Hollywood heads south to Stageworks

Lousiana's largest studio lures big-time projects

By JOSH MARKS

Shreveport, La., has become a moviemaking hot spot, and Stageworks is the mint in the city's julep.

Converting the old downtown convention center into a studio has paid off for the city. High-profile productions including "Mr. Brooks," "The Mist," "The Year Without Santa" and "Mad Money" were attracted to Louisiana's largest studio complex.

Stageworks offers two soundproofed, clear-span soundstages totaling more than 52,000 square feet plus more than 25,000 square feet of office space.

The facility underwent a major renovation last year, with improvements made to the soundproofing as well as the electrical and mechanical systems.

"We had a fantastic experience working in Shreveport this spring," says Denise Huth, co-producer on "The Mist." "The phenomenal tax incentives in Louisiana put the state at the top of our list, but discovering Stageworks really made the city the perfect choice for our project."

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