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Pixel Magic today announced a new digital media studio at LITE in Lafayette. It could create 40 direct new jobs in 3 years. “Pixel Magic is a great example of the kind of companies we hoped to position Louisiana to secure when we strengthened Louisiana’s film production and digital interactive media tax credits during the last legislative session,” said Gov. Bobby Jindal. “Pixel Magic’s decision to locate in Louisiana will send a signal to Hollywood and to other leading digital media companies that Louisiana is a major player in the digital media industry. This win will help accelerate the development of Lafayette as a hub for digital media and film production, and of course it will help create more good jobs for our children so that they can pursue their dreams right here in Louisiana.”
Pixel Magic provides digital visual effects for motion pictures and television. Its capabilities include a full range of visual effects services in 2-D and 3-D, including digital compositing, set extensions, wire and rig removals, digital opticals and crowd duplication. Pixel Magic has done work for Miramax, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, and DreamWorks on major films, such as Marley & Me, Get Smart, 300, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and The Last Samurai. Louisiana Economic Development’s Office of Entertainment Development, working with regional and local partners, encouraged Pixel Magic to expand in Louisiana in conjunction with its work on Disney’s film Secretariat, currently filming in Acadiana.
“After reviewing opportunities in Canada, Louisiana, New Mexico and other states, we chose Louisiana because of its variety of locations and diverse environments, the growth of film production in the state, and its industry specific tax incentives,” said Pixel Magic General Manager RayScalice. Pixel Magic said it will benefit from Louisiana’s recently strengthened film production tax credits and could also use the new digital interactive media tax credits for projects in the near future.
Additionally, Pixel Magic expects to enroll in the Louisiana FastStart program, a turnkey workforce solution for expanding companies, which will help recruit and train qualified employees to meet its digital production needs. Pixel Magic also will receive one free year of office space.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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I would bet that the hope and/or guarantee of significant work on Warner Bros.’ “Green Lantern” is one of big reasons these guys/gals are picking this precise moment to move to LA. The last, most concrete news I heard regarding the GL production was that they would be shooting in New Orleans area studios…and they are supposedly just about to begin building sets.
Maybe a WB mole can chime in?
A whole 40 direct jobs???? In 3 years??? “[C]ould create”???
Quick, somebody tell recovery.gov
This is hay-ridden horses***. Well, bribery is in the DNA of ‘ol Louisiana. They’re going to siphon money from the taxpayers and use it to glut the pockets of Pixel Magic. Hell, if I were starting a graphics house and someone said to me, “guess what, you’ll have no tax burden and in addition to that, we’ll shovel taxpayer money down your gullet to move your operations here” I’d fricking consider it.
But ultimately, this is not sustainable. The community that will house these companies will be forced to take up the burden for services and schools. And I seriously doubt all the tax revenue generated by these new jobs, and any accompanying multiplier effect, will pay for what Louisiana is subsidizing. At least, politicians will beat their chests about the jobs they created. We’ll see what kind of buyer’s remorse these companies have when they discover how abysmal the schools and services are in Lafayette. Hell, look next door to Nevada, which touts its lack of an income tax and how its used that as an incentive to lure corporations there. But because of that, there is no money for schools and community services, hence that’s why that whole state is a cesspool of incompetence and ignorance.
Look, this is not to defend how things work in SoCal. Hell, those of us who’ve dealt with Film LA know what a pain in the ass they can be. But I’ll admit, we’re in big trouble when states are willing to take absorb major losses in their balance sheets, all in the name of job creation.
I have relatives in Louisiana, and they really are under the impression all the studios will just fold up their L.A. and New York offices and set up their headquarters in Baton Rouge. They don’t seem to realize that film companies love Louisiana because they can pay peanuts compared to California or even Canada. They also seem unaware that large amounts of the exorbitant taxes they pay (sales tax around 10% in many places, high state income tax) is being thrown at these productions. They think it’s just because someone somewhere is so good at selling the state.
This is exactly right.
This has happened on and off in Arizona, for example. Remember when 20th Century Fox Animation went to Phoenix in the 90′s? They shuttered after 6 years.
There are studios all across Phoenix area and Tucson that were once built due to some extraordinary tax or state incentive, used for a while, then abandoned by Hollywood and left the Arizona owners high and dry with no one to pay the rent. I remember one time, a few years back when I lived in Phoenix, that we were looking for indoor shooting space. A commercial real estate agent took us to a “warehouse” in the middle of an industrial park that was once used as a green screen shooting studio. Indeed, the building was perfectly built for such work, but now had air conditioners inventoried 3 stories high.
Producers just usually want the cheapest route to completing a project.
Unfortunately, anyone who moves out to Louisiana for these jobs can expect it to be temporary. That is very hard on employees’ families who have children in school.
Quite the bribe. What Louisiana will learn not so far down the road is just how easy it is for a shop like Pixel Magic to follow the next bribe.
Pixel Magic is like a potted plant. Very easy to relocate without upsetting the roots.
40 potential jobs in Lafayette is news? I think Disney’s announcement of its new studio facility in Santa Clarita is much more important.
As they say, Nikki buried the lede
“Pixel Magic also will receive one free year of office space.”
What is the over/under that Pixel Magic’s office will be open January 2011?
Well said Michael Heister. Coming from Toronto and its current state of filming, I’ll refer to your metaphor: the potted plants are all gone now and the shiny new greenhouse is empty. Louisiana be warned.
These creative, artistic people are not going to want to move permanently to the corrupt shithole that is Louisiana.
Well when you consider the constant flood of Mexican illegals into California and their abilty to start gangs…When you look at the constant rolling blackouts…when your politicans are Pelosi,Boxer,Villagrinosa,etc….L.A. City Council…it’s hard to tell which place is more corrupt. BTW what “creative,artistic” people are you referring to??? I have a feeling you meant the current crop of screenwriters. How much more credibility are you willing to lose bubba???
Ugh, imagine being a digital effects artist and having to move from West Hollywood or Santa Monica to freakin’ Lafayette. The land of mosquitoes, mold and no night life whatsoever.
Especially if those creative, artistic people are married to someone of a different race, what to speak of the same gender.
“These creative, artistic people are not going to want to move permanently to the corrupt shithole that is Louisiana.”
Yeah, they’d rather stay in the corrupt shithole that is Hollywood.
Will the last person to leave California please remember to turn off the lights!
This is just plain stupid. This kind of post work can be done anywhere, and I do mean anywhere…
Duh!
Duh. This isn’t about bringing 40 people from California to work in Louisiana – it’s about jobs for locals! They will be very happy to have them. I know you people in California will find this hard to believe but there are actually people from Louisiana who had to go to CA to find work in the film business who will be very happy to come back home.
Pack up all your financial troubles in your old kit bag and smile,smile, smile….all the way to the local unemployment office and then to the make shift tent city.
AAAhhhhh..politics. Cut everyone’s taxes by 75 percent, including coporate, and watch the the rebuilding begin. But first dump all the bleeding heart folks in public office.
Are we still in Kansas Dorthy??