TNT's 'Dallas' gets second season

TNT announced today that it will give Dallas a second, 15-episode season to air in 2013. It's good news for the city of Dallas where the show's first season was shot. The original Dallas from way back when was mostly shot in Los Angeles, so it's a major Texas win for a Texas icon. Janis Burklund of the Dallas Film Commission confirms on Facebook that it will continue to lens in the Metroplex.

What's most interesting in TV Guide's report is that Dallas is the most viewed new series this summer on basic cable. I credit it all to the return of J.R. Ewing and the rest of the original cast. Larry Hagman steals every scene they give him.

Pizza for Casey

Yesterday was my brother Casey's birthday. He died in a train accident in India on Halloween. I bought this pizza in his honor: black olives and fresh garlic on whole wheat from Conan's Pizza in Austin, Texas. It was exactly as Casey would have ordered it in the days when I moved home to study creative writing in grad school. He and I would stay up late eating pizza and watching access television. I realize it's the last period where he and I spent a lot of time together. I ordered the pizza uncut as Casey would have (a vegetarian doesn't cotton to meat-covered knives), but right before opening the box I said out loud, "it would really be appropriate if they'd forgotten and cut it." Of course, they had.

Take a look at the Dear Photograph I created in Casey's honor right after his death. It has since traveled around the world, and I think he'd get a kick out of that.

'Machete Kills' seeks extras

Machete is back in Robert Rodriquez's Machete Kills starring the ultra-cool Danny Trejo, and they need extras. An open casting call is slated for Saturday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Austin Studios' red building. Men and women ages 18 and up are sought and there is money (though don't expect a lot) involved. Knowning Rodriguez, you'll end up signing some sort of confidentiality agreement.

Some interesting names have joined the cast including Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard and Mel Gibson.

Now the big question is whether they'll seek Texas filming incentives...

Terrence Malick's Oklahoma film gets a new name

Formerly The Burial, it's now To the Wonder according to The Playlist, and, who knows, this completed film about a love triangle and shot in Bartlesville, Oklahoma,  featuring Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Javier Bardem, Barry Pepper, Michael Sheen and Amanda Peet, may come out soon. First it has to find a U.S. distributor. But, hey, it's rated R for tasteful nudity and is said to have a similar tone to The Tree of Life!

Meanwhile, we're still awaiting more info on Terrence Malick's Texas-set (and to be Texas shot?) films whose names may or may not at this moment be Lawless and King of Cups and what this all has to do with pal/mentee David Gordon Green moving to Austin.

'GCB' goes to TV heaven

ABC has officially cancelled GCB, the Dallas-set show starring Kristen Chenoweth, based on the book Good Christian Bitches and at one point known as Good Christian Belles. Controversy over the title and subject of religious hypocrasy wasn't the killer; it was bad ratings. The pilot shot in Dallas, but the series was made in Los Angeles.

'Road Stories' photo exhibit is up

Nicholas welcomes you to my latest photo show!

My photo show titled "Road Stories" is up at Star Co. coffee shop in downtown Round Rock, Texas, for the month of May. A party is set from May 12 from 5-7 p.m. featuring a reading of road poems by W. Joe Hoppe.

You can also find the show online here.

Bryan Poyser does 'The Bounceback' with new film

If you're wondering what that indie movie is shooting in Austin for the next few weeks, it could be Bryan Poyser's The Bounceback. He recently left a pretty cushy gig at the Austin Film Society to get busy making more of his own flicks. He's got the able assistance of cinematographer P.J. Raval and producer Megan Gilbride. We're talking three stars of the Austin film scene here. Shooting started yesterday.

I haven't a clue what the film is about, but Poyser's films (Dear Pillow, Lovers of Hate) have been regulars at the Film Independent Spirit Awards and Sundance, so expectations are high. Break a leg, Bryan. No, I didn't mean literally!