Killen plays 'Mind Games' earlier than expected

So sometimes Austinite Kyle Killen, whose Dallas-shot series Lone Star was cancelled by Fox after only two episodes in 2010, sees his new (not-Texas-shot) show Mind Games premiere early (Feb. 25) when ABC pulls Killer Women after two episodes (the first of which was shot in Austin). Got that? There will be a quiz later.

SHOT IN TEXAS: ‘Dallas’ pilot begins 12-day shoot

My Dallas Morning News column (which actually runs Saturday but is already up on the Web site--oddly minus my byline).--Joe

NOTE: Larry Hagman on Sunday at 8 p.m. will be at the Texas Theatre, where the original Dallas series is being screened two episodes at a time weekly.

SHOT IN TEXAS: ‘Dallas’ pilot begins 12-day shoot here next week

BY JOE O'CONNELL
filmnewsbyjoe@yahoo.com
joeoconnell.com
@joemoconnell on Twitter

The TNT series pilot for Dallas begins a 12-day North Texas shoot next week. The pilot follows the next generation of Ewings led by Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson and Jordana Brewster. Larry Hagman, Charlene Tilton, Steve Kanaly, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy from the original series are also on board.

“Just because a pilot shoots here doesn’t mean it’s going to stay if picked up,” warned Janis Burklund of the Dallas Film Commission. She has seen network shows such as Fox’s Good Guys come and go. Indeed, most of the original Dallas series was shot in Hollywood.

Dallas-set and Dallas-shot ABC pilot GCB, starring Leslie Bibb, Kristin Chenoweth and Annie Potts, recently wrapped production. Word of a series pickup is expected by mid-May.

A couple of canceled series shot in North Texas are also staging small-scale comebacks. The five unaired Chase episodes shot in Dallas will be broadcast beginning Saturday on NBC. And Lone Star creator Kyle Killen is staging a free screening of the fourth through sixth episodes of the canceled Fox series this Sunday in Austin at the Alamo Drafthouse-Ritz.

In 2009, Hagman, Dallas’ J.R. Ewing, wandered the Texas Capitol giving out fake $10,000 bills with his photo on them, successfully prodding legislators to increase filming incentives funding. But incentives are no longer such an easy sell.

With six weeks to go in the session, the Texas Legislature is hashing out the future of a filming incentives program that in 2009 awarded two-year funding of $60 million — with another $2 million for operating expenses and funding of a state film archive. This time the Senate is looking at two-year funding of $10 million, while the House is considering increasing that two-year figure to $30 million plus that spare $2 million for operations and film archive. The decision will likely be up to a House-Senate conference committee.

The industry, in a study expected to be released next week, contends the film, television and video-game industry has had a $1.1 billion impact since incentives were first funded in 2007, and a direct in-state spend of just less than $600 million. The study commissioned by the Texas Association of Business with the help of the University of Texas considers spending through 2010.

“It shows how effective we are at creating jobs,” said Don Stokes, president of the lobbying group Texas Motion Picture Alliance. “It shows the Texas program is the most efficient program out there.”

Competing states also are looking at either cutting back or eliminating filming incentives in this tight budget year. Still, New Mexico is considering a $45 million per year cap, far more than ever offered in Texas.

“Our program was designed from the beginning to be very conservative,” Stokes said, noting Texas’ strengths in trained film crews and varied filming locales. “As other programs across the country pull back and come back into reality, it makes Texas that much more competitive. We hope we end up with enough to keep Texas in the game.”
Burklund agrees. “We all know we’re going to take a cut,” she said. “I’m not panicking about it. We’re doing the best we can given the circumstances.”

Bonus footage

Dallas filmmakers Barak Epstein, Adam Donaghey, Jason Reimer and Eric Steele, working together as Aviation Cinemas, are launching what they term “crowd-funded” indie films and producing them directly from Oak Cliff’s Texas Theatre. The first project is The Verdigris, a music documentary executive-produced by Bradley Beesley (Okie Noodling) and featuring music by Beau Jennings. A donations-only performance by Jennings opened the effort at the Texas Theatre on Friday.

