LOUISIANA CITY AND STATE OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE POST KATRINA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRIP TO LOS ANGELES, NOVEMBER 2-4, 2005

Baton Rouge, LA…Baton Rouge Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden,
The
Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Louisiana
Capital
Area Economic Development Allies Film Commission, in association with
Art &
Entertainment Law Group of LeBlanc and Associates PLC, are pleased to
announce a post-Katrina economic development trip to Los Angeles,
November
2 - 4, 2005, with special guest, Louisiana State Senator Jay Dardenne.

Senator Dardenne has been pro-active in introducing cutting-edge
entertainment related legislation in Louisiana, including its original
Motion Picture Incentive Act and recent revisions, as well as the
recently
passed Child Performer Trust Act protecting child actors in the state.
Comments Senator Dardenne, “Having just completed principal photography
of
ALL THE KINGS MEN and THE REAPING, the Greater Baton Rouge area is a
thriving location for the rapidly growing Louisiana film industry. The
employment base and cultural amenities of this area make us a prime
spot for
future productions. All of us in Louisiana are reeling from the blows
of
Katrina and Rita, but the Baton Rouge market is poised to welcome those
who
want to take advantage of our generous tax incentive programs and the
natural beauty, cityscapes and rural charm of our area.”

The delegation will meet with studio and network executives and film
and
television producers to increase awareness of the Greater Baton Rouge
area
economic development recovery strategy in connection with current tax
credits, new production incentives, a strong crew and talent base and
location diversity. The City and State representatives will reaffirm
these
benefits and their on-going commitment to filmmakers and filmmaking.
Mayor
Holden emphasizes, “Baton Rouge has a tremendous support system for the
film
industry. It addition to the fiscal advantages, such as no-fee permits,
free
locations, and a convenient airport with direct flights to many major
cities; we have great music and unequaled craft service to help make
projects successful. Movies such as ALL THE KINGS MEN, THE DUKES OF
HAZZARD
and GLORY ROAD are just a few of the productions taking advantage of
what
Baton Rouge has to offer.”

The delegations’ trip was initiated and organized by Louisiana
entertainment
and film financing attorneys, Art & Entertainment Law Group of LeBlanc
&
Associates. The law firm’s Senior Partner, Michele LeBlanc, states, “We
are
proud that Louisiana’s tax credits and production incentives are the
best in
the United States and better than most foreign countries. Our law
firm’s
program bypasses middleman brokers to give producers up 20% more on tax
credits. Also, new labor hiring incentives created since Katrina, will
jump
start employment recovery by production hiring of locals both above and
below-the-line, and by spending budgets in the Greater Baton Rouge
area. As
a result, we anticipate certifying several hundred million dollars of
production for next year.” (more)
LOUISIANA CITY AND STATE DELEGATION TRIP TO LOS ANGELES
Page 2

A private invitation-only reception for production executives and
credentialed media, organized and hosted by Art & Entertainment Law
Group of
LeBlanc & Associates, and sponsored by Baton Rouge Mayor-President,
Melvin
L. “Kip” Holden, the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
(www.visitbatonrouge.com), and the Louisiana Capital Area Economic
Development Allies (LaCAEDA) will be held on Thursday, November 3 at
6pm at
the Le Merigot Hotel (A JW Marriott Beach Hotel and Spa) in Santa
Monica.

Keynote speaker, Senator Jay Dardenne, will be joined by
Mayor-President,
Melvin L. “Kip” Holden; Paul Arrigo, president and CEO of the Baton
Rouge
Area Convention and Visitors Bureau; entertainment attorney Michele
LeBlanc,
with special guests Jeff Begun, vice president of Axium International
and
Larry Thomas, chairman of the Louisiana Capital Area Economic
Development
Allies (LaCAEDA) film commission, who adds, “We represent a nine-parish
area
of the State left virtually untouched by both hurricanes ready to
provide
support to producers, from location photos to office space. This event
is
important for us to let producers know that not only are we open for
film
business, but we are also willing to go the extra mile to get the
business -
when producers call us first, they don't call anywhere else!”

Paul Arrigo, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area
Convention and Visitors Bureau, (www.visitbatonrouge.com), comments,
“We
greatly value the film industry and all opportunities we are afforded
because of its presence in our area. This industry provides a
tremendous
amount of economic development to not only hotels and attractions, but
the
entire metropolitan area. The Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors
Bureau is eager to assist in making any and all projects a success in
Baton
Rouge.”

Art & Entertainment Law Group of LeBlanc& Associates, A Professional
Law
Corporation, is the only entertainment and film financing law firm in
Louisiana with senior counsel having 18 years of entertainment attorney
experience on over 150 productions in Europe and Los Angeles, and as
studio/network executives (Fox, Disney, ABC, Universal/Canal Plus, MGM,
among others). The firm, formerly based in New Orleans, is now
headquartered
in Baton Rouge and represents production clients on film and television
certification, tax credit sales/transfers and production legal
according to
the production company’s need. Senior Counsel Michele LeBlanc, formerly
a
Visiting Professor of Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property at
Tulane
University Law School, was a founder of the entertainment section of
the
Louisiana State Bar Associations (Art, Entertainment & Sports Law
Section)
and serves as Chair of the Section’s Continuing Legal Education
committee
and Co-Chair of its Legislation Committee.
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