Texas

“Beyond the Farthest Star” – 00233502

Pathlight Entertainment, LLC – Low Budget

Location: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

Start Date: October 1, 2009

“Cameraman” – 00248634

Dixie Films Alpha LP – Low Budget Modified

Location: Longview, TX

Start Date: September 24, 2009

Casting: David Cole  dnc at dixiefilms.com

“Cherry Bomb” – 00246793

Strike Anywhere Productions, LLC – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Austin, TX

Start Date: September 16, 2009

Casting: Garrett Hargrove;  contact at cherrybombfilm.com

“Cowboy and Lucky” – 00247361

Red C Entertainment – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Waco, TX

Start Date: To be determined

Casting:  info at redctelevision.com

Cowgirl Chicks, The – 00248526

Rodeo Films, LLC – Low Budget Modified

Location: Ft. Worth, TX

Start Date: Late October 2009

“Friday Night Lights” – #00246956

NBC Studios, Inc.

Start Date: 9/2/09

Location: Austin, TX

Casting: Beth Sepko  info at bethsepkocasting.com

“God Save the Red, Black and Blonde” – #00246098

Ordered Productions – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Austin, TX

Start Date: To be determined

Casting: Dan Jimenez;  daj5757 at gmail.com

“Jacob’s Edge” – #00246799

Long Distance Freestyle, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Dallas, TX; L.A. CA; Georgia

Start Date: September 15, 2009

“Just Me and Jose” – 00249418

Just Me and Jose, LLC – Ultra Low Budget

Location: McAllen, TX

Start Date: To be determined

“Legend of Hell’s Gate, The” – 00248883

4 Go West, LLC – Low Budget

Location: Granbury, TX

Start Date: October 12, 2009

Casting: Beth Sepko

“Los Scavengels” – 00249412

Demetrius Navarro – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Dallas, TX

Start Date: October 2, 2009

“Mind of its Own, A” – 00248745

Speaking Productions, LP – Low Budget Modified

Location: Dallas, TX

Start Date: September 28, 2009

Casting: Donise Hardy

“Minority Western” - 00220674

FAD Productions – Ultra Low Budget

Locations: AZ & Dallas, TX

Start Date: December 2009

Casting: Victoria Joyce Hernandez; (213) 440-6288

“Predators” – 00249564

Predator Planet, Inc. – Theatrical

Location: Austin, TX

Start Date: Late September

“Pros and Cons” - 00246100

Going Bats Entertainment – Ultra Low Budget

Start Date: September 25, 2009

Casting: Scott Ross,  stross at goingbats.com

“Trysts” – 00248638

Adulterers, LLC – Low Budget Modified

Location: Austin, TX

Start Date: October 13, 2009

Casting: Peter Yoder  peteryoder at bleutuna.com

Louisiana

“Battle Los Angeles” – 002458852

Battle Productions, LLC

Location: Baton Rouge, Shreveport, LA

Start Date: September 10, 2009

Casting: Fincannon Casting

“First Wedding, Then Marriage” – 00248498

First Wedding Then Marriage, LLC- Theatrical

Location: New Orleans, LA

Start Date: To be determined

“Hurting Kind, The” – #00244310

TNC Shreveport, LLC – Low Budget Modified

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: October 15, 2009

“Locked Down” aka “Cage, The” – 00248248

LA Cage Productions, LLC – Low Budget

Location: Jefferson Parish, LA

Start Date: September 11, 2009

“Monster Wolf” – 00249488

Monster Wolf, LLC – Low Budget Modified

Location: Lafayette, LA

Start Date: September 28, 2009

“Relative Strangers” – 00244457

Relative Strangers, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Louisiana (non-specific location)

Start Date: To be determined

Note that Texas has 11 potential signatory projects listed and Louisiana has 14. Of the eleven projects slated for shooting in Texas, three projects have budgets that place them in the ‘Theatrical’ category (Total budget over $2,500,000) and the other eight projects are “Low Budget” (Total budget of less than $2,500,000), “Modified Low Budget” (Total budget of less than $625,000) or “Ultra Low Budget” (Total budget of less than $200,000) projects.

Of the fourteen projects slated for Louisiana, nine have budgets at the “Theatrical” level, one is a Television Series, and only three are at the “Low Budget” or “Ultra Low Budget” level.

