Growing number of film, TV productions shooting in Jefferson Parish

A new building is going up on Huey P. Long Avenue in Gretna -- but it's not permanent. Rather, it's part of a set for a new movie and one of the tell-tale signs of the growing number of film and television productions taking place in Jefferson Parish.

"We continuously get to work, and we love it," said Jefferson Parish resident Valerie Ryan, who works as a location manager for local productions.

Right now, Ryan is working on a new TV cop show called "Common Law."

"They love our people," she said. "They love the food -- of course, who wouldn't like the food here? But they really like being down here."

What they also like are the incentives. Along with the 30 percent filming tax credit provided by the state, Jefferson Parish is also offering an additional 3 percent cash rebate -- the only parish in the state to do so.

"It definitely gives Jefferson Parish an advantage," said Jennifer Van Vrancken, Jefferson Parish's Film Liaison.

That rebate translates into big bucks. This year alone, the parish issued eight film incentive rebate checks, totaling $347,739.

However, those eight productions spent a combined total of $15,398,396 in Jefferson Parish. It's not just the three percent rebate that productions find attractive here-- it's also what they call the "visual diversity" of Jefferson Parish.

"We have beaches in Grand Isle, swamps in Lafitte, beautiful homes in Old Metairie," said Van Vrancken, "but it's the bottom line, the dollars that we offer them back, for being here."

Those dollars are helping the Elmwood area of Jefferson Parish become a production hub.

"It was the place to be for production. We moved into a building that's owned by another production company, called Moxie Media, so we're kind of brother/sister companies," said Will Morrow of Full Motion Productions. "It seems every time I go down a different street, I'm seeing a production company pop up."

Those productions dollars are spreading to other businesses, including a 15 percent increase in business for Stan Benoit. He owns "Hose Guys," a hydraulic hose company, which works on pyrotechnics for movies in Jefferson Parish.

"Who would think that a hydraulic hose company would have that much to offer to a movie set or a movie studio, in filming movies? It really surprised me," Benoit said.

There were 24 film productions in Jefferson Parish this year -- up from approximately 14 the year before.