Here’s an excellent article on state film incentives from Indy.com In Texas we are HOPING to get the legislature to increase our incentive from the current dead in the water 5% to a comparatively modest 15%. We are hoping that the existing infrastructure will make 15% more competitive. So far, 15% hasn’t primed the pump [...]

You Friday Night Lights fans might find this TV Guide article of interest. I’m wondering how this will work out as well. And will the DirecTV run count as first run and the NBC network run a rerun, or vice versa? Whatever the case, it’s just another example of the changing landscape for film and [...]

A MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS PRODUCTION COMMUNITY Folks, the legislative season is upon us. Long before the session begins in January, much work has already been done — and there’s a great deal yet to be done — toward making Texas’ incentive program more competitive, and regaining some of the ground that [...]

Rank Title Weekend Gross 1 The Dark Knight (2008) $75.6M $314M 2 Step Brothers (2008) $30M $30M 3 Mamma Mia! (2008) $17.9M $62.7M 4 The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008) $10.2M $10.2M 5 Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) $9.41M $60.2M 6 Hancock (2008) $8.2M $206M 7 WALL·E (2008) $6.35M $195M 8 [...]

The following columm appears in The Dallas Morning News Online 08:49 AM CDT on Friday, July 25, 2008 By JOE O’CONNELL / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News  filmnewsbyjoe at yahoo.com Don Stokes skipped junior- high classes to watch Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway succumb to a spray of bullets as Bonnie and Clyde. [...]

The following letter members received from SAG today reinforces some of the points I was making in my earlier post: BIG PRODUCER$ MONETIZE YOUTUBE CLIP$ July 17, 2008 It’s Not New Media – It’s NOW Media Dear Screen Actors Guild Member, I want to tell you why your national negotiating committee has not accepted the [...]

KICK THE CAN, which folded in Austin just days before shooting was to begin a few weeks back, has resurfaced. According to an email blast to SAG members, the quirky film based on Jim Lehrer’s book is slated to begin production in Houston on June 16th. At least the new location isn’t Shreveport, LA or [...]

Following up on my earlier post about the blurring of the lines between cable and network television programming as well as the rapid development of ‘new media’, I submit portions of this article by John Dempsey in Daily Variety: Turner Broadcasting’s upfront presentation to advertisers today will be heavy on star power — and symbolism. [...]

Here’s an interesting roundtable discussion from The Hollywood Reporter on the state of independent film. Where is the money coming from, how do you get distribution, what is the role of the international market in the indie film world and what about film festivals????? Stephen Galloway of The Hollywood Reporter discussed those and other matters [...]