'Friday Night Lights' Palicki is new 'Wonder Woman'

Friday Night Lights and Lone Star star Adrianne Palicki is the new Wonder Woman in David E. Kelley's pilot for NBC. More here.

Uh, and that's not her in the photo...

'Chase' stops running, what's next in Texas film/TV?

They've made my SHOT IN TEXAS "premium content" on the Dallas Morning News site, but here it is from today's paper...


'Chase' shuts down after NBC pulls it from schedule

By JOE O’CONNELL

NBC pulled Chase from its schedule just days before production on the show officially ended in North Texas this week. Five episodes remain unaired, and the move means the series probably won’t be back for a second season. The network earlier reduced the episode order from 22 to 18 after poor ratings.

Chase was the last of the major network series shot in Texas to close shop. It follows North Texas-shot Lone Star and The Good Guys, and Austin-shot My Generation and Friday Night Lights. Lights ended it fifth season on DirecTV this week, though the season won’t air on NBC until April.

All of the series faced ratings woes while also proving the mettle of Texas crews and bringing money to the state. Each episode is estimated to bring in at least $1 million in local spending.

If North Texas officials get their wish, the television production frenzy will continue.

“We do have projects that are looking,” said Janis Burklund of the Dallas Film Commission. “And that includes television pilots — plural — and features.”

Certainly the possibility with the highest profile is TNT’s modern-day take on Dallas . It was recently announced that Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray have all signed on for the series pilot, which will focus on the original characters’ children.

There was no word at press time that Dallas would shoot in Dallas, but Burklund remains cautiously optimistic. “They’re looking at their options,” she said of TNT reps. “I think we will know fairly soon.”

Also possibly on the horizon is the Dallas-set Good Christian Bitches , based on Kim Gatlin’s book of the same name. ABC has ordered a pilot presentation for the soap-like show from Sex and the City’s Darren Star.

The television floodgates opened after the 2009 Texas Legislature made its filming incentives payment more flexible and upped overall two-year spending to $60 million. The increase was seen as too little to attract a lot of major films, but perfect for network television. The current budget crunch is likely to shrink that amount considerably. An early proposal dropped it to $10 million for the next two years.

This week, Gov. Rick Perry proposed adding another $20 million on top of that for an even $30 million, as well as opening the possibility that additional funds could be added to the program if they could be freed up elsewhere.

The new session also brought a new leader to the Texas Film Commission, Dallas native Evan Fitzmaurice, who is keeping a politically low profile and letting legislators handle the politics of film incentives.

“There’s a process at work, and as a film commission, we are eager to answer their questions as we have in the past,” he said.

Don Stokes, president of the Texas Motion Picture Alliance, said cutting incentive funding now could halt the flow of television series to Texas.

“We’re prepared to look at a smaller appropriation,” he said. “We just feel it merits more than $30 million because of the jobs we bring to the state.”

The film group has commissioned an economic impact study aimed at proving that . The study is due March 1 from the Texas Association of Business.

Bonus footage

Fitzmaurice spent five years in Los Angeles as an entertainment attorney before joining Perry’s legal staff. He’s a graduate of Greenhill School in Addison. While attending the University of Texas, he wrote music reviews for The Daily Texan and played bass in the band Second Season. … When Angels Sing, a Christmas story directed by Tim McCanlies (Secondhand Lions ) and based on Turk Pipkin’s book, is currently shooting in Austin. The cast includes Harry Connick Jr., Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights ), Willie Nelson , Kris Kristofferson and Lyle Lovett.

'Chase' gets new spring time slot

Dallas-shot Chase gets to keep running despite iffy ratings with new Wednesday 8 p.m. CST time slot beginning Jan. 12 on NBC.

That's good news in North Texas which has already lost Lone Star to poor ratings and is wondering about the future of The Good Guys, which is set to air on Dec. 10 the last of the 20 episodes shot amid predictions it will not be renewed.

When you know the TV show is really history

This just in:

Liquidation sale!!! Two days only!!!
Items for Sale:
Wardrobe
Props
Furniture

From Television shows Lone Star, The Deep End, and Prison Break.