The TXMPA effort to significantly increase Texas’ current 5% incentive program is well underway. Visit the TXMPA site and see how you can help us bring more Theatrical budget level productions back to Texas.

Texas

Apparition

Firestorm Pictures – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Houston, TX

Start Date: To be determined

Beyond the Farthest Star

Pathlight Entertainment, LLC – Low Budget

Location: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Start Date: February 2, 2009

Broken Promise, A South Texas Story

Que Tal Productions, LLC – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Brownsville, Mercedes, TX

Start Date: February 15, 2009

The Chops

Steven Cortinas – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA

Start Date: To be determined

The Final

Final Fate Features, LLC – Low Budget Modified

Location: Dallas, TX

Start Date: March 2, 2009

Kalle King

Susie T. Entertainment – Low Budget

Location: Dallas, TX, New York, NY, Hollywood, CA

Start Date: November 23, 2008

The Killer Inside Me

KIM Productions, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Oklahoma City, OK; Lockhart, TX

Start Date: To Be Determined

The Letter H

GCP Film, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Houston, El Paso, TX

Start Date: March 2, 2009

Minority Western

FAD Productions – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Arizona, Dallas, TX

Start Date: To Be Determined

Restive

Restive, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Waco, TX

Start Date: February 16, 2009

Shadow Play

Silvatar Media, LLC – Low Budget Modified

Location: Waco, TX

Start Date: February 16, 2009

Louisiana

Caged Innocence

United Spirits LLC – Theatrical

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: To be determined

The Chameleon

Chameleon Productions, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Start Date: February 2, 2009

Dead Whisper

Dead Whisper Pictures, LLC – Theatrical

Location: New Orleans, LA; Big Bear, CA

Start Date: To be determined

Dead of Night

Long Distance Films, Inc – Theatrical

Location: New Orleans, LA

Start Date: To be determined

Disconnect

Triumphant Pictures – Theatrical

Location: New Orleans, LA

Start Date: March 10, 2009

The Expendables

Alta Vista Productions, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: To be determined

Eyes of the King

Eyes of the King, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Louisiana (non-specific)

Start Date: To be determined

Happy Holidays Katherine Sloane

Happy Holidays Katherine Sloan, LLC – Theatrical

Location: New York, NY; New Orleans, LA

Start Date: February 1, 2009

Mania

Mania Productions, LLC – Low Budget

Location: New Orleans, LA

Start Date: March 10, 2009

Preaching to the Pastors

Digital Media Production House – Ultra Low Budget

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Start Date: To be determined

Sons of Thunder

Insight Entertainment, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Montgomery, AL; Atlanta, GA

Start Date: March 1, 2009

Three Stories about Joan

Three Stories Productions, LLC – Theatrical

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: To be determined

True Blood – TV Series

HBO – TV

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Dates: February, April and June 2009

WSOT Productions 1, LLC – Low Budget

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Start Date: February 3, 2009

This is a reminder of what is at stake unless the Texas legislature improves the tax incentive program in the upcoming session. Actors, crew and businesses that service film productions can’t survive on low and ultra-low budgeted productions. We must have a better incentive program to lure back at least some of the bigger budgeted films that now go to Louisiana, New Mexico and now Michigan.

If you haven’t already done so, please join the TXMPA and help in the effort to rescue the Texas film industry.

Texas

Apparition – Ultra Low Budget

Firestorm Pictures

Location: Houston, TX

Start Date: To be determined

Beyond the Farthest Star – Low Budget

Pathlight Entertainment, LLC

Location: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Start Date: February 2, 2009

Chops, The – Ultra Low Budget

Steven Cortinas

Location: Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA

Start Date: November 15, 2008

Fifth, The – Ultra Low Budget

Black Cloe Productions

Location: Grandbury, TX

Start Date: December 13, 2008

Kalle King – Low Budget

Susie T. Entertainment

Location: Dallas, TX, New York, NY, Hollywood, CA

Start Date: November 23, 2008

Sweet Justice – Ultra Low Budget

American Film Werkz

Location: Dallas, TX

Start Date: December 4, 2008

Louisiana

Caged Innocence – TH

United Spirits LLC

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: January 10, 2009

Dead Whisper – TH

Dead Whisper Pictures, LLC

Location: New Orleans, LA; Big Bear, CA

Start Date: January 12, 2009

Eyes of the King – Theatrical

Eyes of the King, LLC

Location: Louisiana (non-specific)

