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On Location: Lone Star Moviemaking | |||||||||
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Texas may be a half-country away from California and New York, but the Lone Star State seems appropriately situated, given the amount of film production that takes place here from both the Hollywood and independent film worlds. Austin continues to lead the state in film productivity, with at least 175 major feature films and television movies coming out of the city over the last two decades. That includes the work of Austin-based Richard Linklater and Robert Rodriguez, who is creating an industry unto himself as a one-man cinema band (writer-director-producer-cinematographer-editor-composer-etc.). But don’t let the big names give you the wrong impression—hundreds of indie auteurs are also based here, working hard to carve their names out of the city’s diverse landscape. Many of them seem to be succeeding, as evidenced by the quotes you’ll read here. Austin may arguably be the state’s number one city for indies, but its neighbor to the southeast, Houston, is quickly gaining ground. And with good reason—tax-free equipment and services, tax-free hotel stays and permit-free shooting! Not to mention the fact that it shares many of Austin’s more attractive attributes: moderate weather, beautiful landscapes, diverse urban locations, low cost of living and very talented crews.
For our Fall 2003 “On Location” report, more than a dozen moviemakers sound off about life and moviemaking in the capital city, and Space City, respectively. The diversity of people and the
overall energy that this city produces makes for a very cool pool of
creativity to pull from. As an actor, there is no
comparison to the quality of hip and professional people
to work with. Austin is the place to be for making flicks.
All the knowledge I possess as a moviemaker has been
learned through hands-on experience while working on local projects.
Austin’s greatest educational resource is its moviemakers and their
willingness to donate time and energy in an effort to see other
local moviemakers’ dreams become reality.
More than its vendors, studios, user-friendly film
commissions and locations, Austin offers up an amazing talent pool
of people to collaborate with—both in front of and behind the
camera. Simply put, that’s the reason to shoot, live and work in
Austin: the people. Austin is a more than an adequate place to make films.
While the Austin’s film community is as eclectic as its
inhabitants. The scene is growing so fast and everyone is kind of
doing their own thing. When we all start working together and
getting involved in larger projects locally, the whole process will
be much easier. The train is leaving the station. We just have to
make sure and get on board.
Austin is an amazing center of artistic, cultural and
technological activity. It’s no wonder why so many moviemakers are
born and bred here. Rapidly being respected as a true “Third Coast,”
Austin has a real sense of community. It’s that Texas “can do”
spirit meets Hollywood’s “let’s do lunch” attitude. Austin has become a haven for moviemakers at every
level. Cast and crew routinely jump from big studio productions to
small independent films. Because of this cooperative environment,
I’ve been able to make low-budget movies that have played at
prestigious film festivals and aired on the Independent Film
Channel. In Austin, it’s all about making the movie, no matter what
the budget. Austin is a city in love with cinema. From free
screenings of Luchino Visconti gems to huge premieres of Spy Kids 3,
Austin embraces and supports its own budding and seasoned
filmmakers, financially and theatrically. It’s absolute heaven
making films here.
Walk 20 paces in Austin and you’ll run into someone
who’s making an independent film, or composing the music, or
projecting it onto the side of their apartment building at two in
the morning. It’s less a business here, and more like those
altruistic movie dreams I had as a kid. |
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