'Closed for Storm' — the story of Six Flags New Orleans on the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Last Saturday was the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall on the Gulf Coast (it had already gone ashore in Florida on August 25, 2005). I observed the 14th anniversary of the event last year with The history of Six Flags New Orleans on the 14th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. This year, I'm returning to the subject, as I wrote in the comments to last year's post, "For what it's worth, this is why I would rather have a video from Defunctland or Bright Sun Films. They do better research." Much to my pleasant surprise, Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films did exactly that this year. Watch Closed For Storm (Official Documentary Trailer).

Synopsis
15 years after Hurricane Katrina sits a lasting monument of the devastation. Six Flags New Orleans is currently sitting abandoned, rotting away in the Louisiana swamp. Closed for Storm explores the past, present, and future, to find out how this incredible theme park became frozen in time and left in an endless void of uncertainty. This is the first feature length documentary from Bright Sun Films and the directorial debut for Jake Williams.

About The Film
I'm Jake Williams, the owner of Bright Sun Films and I began this project all the way back in mid 2018. A friend of mine approached me with the idea of seeking permission to film inside the abandoned Jazzland / Six Flags New Orleans site and make something super high quality. So that's exactly what me and my talented team of Youtubers and friends did. The film was professionally edited, sound mixed in 5.1 and filmed on cinema cameras over the course of 2019 and early 2020. Dan Bell and Darren Mercer are Executive Producers. The film explores the past, present and future of the now abandoned theme park while also exploring the remains and talking to people who knew the park best. In this feature documentary, we present all sides of the story as well as showcase never before seen footage from the glory days and the current state. I titled it - Closed For Storm, The Story of Six Flags New Orleans.

I got my wish.

While I was mulling whether to follow through on the the desire I stated in 'Short Treks,' '#FreeRayshawn,' and 'Reno 911!' — government in short form at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards and again in R.I.P. Chadwick Boseman, who played heroes of inclusion, equal treatment, and justice, real and fictional, particularly in light of the recent landfalls of Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Laura in the Gulf of Mexico, last year's entry received another comment.

Closed For Storm shows Six Flags, New Orleans, in its glory days and current state of abject dereliction.

Filmmakers Jake Williams and John Shaw joins Factual America in Ep23 to talk about their film 'Closed For Storm'; which is about a theme park left for ruin in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago.

Link: https://bit.ly/2Bm3nhA

I responded with uncharacteristic enthusiasm.

Congratulations! You now have the title of most on-topic and welcome spam in the ten-year history of the blog! I just happen to have a tab open to the YouTube upload of that episode right now. I enjoyed it so much that I will add the link to it: Closed For Storm: The Abandoned Six Flags Theme Park (New Orleans). I recommend it to my readers. I may actually get around to embedding it here.

I normally don't welcome spam, but this was perfect — so perfect that I'm following through on my promise to embed the video. Watch the YouTube upload of the podcast.

Closed for Storm examines the story behind Six Flags New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
...
What is it about old abandoned buildings that can be so compelling and alluring? We find out today as we welcome filmmakers Jake Williams and John Shaw to the podcast. Their film Closed For Storm is about a theme park left for ruin in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago. Closed For Storm shows Six Flags New Orleans in its glory days and current state of abject dereliction. Along the way, the film also captures the broken dreams and fleeting aspirations of a community still looking for hope.

“When Katrina was happening nobody's minds were on how the theme park was doing. But once the helicopter images came out of the park underwater, it was staggering. They took whatever was valuable, left and abandoned the property.” - Jake Williams

In light of the recent landfalls of Marco and Laura, it's worth looking back at the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, some of which is still visible 15 years later, and contemplate how business and government made things worse. I hope Laura and Marco aren't about to leave such a long-lasting legacy of loss.