Program to train for film industry

• By GARY PERILLOUX
• Advocate business writer
• Published: Oct 11, 2008 - Page: 1D - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Louisiana will launch a $2 million pilot program in the next few months to train new workers in the film, music, video game and theatrical performance businesses after a state board approved guidelines Friday.

The pilot program will be operated within the Office of Entertainment Industry, which is housed in the state’s economic development department, LED. The office has been working on the project for a year, the office’s executive director told the Louisiana Economic Development Corp.

LEDC, which governs economic development assistance provided to companies by the state, approved rules for the program that will be published in the state’s legal register before the program begins.

“We’re developing a program where people can apply to our office and receive grants and put people to work in short order,” said Sherri McConnell, the entertainment office director.

Training typically will be for four- to eight-week programs, said Cathy Breaux, LED’s work force training program manager, and the training must not duplicate existing programs at the state’s community, technical and four-year colleges.

Companies would match money granted by the state for approved applications.

Those applications will be rigorous, state officials said. Job placement results will be measured to determine how effective companies’ use of the training money is, Breaux said.

“We’re hoping we’ll get even more digital media companies coming in (because of the program),” she said.

McConnell said 87 cents of every film production’s dollar is spent in Louisiana, compared with 30 cents of every dollar in the early days of film incentives that began in 2002. Total film and TV production in Louisiana is expected to exceed $500 million for the second consecutive year.

Having a trained work force is a key part of maintaining that spending and spreading it to other entertainment fields in the state, McConnell said.

At a given time, Louisiana can field eight to 10 full movie production crews, something that’s a key to producers looking to bring movies to the state, she said.

McConnell said more trained crews will mean more business in a state that has seen film projects grow from 23 projects in 2006 to 70 so far this year — an all-time high.

But she and LED Secretary Stephen Moret emphasized that other entertainment businesses — music production, stage performances and digital media companies — will be encouraged to take part in the training fund.