The Texas Film Scene (Houston, Dallas: 2015, apartment, house)

[Matthew Duck]

Why isn't Texas as big of a film hub as New York or California? We have the size - the diversity of the landscape here - and the big cities. I'm trying to find some sort of career in the film industry, I love it. Where would I go? Where would be a realistic place to start? I'm unconventional in that I would never permanently relocate to Los Angeles or New York City. What would you consider the film capital of Texas? Dallas? Austin? Somewhere else?

[TheOverdog]

Where would I go? Where would be a realistic place to start?

What do you want to do in the 'film industry?'. I have a brother in law in 'the film industry (sound design, music, and editing)', he lives in LA but has been to TX twice and to other states as well on location shoots. They basically hire locally (in LA) and bring whomever they want with them.

So my advice would be move to LA.

If you don't want to do that, then move to New Orleans would be second. Louisiana is much more interested in the film industry than Texas is.

Option #3 would be to hire on with a local news crew, and hope you eventually move up to shooting special features, etc.

[metroxian]

Austin

SXSWorld® Magazine | South by Southwest 2015 Music, Film and Interactive Festivals - Austin Texas

[Matthew Duck]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

What do you want to do in the 'film industry?'. I have a brother in law in 'the film industry (sound design, music, and editing)', he lives in LA but has been to TX twice and to other states as well on location shoots. They basically hire locally (in LA) and bring whomever they want with them.

So my advice would be move to LA.

If you don't want to do that, then move to New Orleans would be second. Louisiana is much more interested in the film industry than Texas is.

Option #3 would be to hire on with a local news crew, and hope you eventually move up to shooting special features, etc.

I would like to act, and would also like to write for TV shows and films.

I am starting to work with my school's TV station. One recent alumni got hired onto the crew of the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

But thank you for the advice!

[TheOverdog]

I would like to act, and would also like to write for TV shows and films.

Oh man. Good luck.

Most legitimate tv & film writers come out of major U's and have the family money to back them up when things get tight as generally film internships don't pay anything (my BIL went to the Berklee School of Music). Many comedy writers come from major comedy troupes and if there is one based in TX, I've never heard of it. Getting acting jobs is a total crapshoot in LA where something is filming 24X7, and even worse in TX.

Good luck!

[Matthew Duck]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

Oh man. Good luck.

Most legitimate tv & film writers come out of major U's and have the family money to back them up when things get tight as generally film internships don't pay anything (my BIL went to the Berklee School of Music). Many comedy writers come from major comedy troupes and if there is one based in TX, I've never heard of it. Getting acting jobs is a total crapshoot in LA where something is filming 24X7, and even worse in TX.

Good luck!

I'm aware. I'm only a freshman in college so I'm going to use these next three years to prepare and see what's the realistic thing for me to do. But thank you, it's vastly appreciated.

[In_Correct]

Originally Posted by Matthew Duck

Why isn't Texas as big of a film hub as New York or California? We have the size - the diversity of the landscape here - and the big cities. I'm trying to find some sort of career in the film industry, I love it. Where would I go? Where would be a realistic place to start? I'm unconventional in that I would never permanently relocate to Los Angeles or New York City. What would you consider the film capital of Texas? Dallas? Austin? Somewhere else?

Unfortunately almost everything that has to do with film and television in the U.S.A. is based from either Hollywood or NYC. And as a result just about everything else that has to do with U.S.A. popular culture and even slang is based out of these two areas, everywhere else is assumed to have the "Rural" culture. In NYC there are a bunch of creatures called YouTubers lurking around in NYC. They use expressions like "mad type wavey odeey" and these creatures attend(ed) dedicated charter high schools only to drop out and stay with their parents. Many times the entire household (closet sized apartment) is all on welfare but even if they aren't these creatures say say they are poor and describe their struggle of a life. They then go onto YouTube with the most unoriginal videos & vlogs and expect their audience to give them money. Their sheepish dream is to avoid working "Nine To Five" and instead hope to be discovered somewhat similar to Justin Bieber. Since many of those strange creatures which are called "YouTubers" are usually at NYC, it seems their culture is forced onto the rest of us.

