SHREVEPORT, La. — Film production activity in Shreveport-Bossier is continuing to build, with independent features, recurring television work and larger-budget projects contributing to what local officials describe as renewed momentum in the region’s entertainment industry.
Wade Marshall, film and entertainment commissioner for Visit Shreveport-Bossier, said the region is seeing more consistent activity from independent productions and studios, even as officials continue working to better quantify how much local labor and support each project uses.
“We are still finding more ways to identify the internal numbers of local crew and support that are hired for these productions, so we don’t have any accurate numbers to share,” Marshall said. “Besides who they bring in, local crew, talent and support are being used in these films.”
One of the most recent productions, “The Wedding War,” filmed in Shreveport from August into early September. The feature grew out of a Louisiana Film Prize project and was developed into a full-length production.
Another feature, “I’ll Go If You Go,” is preparing to film in Shreveport this fall. The period road-trip drama stars Evie Templeton, Caylee Cowan and Larsen Thompson and marks the feature directorial debut of writer-director Abby Tozer.
Marshall said the production is expected to film from mid-October into early November.
“These productions participate in our film incentive program,” Marshall said.
He said the region’s current activity is being driven in part by independent productions that have remained active even through broader industry swings.
“Over the ups and downs of our industry, we have seen a resurgence of independent films and studios gaining momentum,” Marshall said. “In that respect we have seen our activity grow locally as more productions with these type of budgets stay consistent.”
Shreveport-Bossier also continues to host recurring television production. Marshall said “God. Family. Football.” is filming another season locally and is using local crew and support.
At the same time, the region is pursuing larger projects.
“We are currently talking with larger budget productions 10-20 million range that are interested in filming here,” Marshall said.
Those projects remain in discussion and have not been announced as committed productions.
The Shreveport-Bossier Film and Entertainment Commission is also expanding efforts to make the region easier for productions to navigate and to connect local residents and businesses with opportunities.
Visit Shreveport-Bossier is developing a film resource site that includes location listings, support services and crew databases. Property and business owners can also submit potential filming locations for consideration.
Marshall said workforce and industry awareness are also becoming a larger part of the commission’s work.
A new Film Port exhibit opens Oct. 7 at Sci-Port Discovery Center and is scheduled to run through Thanksgiving. The exhibit is designed to give the public a closer look at both the film industry generally and the history and current state of production in Northwest Louisiana.
The commission also hosts regular Film Industry Meetups where residents can meet working professionals and learn about current opportunities. The next meetup is scheduled for Nov. 7 at Robinson Film Center.
Marshall brings a long history in Shreveport’s film sector to the effort. A Shreveport native and Centenary College graduate, he returned to Louisiana in 2007 after working in Los Angeles and later spent more than a decade at Millennium Studios, where he eventually served as studio manager and an informal regional film liaison.
After the City of Shreveport acquired Millennium Studios in 2022, Marshall continued working in economic development and entertainment-related roles before helping establish the Shreveport-Bossier Film and Entertainment Commission under Visit Shreveport-Bossier in 2024.
His focus now is on building a more organized regional film economy that connects production, workforce, tourism and local business opportunities.
The broader challenge remains quantifying how much of each production’s spending stays in Northwest Louisiana.
Marshall said local crews, talent and support services are being used, but the commission is still refining how it tracks those internal figures.
That data could become increasingly important as the region tries to measure whether renewed production activity is translating into sustained local economic impact.
For now, the pipeline suggests momentum is continuing.
“We have seen our activity grow locally,” Marshall said.