Start Date: To be determined

House of Bones – Low Budget Affirmative Action

House of Bones, LLC

Location: New Orleans, LA

Start Date: December 1, 2008

Night of the Demons – Theatrical

Prodigy Entertainment

Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Start Date: To be determined

Three Stories about Joan – Theatrical

Three Stories Productions, LLC

Location: Shreveport, LA

Start Date: To be determined

The TXMPA, the Texas Motion Picture Alliance is a lobbying organization formed to try to rescue the Texas film business from heart failure. During the last legislative session, the TXMPA and its lobbying firm Hillco Partners were able to get the legislature to pass and fund a $20 million film incentive program that is just now starting to write checks to producers. Is it too little, too late?

Follow the money. Nobody needs ‘Deep Throat’ to set them on the path to discovering where all the Texas film jobs have gone. There’s no Watergate-like conspiracy afoot. Though one could certainly make a case that there is a conspiracy. A conspiracy of dunces. What else would explain the Texas legislature passing a bill to establish a film production fund…and then NOT funding it as they did in the previous session? Can you send a louder message to the industry that Texas doesn’t wish to continue as a player in the location film business? Genius. Sheer genius.

But that was yesterday. This past session, through the efforts of the TXMPA, our heroes in Austin stepped up to the plate and, in the face of losing untold jobs and millions of dollars to Louisiana’s and New Mexico’s 25% film incentive programs, they passed AND funded our incentive package.

Here’s the summary of the program:

1. Eligible projects, upon completion of an audit of their Texas expenditures, may receive a payment equal to 5% of their total Texas spending not to exceed $2 million for feature films, $2.5 million for television programs, $200,000 for commercials and $250,000 for video games.

2. Projects that complete at least 25% of their total productions days in an Underused Area may receive an additional payment of 1.25% of their total in-state spending.

3. Payment may be denied because of inappropriate content or content that portrays Texas or Texans in a negative fashion.

The total payout for the program is capped at $20 million.

Those attending the recent TXMPA confab were told that production executives in Hollywood are not even considering Texas as a potential shooting location right now because our 5% incentive just isn’t competitive. 5% vs 25% or 40% is not competitive? Who knew?

Look at the films slated to shoot in Texas. Almost all are low budget, ultra low budget or no-budget films, but…well they are films. Where on the list of films that have applied for the Texas incentive payouts are the big budget films? And how do they compare to our closest geographic competitor, Louisiana? A look at our state’s film production slate will verify that the words of that unknown film exec were true: “Texas is not in the mix.”

Follow the money. It was recently reported that Drew Barrymore’s production, WHIP IT! starring Ellen Page was moving its production from Texas (Austin), where the story is set, to a location in Michigan. It seems that Michigan’s new 40% film incentive was just too much for the producers to turn down. For a 40% rebate, Michigan apparently starts to look a lot like Texas. Let’s face it, a roller rink in Ypsilanti can probably look like one in Austin.

According to Bob Hudgins, director of the Texas Film Commission, if Texas had even a 15% incentive available, WHIP IT! would have remained in Texas. Why? Our excellent local film artists and technicians. By filming in Austin, the producers could have hired a majority of their crew on location. That would save them thousands of dollars in travel, housing and other expenses. By relocating to Michigan they will be hiring a majority of the crew in L.A. and picking up those expenses that a Texas shoot would have saved.

But Texas doesn’t currently have a 15% incentive. Looking at the 40% Michigan incentive vs the current Texas incentive of 5% one can see just one more example of why the Texas film business is in a serious recession. At a time when the Texas economy is feeling the fallout of the sub prime lending debacle and new job growth is stalling out, running jobs out of state is not a good move.

All those crew people and actors who live locally, who pay property and school taxes locally, who buy their cars and bicycles and home improvement supplies and groceries locally will not have those production dollars to distribute into the Texas economy.

If the Texas legislature doesn’t think Texas film production requires a more robust incentive program, maybe someone can convince the powers that be to read the recent series of Daily Variety articles about the success of the New Mexico film incentive program.