One example YouTuber was raised by a tailor father and a dry cleaner mother, both working at Ralph Lauren (or something IDR and IDC LOL) and the youngest of six (the youtuber creature) attended a music charter high school. He is a very talented saxophone player and won many awards, which he doesn't even want. he said he threw them away and then dropped out of high school. Perhaps I don't know how NYC schools work and he might not have had any scholarships but if he had any he probably refused them. He had a job (which he didn't need nor want), his parents are still alive, they let him live with them even though he is after 18, and because of NYC's perfected transportation system, he gets to go "everywhere" and not have to worry about a car. He constantly is eating out, going to cinemas, and etc. This is a horrid life?! I don't get to do ANY of those things and I am not going to NYC nor Hollywood to attempt a better life, and

I absolutely REFUSE to even BELIEVE that I'd need to move (or even work) in NYC or Hollywood (or even Chicago or somewhere in Florida, where Nickelodeon and Universal had studios) to have any type of film or TV production career. If that is true, then I give up.

I guess I share your interest of films in Texas, actually filmed in Texas. Perhaps I share your interest even more than you do. And to answer your question: Austin. The Texas Capital. Which can also be The Texas Capital for other things such as film studios. There is a relatively new studio called Spider Wood and if I ever get around to films and TV series, I would try to ask them.

And if I can't stand them either I will just start my own company even though I will have to wait until retirement and then by that time perhaps TV and Cinema might not exist any more.

[Matthew Duck]

Originally Posted by In_Correct

I absolutely REFUSE to even BELIEVE that I'd need to move (or even work) in NYC or Hollywood (or even Chicago or somewhere in Florida, where Nickelodeon and Universal had studios) to have any type of film or TV production career. If that is true, then I give up.

I guess I share your interest of films in Texas, actually filmed in Texas. Perhaps I share your interest even more than you do. And to answer your question: Austin. The Texas Capital. Which can also be The Texas Capital for other things such as film studios. There is a relatively new studio called Spider Wood and if I ever get around to films and TV series, I would try to ask them.

And if I can't stand them either I will just start my own company even though I will have to wait until retirement and then by that time perhaps TV and Cinema might not exist any more.

I agree with your post 100%. This is exactly how I feel. I've never been to LA but have been to NYC and it was so different. I could never stand being there long term. I'm motivated and confident in myself and I think I can be successful right here in the Lone Star State. I mean, what does New York or California have that Texas doesn't? We have the big cities, we have the beaches, we have the deserts, we have the mountains, we have the wastelands, we have the swamps, we have the countryside.

I would love to start up my own company, too, that is what I've thought about and even gotten ideas about from my mom. I'm from an even smaller town in the state where the nearest "city" is Waco and everyone here goes to community college or Texas A&M for business and/or agriculture. Or nursing. I've noticed that is a popular choice.

Thank you for your insight about Austin. I'm currently studying Film at the University of North Texas and am trying to make some connections in the DFW area in the meantime. I have a serious girlfriend who is in the same major and we are indecisive about where to go after college.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by Matthew Duck

Why isn't Texas as big of a film hub as New York or California? We have the size - the diversity of the landscape here - and the big cities. I'm trying to find some sort of career in the film industry, I love it. Where would I go? Where would be a realistic place to start? I'm unconventional in that I would never permanently relocate to Los Angeles or New York City. What would you consider the film capital of Texas? Dallas? Austin? Somewhere else?

We may not be Cali or New York, but Texas does have a pretty decent film scene, especially around Austin.
Houston and Dallas have had movies and a few tv shows filmed in each respective city.

[In_Correct]

Originally Posted by Matthew Duck

I agree with your post 100%. This is exactly how I feel. I've never been to LA but have been to NYC and it was so different. I could never stand being there long term. I'm motivated and confident in myself and I think I can be successful right here in the Lone Star State. I mean, what does New York or California have that Texas doesn't? We have the big cities, we have the beaches, we have the deserts, we have the mountains, we have the wastelands, we have the swamps, we have the countryside.

I would love to start up my own company, too, that is what I've thought about and even gotten ideas about from my mom. I'm from an even smaller town in the state where the nearest "city" is Waco and everyone here goes to community college or Texas A&M for business and/or agriculture. Or nursing. I've noticed that is a popular choice.

Thank you for your insight about Austin. I'm currently studying Film at the University of North Texas and am trying to make some connections in the DFW area in the meantime. I have a serious girlfriend who is in the same major and we are indecisive about where to go after college.

My biggest gripes about Hollywood is that they like to change everything. Also at one point Hollywood was owned by the U.S. Government and if they found out if your political affiliation was "outlawed" then they fired you and blacklisted you.

I also don't recommend Hollywood because it is in California and last time I checked, everything was very expensive. Which means if it is convenient and perhaps seems to be even "cheaper" to make a film there instead of Texas, that can't possibly be true because you would lose so much money paying for your house and utilities!

You're right. Texas has everything it needs for films and I recommend you move to Austin or even a commute to Austin would be better than commuting to a different time zone. If possible I'll try to stay in the DFW area and just commute to Austin but it depends.