Louisiana Stands-In For L.A. In Upcoming Film (And It's Not Alone)

L.A. is being portrayed by ... Shreveport, La? Add it to the indignities facing our fare city lately: So much film production is running away from Hollywood that even Los Angeles -- whose downtown streets often stood-in for New York and other cities -- is being played by lesser locales.

L.A.'s iconic industry has fallen victim to tax subsidies and other incentives offered by far-away locales ranging from Vancouver to North Carolina, notes the New York Times. As a result, local shoots were down 30 percent last year. And so, Starz series Crash is set in L.A. but shot in New Mexico. Similarly the Angeleno-flavored film High School was shot in Michigan. And yes, the 2011 film Battle: Los Angeles should actually be called Battle: Louisiana.

"You're never going to know we didn't shoot the movie in Los Angeles," Battle co-producer Neal Moritz told the Times.

Unfortunately, it's $70 million worth of production out the door.

The Los Angeles City Council is considering establishing a film commission to lobby and get incentives for local production. California has such an organization focused on the statewide film business but, strangely, the industry capital does not.