Louisiana’s film and entertainment sector shapes local communities from the New Orleans metro to communities statewide—through production activity, infrastructure, and jobs. This page connects on-screen output (feature films, TV episodes, and commercials/music videos) with economic results like GDP contribution and total output effects. You’ll also see how incentives and facilities—including base and labor credits and infrastructure upgrades—influence where productions spend and shoot.
Key Takeaways
- In FY 2023, the Louisiana film and entertainment industry spent $1.1 billion in-state on production activities
- Louisiana's motion picture and TV industry contributed $1.23 billion to the state's GDP in 2022, representing 0.8% of total GDP
- Direct spending by film productions in Louisiana reached $1.47 billion in 2021 before tax credits
- 142 film and TV projects were permitted in Louisiana in 2023
- Feature films shot in Louisiana numbered 25 in 2022, including major studio releases
- TV series episodes filmed totaled 450 across 12 shows in FY 2023
- Louisiana invested $250 million in new soundstages across 5 facilities by 2023
- Celtic Studios expanded to 25,000 sq ft with state grant in Baton Rouge 2022
- New Orleans Film District includes 12 stages totaling 100,000 sq ft operational 2023
- Louisiana's film industry created 28,500 jobs with average wages of $72,000 in 2022
- Over 15,000 crew positions were filled by Louisiana residents in film productions during 2023
- The industry employed 4,200 above-the-line workers averaging $150,000 salary in FY 2022
- Louisiana's base investment tax credit rate is 25% on qualified spend up to $20M per project
- In FY 2023, $450 million in transferable tax credits were issued to productions
- Non-resident labor credit provides 25% on first $300K payroll per position in 2022
Related reading
01 · Category
Economic Impact20 stats
01
In FY 2023, the Louisiana film and entertainment industry spent $1.1 billion in-state on production activities
02
Louisiana's motion picture and TV industry contributed $1.23 billion to the state's GDP in 2022, representing 0.8% of total GDP
03
Direct spending by film productions in Louisiana reached $1.47 billion in 2021 before tax credits
04
The film sector induced $2.8 billion in total economic output including multiplier effects in 2022
05
Louisiana film productions paid $750 million in local vendor expenditures in FY 2022
06
Hotel spending from film crews totaled $45 million across Louisiana parishes in 2023
07
Film industry generated $320 million in state sales tax revenue indirectly in 2022
08
Out-of-state productions spent $900 million on Louisiana goods and services in 2021
09
The sector supported $1.5 billion in business sales for local companies in FY 2023
10
Film-related construction spending hit $120 million for soundstages in 2022
11
In FY 2023, film industry direct spending hit $1.15 billion boosting local economies
12
Multiplier effect from film spending generated $3.2 billion total output in 2022
13
Local purchases by productions: $820 million in equipment rentals 2021
14
Tourism boost from film locations: $60M in visitor spending tracked 2023
15
Film exports via post-production services earned $200M internationally 2022
16
Retail sales from crew stipends: $35M in groceries and supplies FY 2023
17
Property tax revenue from new studios: $12M annually since 2021 builds
18
Venture capital into LA film tech startups: $45M in 2022 rounds
19
Film drove 5% growth in Shreveport construction sector 2023
20
Industry paid $180M in corporate income taxes indirectly 2022
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
For the economic impact angle, Louisiana’s film and entertainment industry is delivering major local spending and broad growth, with in-state production spending of $1.1 billion in FY 2023 and total 2022 output reaching $2.8 billion once multiplier effects are included.
02 · Category
Film And Tv Productions20 stats
01
142 film and TV projects were permitted in Louisiana in 2023
02
Feature films shot in Louisiana numbered 25 in 2022, including major studio releases
03
TV series episodes filmed totaled 450 across 12 shows in FY 2023
04
Commercials and music videos accounted for 300 shoots generating $150M in 2022
05
Louisiana hosted 18 streaming originals from Netflix and Amazon in 2023
06
Independent films permitted: 45, with budgets averaging $5M each in 2022
07
Reality TV productions numbered 22, filming 300 days in state in FY 2023
08
Louisiana served as primary location for 60% of permitted features in 2021
09
Total shooting days for all productions reached 12,500 in 2022
10
New Orleans metro hosted 70% of all 142 projects in 2023
11
155 projects greenlit with permits issued in 2022 calendar year
12
High-budget features (over $20M): 12 shot primarily in state 2023
13
Pilots and series orders: 8 new TV shows based in LA 2022
14
Documentaries permitted: 28 with Sundance qualifiers in 2023
15
Gaming cinematics and motion capture: 15 projects using LA stages 2022
16
Louisiana doubled as 20 international locations for Hollywood films 2023
17
Animation co-productions: 10 series with 200 episodes 2022
18
Corporate videos and industrials: 400 shoots worth $80M FY 2023
19
Student films supported via free permits: 150 university projects 2022
20
Multi-cam sitcoms filmed 120 episodes in Shreveport studios 2023
Interpretation
Film And Tv Productions Interpretation
Louisiana’s Film and TV productions momentum is clear from 142 permitted projects in 2023 and 450 TV-series episodes across 12 shows in FY 2023, showing the state is sustaining strong on the ground production beyond just feature films.
