Shoot your film in Texas and get paid
Written by Steve Muccini   
The film incentives bill passes! Texasforfilm.com
That is right ladies and gentlemen, as a result of the excellent support of Representative Dawna Dukes, Senator Robert Deuell, Bob Hudgins, the TXMPA, IATSE, the Austin Alliance and every crew member and talent who have been actively involved in the entire process, Governor Perry has signed the film and video game bill into an honest to goodness law. That basically means that when film, commercial, TV show or video game production companies bring their jobs to the state of Texas for their next project, they get a much more competitive rebate after they have spent their money here. The next goal is to get the new law funded.
This will raise the existing 5% rebate to a range as high as 15% depending upon the specific locale in Texas. Quite simply, this will put us back in the running as the selection of so many production companies who want to shoot, edit, mix and animate right here in the lone star state.
 
The expectation is that the passage of this bill, along with the appropriation of the $40 million carrot which goes along with it, will bring more productions here to the state and keep our highly talented cast and crew from relocating themselves and their families permenantly. As a result of sub par incentive rates, Texas has lost approximately 7,000 crew positions and $500 million in production spending to states with more competitive film incentives. Positioned just off our western front, New Mexico helped drive their state economy with $242 million by having major films and TV shows produced inside the state in 2008. On our eastern flank, Louisiana earned $350 million in production revenue in 2007. It is estimated that 25 percent of Texas-based film professionals are working in these states.
The final step is for the bill to receive the appropriated funding it needs to get things underway. Keep an eye on the TXMPA web site for updates on how you can get involved going forward.
 
To watch the entire bill signing event over at Robert Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios, visit the Texas state website: 

Gov. Perry Signs HB 873 to Provide Incentives for Entertainment Industries

 Get all the detailson how the incentive plan works at the Texas Film Commission site.

 

Steve Muccini is president of SpotEdge Media, an award winning video production company producing content for TV and the web, and also HomeSaleVideo.com . He is also a writer, producer and actor in Austin, Texas.

 
 

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