Maybe they’ll finally get the picture that a significant portion of the millions of dollars now flowing through the economies of New Mexico ($632 Million in the most recent fiscal year per Variety) and Louisiana once would have been flowing into the state coffers in Austin.

How long will it be before one of Texas’ main production assets, a large and experienced base of professional film crews, will be so seriously depleted that even a larger film incentive will not be enough to win back the bigger budgeted films that bring large numbers of jobs? How many have to relocate to Shreveport or Albuquerque or worse, flee the industry altogether before we reach that tipping point?

“We have a 25% rebate, but it’s direct cash to the crew,” explains Eric Witt, head of Richardson’s media arts development initiative. “Productions prefer that, because we literally write you a check.”

One can’t blame the producers for this one. Making a profit on a film is not a ‘done deal’. If a producer is offered the chance to recoup 25% or 40% of his/her shooting budget, then who among us could argue with them for doing so? Eventually the AMPTP and SAG will settle on a contract and work will once again begin to flow. But how much will flow to Texas? And how much production coin that WOULD have been spent in Texas will instead be spent in Michigan, Louisiana or New Mexico?

From a recent Daily Variety article about New Mexico film production:

When it comes to justifying to taxpayers why their money is helping to subsidize local film production, it helps to have an Oscar winner you can point to.

In New Mexico’s case, 2007 was an especially good year. The state can claim partial responsibility for 14 Oscar nominations, including best picture honoree “No Country for Old Men” (with “3:10 to Yuma,” “In the Valley of Elah” and “Transformers” rounding out the ballot).

For Gov. Bill Richardson, that kind of performance is a point of pride, not because he likes winning (he does), but for the simple fact that it indicates progress.

“New Mexico used to be very prominent when it came to filmmaking, and then for the last 20 years, we fell asleep,” Richardson says, sitting comfortably in his Albuquerque office (his real base of operations is 45 minutes north in Santa Fe). “We started out slow, but now it’s reached the point where we’ve made about $1.8 billion in state revenues.”

Richardson’s office just announced the 100th film to collect on its 25% rebate (“Run for Her Life”). Twenty-two of those pics further benefited from the state’s no-interest production loan. And though other states have stepped in with more aggressive programs (most recently Connecticut, New York and Michigan, whose tax credits range from 30% to 42%), Richardson isn’t fazed by the competition.

New Mexico was first, and the state’s plan was engineered to create a long-term, sustainable industry, with extra incentives for productions that advance local talent. As a direct result, an entire infrastructure has sprung up where only a loosely organized wisp of film professionals existed before, many of them refugees from Hollywood who’d taken to the more relaxed New Mexico way of life. Today, the state boasts more than 1,800 professionals and the largest crew base outside Los Angeles and New York, a community deep enough to support at least six productions.

“Legion” co-producer Steve Beswick, shooting at the College of Santa Fe’s Garson Studios, estimates 95% of his 160-person crew are locals, most of them already quite polished: “A lot of the crew has worked on big movies with big heads of department — big production designers, big d.p.s — and they’ve learned a lot from them. The construction crews here are as good as I’ve seen around the world.”

Read the full story HERE

It’s not too early to start to talk to your legislator about the necessity of significantly increasing the Texas film incentive program. Otherwise we can all start talking about the Texas Film Business in the past tense.

Texas has 13 productions on the list: 7 ultra low budget contracts, 3 low budget contracts, 1 TV series and 2 projects working under the standard theatrical agreement.

Louisiana has 7 projects on the list:

3 low budget contracts, 0 ultra low budget contracts and 4 projects with theatrical and tv movie contracts.

While the Texas list is longer, the total budgets for the Louisiana production slate will far exceed those for the films to be shot in Texas. The bigger budgeted films are understandably going where they get the best deal on state film incentives: Louisiana – 25% – Texas – 5%.

While it’s great to have the ultra low budget films shooting in Texas, we need the larger budgeted films which employ more people for longer periods of time. We need the larger budgeted films to keep our experienced crews and actors living and working in-state. An actor working in EVERY ultra low budget film on this list will still be hard pressed to make enough money to qualify for SAG health benefits.

