AUSTIN CONSERVATORY PRESENTS a free seminar featuring Texas Film Commission head, Bob Hudgins and friends. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to hear first hand what Hudgins has to say about the new law, about the positive impact on Texas film production and maybe even yet another explanation of the ‘Waco’ brouhaha. TEXAS INCENTIVES—HOW TO [...]

After months of acrimonious negotiations between SAG and the AMPTP and cross guild combat between SAG and AFTRA, a new contract has been ratified. For better or worse, and I personally hope we don’t look back on passage of this contract as the beginning of the end for both SAG and AFTRA, the SAG membership [...]

It hasn’t taken long for the poop to hit the fan over the new entertainment tax incentive program recently passed by the Texas legislature. As you may have read or heard, a film production company named Entertainment 7 has been at the Cannes Film Festival touting their upcoming production about the Branch Davidian debacle. That [...]

On Thursday at Troublemaker Studios in Austin, Gov. Rick Perry signed HB873 into law. This law, a dramatic improvement on the existing film incentive package passed in the previous legislative session, is designed to put Texas back into play as a first tier location filming destination. The package also boosts incentives for commercial production and [...]

The productions on this list have all contacted SAG about the possibility of becoming signatory productions but some may not eventually go SAG. So caveat emptor, SAG members. Once again the list of POSSIBLE SAG signatory productions for Louisiana and Texas show that Texas is playing in the rough, with one arm tied behind our [...]

TXMPA Lobby Day 2009 was a long day that began with a 7:30 AM rally on the steps of the Texas Capitol. What a sight! Hundreds of film industry professionals and business people who benefit from a thriving film industry, many dressed in red, answered the call of the TXMPA and showed up for lobby [...]

In case you don’t think the loss of film work in Texas is at the critical point, read on. If you just haven’t been paying close attention to the situation so far, read on. If you’re trying to figure out what little ‘ol YOU can do to help change the situation, read on. My agent, [...]

Here’s the latest SAG production update that members receive via email. I’m just including Texas and Louisiana here. Note the number of “TH”, that is ‘Theatrical’ contracts in Louisiana vs the number of low budget contracted productions in Texas. This is a reminder of what is at stake unless the Texas legislature improves the tax [...]

For some reason a couple of recent posts have disappeared so I’m republishing the following information. The sessions between SAG, AMPTP and a federal MEDIATOR went nowhere last week and now SAG is saying it will ask the membership for a strike authorization vote. Even though I have no desire to see a strike, I [...]