qualifying productions.
Louisiana Film Crew & Talent
Crew. Louisiana has a good depth of experienced crew.
Contact us if you are looking for a New Orleans, Baton Rouge or Shreveport based director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other film crew in Louisiana.
Talent. Louisiana’s population is predominately Caucasian and African American. Cajuns and Creoles of French ancestry are dominant in much of the southern part of the state. Louisianian stereotypes include New Orleans Mardi Gras revellers, and voodoo priestesses, jazz musicians, fan boat operators, and crawfish farmers.
Louisiana Film Equipment
Equipment. Louisiana has some standard grip, lighting and camera gear for hire.
Communications. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.
Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.
For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.
Louisiana Studios & Post Production
Louisiana has several sound stages, production offices, backlots, and the South’s only airplane interior film set.
Louisiana Film-Friendly Accommodation
Please contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in New Orleans, Baton Rouge or Shreveport and other areas of Louisiana. Recommended film friendly hotels in New Orleans include:
Final Notes
Safety. Louisiana is a very safe and reliable place for foreign productions to shoot. See here for up to date travel advice.
Down Time. New Orleans is one of the world’s best cities for nightlife and food. Bourbon Street is a sight to be seen. Try local dishes such as gumbo, po-boys, jambalaya, étouffée, muffulettas, turtle soup, beignets, chicory coffee, bananas foster, pralines, and king cakes.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Louisiana, please see below:
Hire Louisiana Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Louisiana, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Louisiana, such as a director, DoP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
