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The Big Story
Meet a Superstar or Become One
Yourself
Shreveport-Bossier has become a key
filming location for Hollywood
productions, attracting international attention. Since 2005, dozens of
films have been produced here, including the HBO hit series, "True
Blood," Jack Black's newest film, "Year One," Oliver
Stone's "W," "Premonition," "The Guardian,"
"Mr. Brooks," "Factory Girl" and more. While you're
here, you just might get a chance to meet a superstar - or become one
yourself!
For the first half of 2008, Shreveport brought
in $202 million in production, including Oliver Stone's "W"
production about former President George W. Bush.
The largest of the productions to wrap
was "The Guardian," a Touchstone Pictures and Beacon Pictures
production starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. Built for the
filming of "The Guardian," the Louisiana Wave Studio
is the only computer-controlled, precision wave-making facility designed
for and dedicated to the making of motion pictures in the United States.
The facility is the second-largest wave tank facility in the world.
The Robinson Film
Center,
in downtown Shreveport,
celebrated its one-year anniversary this spring. It has proved to be a
great complement to the growing film industry in Shreveport-Bossier. The
dynamic venue highlights independent, international and classic cinema.
The arts organization also serves as a resource for film production and
media education. The film center has hosted several special screenings
featuring the likes of Val Kilmer, Oliver Stone and Margaret Avery. Not
only a great place for movies, the film center also is great for a
delicious lunch or dinner in its Abby Singer's Bistro.
Upcoming
projects include:
- "Mechanic," starring Jason Statham,
star of "The Transporter" and "Crank" films.
Director: Simons West; Film Studio: NuImage/Millennium; Filming
Dates: Summer 2009
- "Straw Dogs," starring James Marsden,
star of "X-Men and "27 Dresses" films. Screen
Gems/Battle Plan Productions; Director: Rod Lurie; Filming Dates:
August 2009
- "The Exterminators," (2nd season ?
A&E). September Films USA; June 8-Sept. 15,
2009
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That's Entertainment
Grab a Drink, Join the Crawl
Shreveport's Downtown Development Authority and
ShreveportHappyHour.com have partnered to present Unwind Downtown,
a pub and culture crawl, which takes place at downtown Shreveport bars on the third Thursday
of each month.
The event is open to patrons age 21 and
up. More than 800 pub crawlers have joined in the fun at past events and
more are expected to attend.
Registration is 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at
Artspace, 710 Texas Street.
Participants receive a FREE passport that directs them to participating
locations, where they will find a variety of happy hour specials.
 Unwind Downtown
is held in conjunction with the Shreveport Regional Arts Council's
Thursday Night Trolley Express - a free transit to and from various
cultural venues to discover downtown through art, history, culture and
science. Beginning at Artspace, the TNT Express takes visitors to
museums, galleries, historical sites and more, with 20-minute stops from
5 p.m.-8 p.m. All events are FREE.
Join in the fun!
James Burton
International Guitar Festival Looks to Break Guinness Record
 Renowned
guitarist and Shreveport native James
Burton began his career as a house guitar player for the Louisiana
Hayride - a CBS radio program broadcast live from the Municipal
Auditorium in Shreveport.
He later became a member of Elvis Presley's TCB Band. He also was voted a
Top 100 Guitar Player of this Century by Guitar Magazine.
This summer Burton
will present the James Burton International Guitar Festival, Aug. 21-23,
in Shreveport.
The event, themed "A Tribute to Elvis," will feature talent
competitions and plenty of live music ? including the famed James Burton
and Friends Concert - and much more. This year, Burton hopes to break the world record
for the most guitars playing the same Elvis song at one time.
The festival was created to help raise
money for the James Burton Foundation. The foundation provides music
training and guitars to children and young adults in schools, communities
and hospitals.
Tickets are on sale. Visit www.jamesburtonmusic.com to purchase your ticket or to learn
more about the event.
Check Out the
"Show Us Your Shreveport-Bossier" Video Submissions
 A few weeks ago,
we asked you to showcase your talents on screen or behind the camera in
the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau's "Show Us Your
Shreveport-Bossier" video promotion.
The entries have since been collected
and soon, one lucky entrant will be chosen by an impartial panel of
judges to receive the $2,500 grand prize for the best video.
The tourist bureau, along with its
partner the Robinson
Film Center,
will host a red carpet premiere event to showcase the best videos in the
film center's Willis Knighton Theater at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 23.
The top finalists will be recognized and some lucky person will receive a
check for $2,500. This event will be FREE and open to the public.
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