Thursday, November 11th from 7am-7pm
and
Friday, November 12th from 9am-5pm
at
The Studios at Las Colinas
6301 Riverside Drive, Irving, TX 75039

Cash or money order only. All sales final.

TV series (even the failures like 'Lone Star') bring bucks to Texas

Here's my latest SHOT IN TEXAS column from The Dallas Morning News with the scoop on television in Texas and its economic impact.

NBC orders full season of Dallas-shot 'Chase'

Lone Star may be gone, but one of its Dallas-shot brethren will live on, at least for a full first season. NBC announced the full season pickup of Chase (which is set in Houston) but wasn't specific on the number of additional episodes. We can assume it's the "back 9" episodes to go with the already-in-production 13.

More on this in my Dallas Morning News column on Friday.

'My Generation' adds to Texas TV jinx

Austin-shot My Generation became the second show of the new TV season to be canceled. The first was Dallas-shot Lone Star. Do we have a Texas TV jinx? At this point Dallas-shot and Texas-set The Good Guys and Chase survive, but neither is pulling in great numbers. It's more likely networks are too quick to pull the trigger and viewers rely on their DVRs and are thus less likely to latch onto a new show.

For my taste, Lone Star was a keeper, but I haven't yet been able to make it through an episode of dull, dull, dull My Generation.

While Dallas-shot Chase is looking like a survivor, The Good Guys (also shot in Big D) is in clear danger. Consider the week two ratings for My Generation: 3.9 million viewers and a 1.1 adults 18-49 rating (whatever that means). The Good Guys' in its second week on Fridays is way down from its summer numbers with 3.2 million, 0.7. Danger! Danger! Warning!

Lone Star officially gone

It was good while it (briefly) lasted, but Kyle Killen's Dallas-shot Lone Star is dead.

Here's my brief piece from The Dallas Morning News on the show being pulled from the schedule in the middle of shooting its sixth episode.

'Lone Star' sinking quickly

The ratings are in for the second episode of Fox's Lone Star, and they are even worse than the dismal viewership for the first episode. It doesn't bode well for the Dallas-shot series.

'Lone Star' creator says: 'Watch my show before it's too late!'

Austin resident Kyle Killen is as dumbfounded by the disastrous ratings for his creation Lone Star as I am. Here's his open letter begging you to watch the second episode of the Dallas-shot Fox series about an oil biz swindler. Come on, set those DVRs!

'Lone Star' dumped after one episode?

I saw the pilot in Dallas at the Studios at Las Colinas where it's shot, and it looked fresh and promising. Apparently I was one of the few people who saw it. The Hollywood Reporter says the first episode's ratings were so low that it's almost assured of being canceled immediately. This despite major efforts by Fox to get interest percolating early.

THR sez: "The ratings for Star were so bad that there was no silver lining to find on this mushroom cloud. The 4.1 million total viewers who showed up was a shockingly low number, especially given it had a strong lead-in from the season premiere of "House," from which its audience tumbled 68%. 'Those are Friday night numbers on a Monday night premiere,' said Brad Adgate, a veteran TV analyst with Horizon Media. 'That's a nice cable audience.'"

Entertainment Weekly wonders if the pilot episode is waiting on many viewer's DVRs: "Given how competitive the first night was for the 2010-11 TV season, there’s a good chance that many viewers recorded Lone Star so they could watch the ultra-addictive Dancing with the Stars or the CBS comedies live instead. On top of that, viewers are still in the sampling stage; its too early for anyone to commit to new shows. Fox recognizes that viewers need time to find Lone Star, which has the added benefit of being popular with the TV critics."

Is the show worth saving? Yes. But will Fox give it a chance? Stay tuned.

My DMN article about the 'Lone Star' sneak

Lone Star's Eloise Mumford (left) talks with fans at the pilot screening Saturday at The Studios at Las Colinas.


Here's the article about the sneak peek viewing of Fox's new Dallas-shot series Lone Star from today's Dallas Morning News.

'Lone Star' shows off its pilot

Eloise Mumford and Mark Deklin interviewed by FOX4's Clarice Tinsley.


