Welcome to Hollywood South!

New Orleans. Our great siren of the South. She lays half-submerged by water, calling us with her music and tempting us with pleasure. It's no surprise that so many have found themselves caught in her wires, and crashed on her shore. When I decided it was time to leave Chicago, I couldn't think of anywhere I'd rather live than in this beautiful and miserable city. New Orleans. We're making it home.

There is so much happening in this city. Seriously. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I think New Orleans is probably, definitely, the most exciting city in the country right now. Not just for film, and not just on Bourbon Street--there's something else happening just behind the surface of that siren song. It's opportunity. In rebuilding an entire city from the ground up, there is opportunity unlike anywhere else. Opportunity out of tragedy, for sure. We're just at the beginning of a heart-breaking story about a city that care forgot, but that love and time will save.

So I digress about my new mistress, New Orleans. What I really wanted to write about is the amazing film community that has begun to make New Orleans home and slowly give her back to the world. First of all, New Orleans is now the place to make movies in. I think there are more films shooting in Louisiana than anywhere else, and we've got an awesome workforce to go with those amazing locations and tax credits. Of course, with everything that has and will happen here, this is also the place to make movies about.

I like to think of the film community here as more than just Hollywood South. New Orleans is developing a unique and legitimate independent scene, one with its own ideas and aspirations. I think films here can take us down a different road, off the path from the Hollywood Hills, and so I want to investigate that a bit.

My hope is that this blog might open up the discussion about independent film from our little perspective here in New Orleans. I'll likely write about films being shot in New Orleans, films about New Orleans, and other indie films simply watched by me while I'm here enjoying life in New Orleans.

Thanks for reading online. Y'all come visit us in person soon!