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AUSTIN, Texas — From classics like "The Last Picture Show" to cultural phenomenons like "Urban Cowboy" to sports movies like "Friday Night Lights," countless films have been made in Texas. At the same time, dozens of other films and TV shows about the Lone Star State were actually filmed somewhere else. Now, Texas leaders and Texas-born actors are working to change that by making the state more film-friendly.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said establishing Texas as "America’s film capital" is one of his priorities for the session.
“We are not trying to make Texas the next Hollywood – we don’t like Hollywood. We want to export Texas values," Patrick said in a post on social media. Earlier this month, State Sen.
Joan Huffman filed Senate Bill 22, which would set aside $500 million every two years for the next 10 years for the "Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund." The historic sum would more than double the $200 million lawmakers plugged into the initiative during the last budget cycle, the Texas Tribune reported . Television and film production companies would qualify for grants if they meet certain requirements, like spending $500,000 in Texas, filming at least 60% of the project in Texas and having at least 35% Texas residents on the cast and crew.
That percentage goes up to 50% by 2031. Gov. Greg Abbott is on board.
“Texas’ growing media production industry supports local jobs and creates revenue in communities across our great state. The Texas Film Commission works with our community partners to market their unique skills, attract new investments in media production, and drive local job growth” Abbott said. "This partnership has attracted more than $2.
5 billion in local spending and created more than 189,000 production jobs across Texas." He's touting virtual workshops designed to help cities become certified as "film-friendly." Lawmakers have welcomed Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid and Woody Harrelson to the Capitol to hear their pitch for better film incentives.
In January, the actors launched their "True to Texas" campaign, including a four-minute video with McConaughey and Harrelson reprising their "True Detective" roles on a road trip to Texas. Quaid, Billy Bob Thornton and Renée Zellweger also appear. RELATED: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson and friends have a message for the Texas Legislature "You have to wonder if this industry of ours is just chasing its own tail," Harrelson, who was born in Midland and went to school in Houston, says as he drives down a highway with McConaughey riding shotgun.
"No, I don't wonder. Restrictions. Regulations.
Nickle and diming productions. Political lectures," McConaughey replies. McConaughey, who was born in Uvalde and graduated from the University of Texas, said he's rea d y to "change the tune" by turning Texas into a new hub for film and television.
The actors argue that more films and TV shows here would create thousands of Texas jobs and boost local economies. RELATED: Matthew McConaughey, Owen Wilson and others team up for Texas filmmaking incentives "A small fraction of the Texas budget surplus could turn this state into the new Hollywood," Harrelson says. Chase Musslewhite, a Texas writer, director and the co-founder of Media for Texas agrees.
She said its everyday Texans who will benefit. “This is about employing Texans, and it’s not just people you see here on set,” Musslewhite told KVUE , our sister station in Austin. “It’s hotels, it’s Home Depot making their money back by lumber, it’s flower shops for all the florals we buy, all the props, all the clothing.
It trickles into every aspect of our economy basically.” Opponents argue the money used for incentives could be better spent on things like education. Other lawmakers point out that Texas offers other unique filming benefits: no state income tax, a unique topography and a friendly business environment.
“We don’t have to pay other businesses to come here,” state Sen. Bob Hall , R-Edgewood, said during a public hearing last year. “Why do we have to have the taxpayers of Texas subsidize something that you would do to put out a quality product?” State officials and local residents have also questioned what type of material will be filmed using public dollars.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller worries about “subsidizing the folks that brought us woke, anti-Christian bigotry.” Still, industry insiders are hopeful. “It’s like we are in a ‘stars aligned’ period,” Brian Gannon, director of the Austin Film Commission, told the Texas Tribune.
“There’s alignment across industry, across government. Everyone is excited.”.
