With the help of a “film-friendly state” and her tax incentives, Louisiana local film producer and director Richie Adams’ first feature film “Inventing Adam,” shot entirely in Louisiana, is premiering at the Grand Cinema on Monday through Wednesday.
“Inventing Adam” is a romantic comedy that features actors such as Josh Meyers, Claire Coffee and Ray Wise.
Adams, 37, is not only the founder of River Road Creative, a boutique live-action studio for the film and television industry, but he is also pursuing a career as a film director.
A native of Baton Rouge, Adams attended Catholic High School before spending a year at the University of Alabama and one semester at LSU before graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1998 with a degree in journalism.
The characters and scenery are all based on real people and places that Adams experienced growing up in Baton Rouge, including attending the University. Although most of the film was shot in St. Francisville, there are several iconic Baton Rouge locations featured, including the Raising Cane’s on Highland Road and Fred’s in Tigerland.
“I started off in the advertising industry,” Adams said. “One day, I was working for a company in San Francisco, and I saw someone animating a logo on their computer. The proverbial lightbulb went off in my head, and I realized that I wanted to do that but for film.”
Film and media arts senior Taylor Wilcox said Louisiana’s booming film economy can be attributed both to tax breaks and the state’s natural luster.
“The tax breaks that got all this started were helpful in this film boom, but by now, Hollywood and the independents working outside the system are beginning to realize the natural beauty of our state and character of our people are reason enough to bring us their projects,” Wilcox said.
Adams began to design title sequences for films and has worked on blockbusters such as “Water for Elephants,” “The Last Samurai” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” among many others over the past decade.
“I found that title sequences give the audience an idea of what the entire film is like,” Adams said. “They can actually tell a story.”
As the Louisiana film industry continues to grow, Adams is confident about the future of films in the state.
“Louisiana is such a film-friendly state,” Adams said. “We’re a force to be reckoned with.”
Adams also wrote the screenplay for his next feature film “Una Vida: A Fable of Music and the Mind,” which is set to begin production in New Orleans in May.
Brent Caballero of Caballero Casting worked with Adams on “Inventing Adam.”
“It’s always good to come home and work with people you love,” Caballero said. “Making movies is a blessing here. …We typically have to move away to chase our dreams, and now it’s in our back yard.”
“Inventing Adam,” will be available for purchase Tuesday, Jan. 29 at Walmart nationwide or at Walmart.com. Moviegoers at the premiere Monday said they enjoyed the incorporation of Louisiana life as well as the film’s sense of humor.
“It’s funny but still reminds us not to give up on our dreams,” said Baton Rouge resident Bill Holt, who attended the premiere. Jimmy Kosienski, who also saw the movie Monday night, said “Inventing Adam” captured the landmarks and culture of Louisiana.
“Louisiana is such a film-friendly state. We’re a force to be reckoned with.”
