LSU gets $200K for film program expansion

Louisiana Economic Development (LED) is providing a $200,000 grant to the LSU film program, hiring an additional faculty member in film and digital media production, and expanding the enrollment capacity of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television program.

“We have about 85 students that are in the program now and we’re hoping to get to about 120 with this additional faculty member so it will allow for significant growth,” said Executive Associate Dean of the LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts Kristen Sosnowsky.

This funding is part of LED’s broader initiative to boost the state’s creative economy and strengthen its position as a hub for film production. Sosnowsky says the program has been growing fast.

“We get more applications than we can actually accept into the program each year, and so this will allow our student body to grow and also it will allow us to diversify our offerings," Sosnowsky said.

Sosnowsky says LSU’s film program is already recognized for producing skilled graduates and is expected to benefit significantly from this investment, further elevating its profile and attracting more aspiring filmmakers to LSU.

“There actually doing internships and paid positions while they’re in school because there’s so much demand for skilled filmmakers in this state,” he said.

This grant reinforces the commitment to developing the next generation of filmmakers in Louisiana.