The red carpet at the Studios at Las Colinas.


Mark Deklin knows which beer to drink.


The desk of Jon Voight's grizzled oil man.


Jon Voight's car ready for action.

A select audience at the Studios at Las Colinas in Irving got a sneak peek at Fox series Lone Star on Saturday. Nineteen Texas cities with Fox stations had events like this, with show creator Kyle Killen appearing in Austin.

The Dallas-area event featured show actors Eloise Mumford and Mark Deklin. I also got a very quick look at the set (that's Jon Voight's desk), which is still being constructed.

Look for report on the event in Monday's Dallas Morning News.

Andie MacDowell joins 'Lone Star' cast

Interesting news out of the Dallas TV series mecca: Andie MacDowell has joined the cast of Lone Star.

Here's the description of her character:

MacDowell plays Alex, a 40ish-to-50ish art appraiser with an unpredictable streak who catches the eye of Clint Thatcher, Jon Voight's character. In reality, she will prove to be more dangerous than anyone realizes.

Also just joining the cast is Rosa Blasi (Strong Medicine).

Oh, and if you want to be an extra on the show, send an email to Kina Bale at lonestarextras@gmail.com.

'Lone Star' tries to go viral

Lone Star's Adrianne Palicki, James Wolk and Eloise Mumford

Fox is doing some interesting early promotion to get the word out on new Dallas-shot series Lone Star (see info on being an extra below). That includes putting DVDS of the first episode in issues of Vanity Fair, and a glitzy premiere of the show last week at The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. (Here are photos of the cast from the event--including a now-dark-haired Adrianne Palicki (Palicki talks about a return to Friday Night Lights here).

Other avenues include cruise ships and hotels. Plus Vanity Fair will also stream Lone Star through its iPad app.

Note that the show's title again is two words instead of Lonestar. The pilot shot as Midland. Why can't TV shows pick one name and stick with it?

Here's a description of the show:
“Robert/Bob Allen” (newcomer James Wolk) is a charismatic and brilliant schemer juggling two identities and two women. As "Bob," he lives in Houston and is married to "Cat" (Adrianne Palicki, Friday Night Lights), the beautiful daughter of “Clint” (Jon Voight, 24, Midnight Cowboy), the patriarch of an ultra-wealthy Texas oil family. More than four hundred miles away in the suburban west Texas town of Midland, he's "Robert," living a second life with his naive girlfriend, “Lindsay” (Eloise Mumford, Mercy, Law & Order: SVU).

And here's the extras casting call for Friday:


Lone Star (FOX) starring Jon Voight, David Keith, and James Wolk is seeking the following extras for scenes shooting this Friday, July 30. If you fit the specs and are available, send photo and contact info to lonestarextras@yahoo.com. DO NOT SUBMIT IF YOU CAN'T COMMIT TO THE ENTIRE DAY!

Detective and Police Officer types - Men and Women late 20s-50s. All ethnicities. Previous law enforcement or military experience a plus, but not required.

Shoot Date:
Friday, July 30

Call Time:
TBD (you should make yourself available for the ENTIRE day which means morning,
afternoon and evening)

Location:
DFW

Pay:
$58/8 plus time and half for overtime

Send you photo and contact info to lonestarextras@yahoo.com

My latest SHOT IN TEXAS column

Most of this has been covered already in the blog, but here's my latest SHOT IN TEXAS column in the Dallas Morning News about three TV series shooting in Dallas, one in Austin and True Grit in Granger. Enjoy.

Three TV series to shoot at once in Dallas

Yes, we have confirmation that both Chase and Midland (possibly retitled Lone Star) will shoot in Dallas starting in mid-July. The Good Guys will get an additional seven (at least-expect nine in the end) episodes. More about this in my SHOT IN TEXAS column in the Dallas Morning News on Friday. It's the best news to come out of the Dallas film/television scene in years.

Fox picks up 'Midland'

Midland pilot picked up by Fox! The pilot shot in Dallas. Will the series? With the title expected to change to Lone Star, I'd bet on it.

Jon Voight stars in the show, which is an odd oil biz/polygamy drama.