Budget thresholds for the SAG contracts are:

Ultra-Low Budget Agreement: Total budget of less than $200,000 – All Performers except Stunt Performers $100 / Day
Low Budget Agreement: Total budget of less than $2,500,000 – Performer’s Day Rate: $504 – Weekly Rate: $1752
Theatrical and Television Basic Agreement: Budget over $2,500,000 – Performer’s Day Rate: $759 – Weekly Rate: $2634

See the full Contract information at SAGIndie.

TEXAS

01 (Zero One) – Ultra Low Budget
Grey Area Filmworks
Location: Dallas, TX.
Start: June 2, 2008

Abductors, The – Ultra Low Budget
The Abductors, LLC
Location: Dallas, TX.
Start: June 20, 2008

Deeper and Deeper – Ultra Low Budget
Bright Shining City Productions, LLC
Location: Austin, TX.
Start: June 5, 2008
Casting: Cyndi Williams

Easier With Practice – Low Budget
EWP, LLC
Location: NM, Austin, TX.
Start: To be determined

Flag Between Two Families, A – Theatrical
Little Bear Productions, Co.
Location: San Antonio, TX.
Start: June 1, 2008

Friday Night Lights – Television Series
NBC Studios, Inc
Location: Austin, TX.
Start: July 2008
Casting: Beth Sepko

Guys – Low Budget
Guys the Movie, LLC
Location: Austin, TX.
Start: June 1, 2008
Casting: Shannon Makhanian

Kick the Can– Theatrical
Kick the Can, LLC
Location: Houston, TX.
Start: June 16, 2008

More Moments the Go – Ultra Low Budget
Blank Action Productions
Location: Austin, TX.
Start: July 8, 2008

Purse, The – Ultra Low Budget
Owen Boys Productions, LLC
Location: Arlington, TX.
Start: To be determined

Radio 101 – Low Budget Modified
101 Radio, LLC
Location: Waco, TX.
Start: June 1, 2008

Red Queen, The – Ultra Low Budget
Green Queen Productions, LLC
Location: Edinburg, TX.
Start: June 2, 2008

Strings – Ultra Low Budget
Motion Films at Motion Media Arts Center
Location: Austin, TX.
Start: To be determined

LOUISIANA

Bad Lieutenant – Theatrical
Nu Image/Millennium
Location: New Orleans, LA.
Start: July 7, 2008

Deadline, The – Low Budget
The Deadline, LLC
Location: Louisiana (non-specific)
Start: June 3, 2008

Get Low – Theatrical
Firstar Films, LLC
Location: Pittsburg, PA and Louisiana
Start: June 1, 2008

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell – Theatrical
Beer in Hell, LLC
Location: Shreveport, LA
Start: July 7, 2008

Living Proof – TV Movie
Canterbury Productions, Inc
Location: New Orleans, LA
Date: June 2, 2008

Scratching the Surface – Low Budget
Opine Entertainment
Location: Louisiana (non-specific)
Start Date: TBD

Wonderful World – Low Budget
Wonderful Worlds, LLC
Location: Shreveport, LA.
Start: October 17, 2007 – June ‘08

Maybe a high profile article like this is what we need to get the legislature to wake up and give the Texas film industry some help while there still is a Texas film industry.

One thing is sure. As much a people LIKE to shoot in Austin and other locations in Texas that won’t win the day in a decision over which location provides the lowest cost and best chance for the biggest financial return to the producers.

If the current trend continues, the Texas crew base will continue to be depleted and the local cadre of experienced actors, at least those with the flexibility of age and lack of family ties will have no choice but to go to where the money is flowing because that’s where the jobs are.

As I’ve said previously in this space, one look at the production line up in Louisiana vs the current slate of films scheduled to shoot in Texas is telling. Texas: dominated by ultra-low and low budget films ; Louisiana: a mixture of low budget films with a significant number of films with budgets in the tens of millions of dollars.

I want the low budget films to shoot here because this is where we are growing the future of the filmmaking business. But we must also have our share of the big budget films so the actors and crew people who want to live in Austin can actually make a living in the film business. The low budget films, even if they all suddenly become SAG signatory productions, are not going to provide the financial base to keep the crew base and acting talent in our region. Production of low budget films doesn’t bring the infrastructure of studio space, post production facilities and experienced people to run those facilities. We simply must be given the financial tools to compete or we can start talking about the good old days of the Texas film business.

That’s my take from the lobby of a fine old hotel in New Orleans. Back soon.