Most people thinking about film and television production immediately assume that their favorite films and shows were made in Hollywood. While many movies are still filmed on the back lots of major movie studios, many directors and producers are choosing other locations to film their productions. This growing trend has brought Austin to the attention of the filmmaking community and it is now becoming known as the “second Hollywood,” according to some industry publications.
Austin is already known for its thriving music community, but in the past several years, the independent film community in the area has begun to grow by leaps and bounds. This is due, in part to the actions of the city in attracting filmmakers to the area. The Austin Film Society has worked with city government to create several resources that are at the disposal of filmmakers, to help draw in producers and directors. The state of Texas has also developed their own incentives to assist filmmakers in using their state’s assets to help create motion pictures. There are tax waivers offered, as well as discounts for businesses and services in the area, helping movie makers of all sizes to make the most of their budgets.
Already, there have been many well-known and smaller movies made, in whole or in part, in and around Austin. Disney has produced several films using Austin as their main filming location, including the Spy Kids series and The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid. Popular films like What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Raising Arizona, Miss Congeniality, and many others were also filmed around the city. Small films, made by up and coming directors and students are constantly shooting in Austin. There is such a strong independent and student film community in the area that Austin now has its own Independent Film Festival, which take place in October of each year.
The future of film and television production in Austin looks to be huge. With several television series and movies already scheduled for production in the area, more attention will certainly be brought to the city. In preparation for the influx, Austin Studios has recently completed a renovation that is reported to have cost . The studios are equipped to handle film projects from Hollywood proportions to small student filmmaking projects. Recent plans for a major studio in the city were shot down, but there are still talks of building in a location that is easily accessible to the city.
Austin has a long way to go before it can compete with Hollywood in the filmmaking world, but the city has taken great strides in the right direction. As a naturally beautiful city, with plenty of scenery options nearby, Austin is a natural choice for filming. Now that the city and state governments have stepped up and begun to do their part to help attract more producers and directors to the area, the trend of filming in Austin is sure to continue to grow. Before long, Austin may have roots as deep as those of Hollywood, in the filmmaking industry.
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