Pictured: David Torns (conductor), leads a 28-piece string orchestra for a Louisiana Scoring test scoring session.
LAFAYETTE, LA – Louisiana’s long-standing reputation as a music powerhouse is taking a bold step forward with the launch of Louisiana Scoring, a program designed to bring Hollywood-scale film scoring to the state. This initiative, housed at Acadiana Center for the Arts, aims to provide new revenue streams for Louisiana artists while solidifying the state’s place in the entertainment industry.
Supported by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development (LED), Louisiana Scoring creates a direct pipeline between Louisiana’s world-class musicians and the lucrative film, television, and video game industries. The program offers composers a high-quality, cost-effective alternative to overseas studios and ensures that this key piece of the entertainment business can be conducted in the state.
“Louisiana has always been known for its music, but much of our top-tier talent has been underutilized on the global stage,” says David Boudreaux, manager of the studio. “Louisiana Scoring changes that by bringing high-paying creative work directly to our musicians, engineers, and industry professionals.”
The program’s origins trace back to composer Andrew Morgan Smith, who spent years advocating for a U.S.-based alternative to Eastern European scoring studios. “For many projects, recording in the U.S. was either unattainable or unaffordable,” Smith says. “Now, with Louisiana Scoring, we finally have an incredible domestic option that delivers world class quality right here at home.”
Mandi Mitchell, president and CEO of Lafayette Economic Development Authority, points out that the state has been a pioneer in industry incentives:“Louisiana’s film tax credit was the first of its kind in the U.S., and for over 20 years, the state – through the leadership of LED Entertainment and strategic partners – has been building infrastructure and growing the talent to support every stage of production.”
Funded in part by the state’s Entertainment Development Fund, Louisiana Scoring is poised to be the next evolution, enhancing Lafayette’s economic competitiveness and positioning our great community as an indispensable part of a full-service hub for filmmakers from across the globe.
To celebrate its launch, Louisiana Scoring will host a ribbon-cutting event on April 19th at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, featuring a live orchestral recording session with Louisiana’s finest musicians. Industry professionals from around the world will tune in remotely, witnessing firsthand the depth of talent Louisiana has to offer. The studio expects to begin recording full-scale film projects by June 2025, bringing new creative and economic opportunities to the state’s artists and cultural workers.
