The Only Motion Picture Automatic Wavemaking Tank of Its Kind in the World

"The tank performed flawlessly. At the touch of a button we all felt like we were in the middle of the Bering Sea. We built it from scratch because no other wave tank could give us the waves we needed. "The Guardian" could not have been made without it."

Andrew Davis, Director of "The Guardian" & Peter MacGregor-Scott Executive Producer

Originally built by the Aquatic Development Group for Walt Disney Pictures' "The Guardian" in 2005, the Louisiana Wave Studio, in Sealy Slack Industrial Park, Shreveport, Louisiana, is the only computer-controlled precision wave-making facility designed for and dedicated to the making of motion pictures in the world.

The tank and its built-in wavemakers is a state-of-the-art facility capable of generating up to 13 different types of 2 foot to 8 foot waves, and a variety of water effects that can be customized to meet the needs of the motion picture director. View video of the our wave tank in action. Visit Yahoo Video, click "Watch the Trailer" on the page to watch the finished water and wave tank sequences from "The Guardian," "I Love You, Phillip Morris," and "Microwave Park" filmed in our studio wave tank.

Features of the Louisiana Wave Studio

Computer-controlled, repeatable waves of endless variety.
Accommodates large set pieces.
Lower labor costs because one person runs the wave-maker.
Room to work around the perimeter.
Ample parking available.
An ideal size for shooting miniatures.
Makes large waves which allow for large models.
The Louisiana tax incentive.
Adjacent warehouse and office space.
Industrial neighborhood with no restrictions.

Louisiana Wave Studio Fact Sheet (411 KB)

Wave and Water Tank Dimensions

Boat sitting in the wave tank or water tank with dump tanks positioned. Our tank is 100 feet long, 80 feet wide and 8 feet deep. Its 8,000 square feet can contain up to 750,000 gallons of water.

Although the tank is smaller than the one once in use at Fox Studios, Baja, Mexico, for the movie "Titanic" it is five times larger than the one used to shoot effects for "The Perfect Storm." The size of the tank is sufficient for a full-size fishing vessel to be mounted within it for filming. View more photos.

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What Kind of Waves and Water Effects Can the Louisiana Wave Studio Make?

The Louisiana Wave Studio is capable of generating a wide variety of waves up to 8 foot tall, as well as horizontal storm conditions. On three sides, drums, or "dump tanks," can be mounted 50 feet in the air atop wide chutes to pour water onto actors or set pieces like ship decks. Three 150 horsepower fans and eight hidden chambers are used to churn up waves of any type or configuration the director can imagine.

Movie Fact: Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor did their own wave tank stunts in "I Love You, Phillip Morris."

Our Difference Compared to Other Wave Tanks

This monster wave tank is one of a kind.

The Louisiana Wave Studio is the only motion picture-dedicated facility with a built-in wave generator in the world.

The waves and wave patterns created during the making of "The Guardian," "I Love You, Phillip Morris," and "Microwave Park" were so realistic some of the hardened stunt guys actually got sea-sick. According to production designer Maher Ahmad, who worked with Peter McGregor-Scott on the design and construction of the wave tank, "We're doing something here, your audience should know, that's really never been done before. There's never been a tank quite like this one."

Ahmad, a veteran production designer, has worked on many films with big-time water effects. He helped build tanks to submerge a plane's fuselage in a river for "U.S. Marshals" and sink a pirate ship in "Miss Congeniality 2."

Movie Fact: "The Guardian" used set pieces constructed to resemble cargo ships, fishing boats and even a giant water cave, and employed high cranes and film production equipment including lights, scaffolding and camera cranes which are easily moved about on the concrete deck that surrounds the tank.

Phase II and Phase III, We're Growing!

The Louisiana Wave Studio is expanding. Phase II and Phase III expansion details coming soon.

History of the Louisiana Wave Studio

The wave tank in Shreveport was created by the Aquatic Development Group of Cohoes, New York using their exclusive WaveTek technology, under the supervision of COL. Victor Lent for Walt Disney Pictures' A School Productions to film the motion picture "The Guardian" directed by Andy Davis, produced by Peter MacGregor-Scott, and starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher.

After completion of the film, the 750,000-gallon tank was slated for demolition unless a buyer was found. In June 2006 the wave tank's ownership was transferred to the Louisiana Wave Studio, LLC, co-managed by Louisiana-born Dr. Ken Atchity, chairman of Los Angeles-based Atchity Entertainment International, Inc., with co-manager Fred Griffin of Houston's Griffin Partners, Inc. Find out more about why you should consider filming your next production in the Shreveport-Bossier City area at the Louisiana Wave Studio.

The Louisiana Wave Studio's logo was designed by Alexander Galant.

Photos courtesy of Atchity Entertainment International, The Film Office of Shreveport-Bossier City, and Walt Disney Pictures.

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