03 · Category
Infrastructure And Support19 stats
01
Louisiana invested $250 million in new soundstages across 5 facilities by 2023
02
Celtic Studios expanded to 25,000 sq ft with state grant in Baton Rouge 2022
03
New Orleans Film District includes 12 stages totaling 100,000 sq ft operational 2023
04
State funded $40M for statewide film infrastructure upgrades in FY 2022
05
Over 500 miles of fiber optic for high-speed production data in rural parishes 2023
06
Louisiana Film Prize festival supported 200+ indie projects with venues in 2022
07
15 film commission offices across parishes handled 2,000+ location scouts in 2023
08
State aviation assets facilitated 1,200 crew flights for remote shoots in 2022
09
Hospitality training centers prepared 1,000 workers for production needs in 2023
10
Over 400,000 sq ft of soundstage space online statewide by end-2023
11
NuNu Studios added 4 new water tanks for aquatic shoots 2022
12
Statewide location database lists 10,000+ sites scouted annually 2023
13
$20M grant for green screen and LED wall tech installs 2023
14
20 prop houses stocking 1M+ items for instant production access 2022
15
Film-friendly airport program at 8 facilities for quick gear transport 2023
16
Workforce development: $10M invested in 50 training academies 2022
17
High-speed internet to 95% of parishes supports remote post 2023
18
Annual Louisiana PitchFest connected 300 projects to financiers 2022
19
Mobile production units: 50 rigs available for swamp/rural shoots 2023
More related reading
04 · Category
Job Creation And Employment20 stats
01
Louisiana's film industry created 28,500 jobs with average wages of $72,000in 2022
02
Over 15,000 crew positions were filled by Louisiana residents in film productions during 2023
03
The industry employed 4,200 above-the-line workers averaging $150,000salary in FY 2022
04
Below-the-line jobs numbered 24,300 with wages totaling $1.2 billion in 2021
05
Film training programs graduated 2,500 workers into industry jobs in 2022-2023
06
Louisiana hosted 1,200 IATSE union members working on 150+ productions in 2023
07
VFX and post-production firms employed 1,800 artists with $180 million payroll in 2022
08
Local casting filled 85% of background actor roles, totaling 50,000 days in 2023
09
Film industry supported 3,500 jobs in hospitality and transport sectors in FY 2022
10
Average film crew wage was 25% above state median at $68,500 in 2021
11
32,000 total jobs supported including indirect in film ecosystem 2023
12
Women comprised 42% of film crew workforce in Louisiana 2022 surveys
13
6,500 entry-level PA jobs created for locals in past 3 years through 2023
14
Post-production payroll: $250M employing 2,200 in NOLA alone 2022
15
Diversity hires: 35% BIPOC in key roles up from 20% in 2021
16
Music industry crossover jobs: 800 for scoring and live events 2023
17
Tech jobs in AR/VFX: 950 with average $95K salary FY 2022
18
Transportation firms hired 1,200 drivers for 15,000 truck days 2023
19
Costumers and wardrobe employed 450 locals full-time equivalent 2022
20
Education tie-ins created 500 internships for college students 2023
05 · Category
Tax Credits And Incentives20 stats
01
Louisiana's base investment tax credit rate is 25% on qualified spend up to $20M per project
02
In FY 2023, $450 million in transferable tax credits were issued to productions
03
Non-resident labor credit provides 25% on first $300K payroll per position in 2022
04
40% uplift credit for qualifying Louisiana infrastructure spend enacted 2021
05
Total tax credits redeemed by state: $1.2B since program inception through 2023
06
Digital media/interactive credits totaled $50M for VFX firms in FY 2022
07
18% local labor credit bonus for projects hiring 30%+ Louisiana crew in 2023
08
Sound recording credits issued: $15M supporting post-production in 2022
09
Transferability allows 100% sale of credits at 85-90 cents on dollar in 2023
10
Over $300M in credits claimed by TV series in past 5 years through 2022
11
25% base + 10-25% uplifts available for rural shoots under incentives
12
$520M in credits allocated for 2023 productions pre-transfer
13
Visual effects credit at 25% capped at 25% of total budget 2022
14
State legislature extended credits through 2030 with $750M cap lift 2021
15
Post-production credits claimed $75M by 12 facilities in FY 2023
16
Local hire incentive: extra 10% for 50%+ LA crew verified 2022
17
Music retention credit: 18% for scores recorded in-state 2023
18
$25M annual digital interactive credit pool since 2020 expansion
19
Credits transferable to vendors claiming 90% market value 2023 rules
20
Infrastructure spend qualifies for 40% credit on up to $15M per project 2022
Interpretation
Tax Credits And Incentives Interpretation
Louisiana’s Tax Credits and Incentives have clearly scaled up, with $1.2B in total tax credits redeemed through 2023 and $450M in transferable credits issued in FY 2023, reinforcing how major programs like the 25% base investment credit and the 40% infrastructure uplift help attract and fund high-value production and related spend.
report visual · Comparison
Louisiana Film Industry Statistics
Louisiana’s film and entertainment sector delivers major in-state production spend and outsized statewide economic impact.
The film sector induced $2.8 billion in total economic output including multiplier effects in 2022$2.8 billion
In FY 2023, the Louisiana film and entertainment industry spent $1.1 billion in-state on production activities
$1.1 billion
Louisiana's motion picture and TV industry contributed $1.23 billion to the state's GDP in 2022, representing 0.8% of to
0.8%
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Louisiana Film Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/louisiana-film-industry-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Louisiana Film Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/louisiana-film-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Louisiana Film Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/louisiana-film-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
45 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level