Texas ups the film incentives ante

The Texas Motion Picture Alliance members should give their lobbyists a raise. They somehow sold the Texas Legislature on a record two-year total of $95 million for the state's film incentives program. Does this mean the program now has enough bucks to attract more actual feature films and not just television shows (which aren't bad visitors either if you can get them and a drag when you don't)? Stay tuned, but it looks good. Check out The Austin Chronicle's report, which spells the numbers out.

Just two years ago it was looking like there would be no film incentives program in Texas.

And back in 2009, $60 million for the program had people smiling.

Richard Linklater hopes to lens 'Dazed' semi-sequel in the fall

Yep, that's what Richard Linklater said on Reddit when asked about the "spiritual sequel" to Dazed and Confused: "Hoping to make it this fall, actually. A college comedy. I feel like mixing it up with a big ensemble."

The fan response was, of course: "Be a lot cooler if you did."

Linklater has been trying to get the college story made for years.

Oh, and Linklater says his 12-year project Boyhood may finally see the light of day in 2014.

'Killer Women' to shoot in New Mexico

 

It's a show about Texas Rangers set in San Antonio and the pilot shot in Austin, but the ABC series Killer Women will lens in Albuquerque, my sources confirm.

With the television networks, the decision usually comes down to dollars and cents, and this appears to be no exception. Simply put, filming incentives in New Mexico remain much more attractive than those offered in Texas.

But at least we can enjoy a few fleeting Austin views in the trailer.

It's the same story that has another Texas Rangers story,  Johnny Depp star vehicle The Long Ranger, featuring scenic backdrops that you'd never find in the Lone Star State.

Hey, lady: are you 'Transformers 4' tough?

First sign of extra work on the film not actually called Transformers 4 (it's untitled at this point) from the folks at Third Coast Extras. It also gives a good notion of the actual shooting dates:

Seeking submissions from FEMALE CAUCASIAN EXTRAS between the ages of 16-23 fit, tan, attractive with an "all-American" Texas type look to work as a featured Extra on the Transformers sequel directed by Michael Bay shooting in the Austin, TX area between June 3-20, 2013.

-PLEASE READ BELOW CAREFULLY BEFORE SUBMITTING-

You'll need a flexible schedule w/ ability to clear schedule for both all day/night shoots if necessary & have reliable transportation to get to set either in Austin or outside of town on location. Must have good follow-through and be able to commit to dates + wardrobe dept. will need to have pre-fit clothing & you'll attend a wardrobe fitting the week before shooting during the last week of May. Scenes for this Extra shoot 6/3 and 6/11, but subject to change.

Minimum pay guarantee for this featured extra is $100/8hr. After 8 hours time + 1/2 overtime pay kicks in. Potential for upgrade.

Please email us at: thirdcoastextras@gmail.com w/ subject heading "Transformers: Featured Friend" and follow directions below exactly:

Women: include name, age, phone #, height/weight, dress size, bust-waist-hips measurements, & shoe size. Attach several clear, current photos in high resolution - including a close photo (no professional headshots however) & a full length photo also. Please only casual photos not professionally taken.This Director wants to see your current everyday real appearance.

Must be Texas resident w/ valid photo ID who lives in (or at least nearby) to Austin, TX. Please don't submit if you're not local to the area or nearby.

'Blanco County' coming to USA network?

Ben Rehder                                   Rob Thomas

Austin novelist Ben Rehder's series of mysteries is in development as a TV series called Blanco County at the USA Network. And that's not the end of the Texas connection--Rob Thomas of Veronica Mars fame has been hired as the showrunner/writer and is executive producer along with Tom Welling (Smallville's Clark Kent).

Thomas, who went to high school in San Marcos and taught high school journalism in Austin, moved back to the Capital City a few years ago. Rehder says the two didn't meet in person until after Thomas had signed on to the project.  A pilot has already been penned. Now it's up to USA to give the series a thumbs up or down.

Blanco County is based on Rehder's six comic novels (he cites Carl Hiassen as his inspiration)  and "follows the story of John Marlin, a worldly pro baseball player who would rather spend his down time traveling the world than return to his small Texas hometown. After the death of his father, Marlin returns home to find a lot has changed since he left. The place is now booming with rich ranchers and tourists and there’s an uneasy alliance between the locals and the nouveau rich. Believing the local cops to be inept, Marlin runs for sheriff and surprisingly wins. A man who spent his entire life running away from his roots must now adapt to a new way of life." In the novels, Marlin is instead a game warden.

Will the show shoot in Central Texas if picked up to series?

"One big reason Rob was interested is because of the possibility of shooting here," Rehder says. "I don't know what the odds are, but I know that's what Rob would prefer."

NBC's 'Revolution' moving production to Austin

FYI: Also see this over at The Dallas Morning News.

NBC series Revolution is on the verge of moving its production from North Carolina to Austin this summer.

“We have been working with them for several weeks, and that it certainly looks good from all indications--including the news out of Wilmington,” said Gary Bond, head of the Austin Film Commission. “But still we have received no official word from the production execs.”

According to a report in the Wilmington Star-News, citing a letter from show creator Eric Kripke to the show’s crew, production could begin in Austin by July. 

Bond said the show would bring about 300 crew jobs to Austin.

This follows news that ABC has picked up to series the San Antonio-set Texas Rangers drama Killer Woman. The pilot shot in Austin and the series is likely to as well, Bond said.

Revolution is set in a future where electricity no longer works. A need for new locations has been cited as a potential reason for the move, but the state’s legislature has looked at ending its filming incentives program, which could be a factor. 

Austin television news isn’t all positive. ABC family’s series shot its first two seasons there, but the network has delayed word on a third season pickup until June at the earliest.

The Lying Game shot its first two seasons there, but the network has delayed word on a third season pickup until June at the earliest.

'Lying Game' does the limbo

We gave you the (potential) Austin TV good news from ABC  regarding Killer Women making it to series. Now here's the bad news: ABC Family is leaving Austin-shot The Lying Game in limbo about a third-season shoot. The final word won't come until into the summer. The catch is many of the cast may have vamoosed by then. It doesn't look good for the show...

ABC picks up 'Killer Women' to series

ABC has officially picked up Killer Women, the saga of a female Texas Ranger, as a series. The show is set in San Antonio, but the pilot was shot in Austin. I'm betting it returns to Texas for the series, but no word on that yet. Stay tuned.

Read more about the show here.