Robert Rodriguez sends 'From Dusk Till Dawn' to New Mexico

Rodriguez and Linklater (photo by Joe O'Connell)

Cuts to Texas film incentives have a new casualty: Austin-based Robert Rodriguez likes to shoot at home, but he's setting up the third season of his El Rey network's From Dusk Till Dawn series in New Mexico with filming beginning as I type this. The first two seasons shot in the Austin area, of course. But money talks and Rodriguez walks. As have other recent Texas-set shows.

This is what happens when the Texas Legislature slices and dices its two-year film incentive program budget from $95 million to $32 million. In recent years, the incentive program has been most effective at attracting TV series to the state, including Austin-shot American Crime and The Leftovers. The former shot in Austin for both of its two seasons, while the latter shot its second season around Central Texas. The Leftovers already has a third season commitment while American Crime's future is unknown. Will either return to Austin? Stay tuned, but don't get your hopes up. At least we still have Richard Linklater. Right, Rick? Gulp.

'American Crime' returns to Austin for second season

When I interviewed American Crime creator John Ridley for The Austin Chronicle prior to the show's 11-episode run on ABC, he hinted that a second season was possible and that it likely would lens in the Austin area as the first season did. Correct on both. 

(Read down for even more TV shooting in Austin....)

According to Deadline, both Felicity Huffman and Timothy Hutton will come back for season two, which will center on an entirely different crime. The first season was an ambitious telling of the impact of a double murder on the lives of the victims' and suspects' lives. Ratings weren't spectacular, but it received plenty of critical acclaim and is expected to garner award nominations for its deft handling of issues of racial and class divides in America.

"TV has overtaken film here of late," Gary Bond of the Austin Film Commission said of the welcome Austin film industry news. 'I like it. Steady work for our crew. The gift that keeps on giving."

Indeed, Robert Rodriguez's series From Dusk Till Dawn is shooting its second season around town, and HBO's The Leftovers relocated and is currently lensing its sophomore season to Austin. ABC's Shonda Rhimes pilot The Catch shot here recently and just got picked up to series. No word on if the series will shoot in Austin, but insiders say it is a distinct possibility.

The American Crime announcement also comes as the Texas Legislature hammers out just how much funding in the coming two years will go to the state's Moving Image Industry Incentive Program, which allocates bucks to attract films, television and video game production to the Lone Star State. Some of the official silliness has including attacks on actor Sean Penn's political views (he had a role in Terrence Malick's Oscar-nominated The Tree of Life, which shot in Texas five years ago) as an excuse to cut funding. Those in the know have said in recent years that current Texas incentives are more attractive to television productions than films, which often veer across the Texas border to Louisiana or New Mexico.

Ridley told me incentives were indeed a factor in bringing to the show to Texas. They'd also looked at Georgia and both Louisiana and New Mexico. A lot of that was the wide variety of locations, with Ridley praising the Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos in particular as a welcome find for the many judicial scenes. 

"There were other places where we could have done a good job, but Austin ended up being the right place," he said. "Beyond our headline cast there was a really, really deep group of actors that delivered."

Look for the series to shoot in July, when Texas temperatures soar. It's something Ridley told me he did not look forward to in a second season. "Everything else is wonderful, it’s a terrific environment, but the weather…," he said.

Timothy Hutton joins Austin-shot 'American Crime' pilot

Add Timothy Hutton to the cast of American Crime, the ABC pilot about to shoot in Austin and red-hot with its creator John Ridley fresh from Oscar love for his 12 Years a Slave.

Read more about the show, including the extras call,  here.

Extras sought for 'American Crime'

I wrote about ABC's American Crime series pilot earlier this week. Here comes the extras casting call. Note they seem to want "real" doctor, cops, etc. to play those roles. But you don't have to be unemployed to play a jobless person! Note that black and Latino extra are particularly being sought, and we have a start date of March 10.


*NEW PROJECT* – AUSTIN, TX Casting Notice: ABC Television Pilot “American Crime”

CASTING THE FOLLOWING PROJECT in the AUSTIN, TX area:

**Please share this notice with friends, family and anyone who might be interested!!
Extras Casting: On Location Casting
Project: “American Crime” – ABC Television Pilot
Shoot dates: We will be filming on a Monday – Friday schedule from 3/10/13 – 3/26/14. Various time requirements depending on role cast in.
Shoot times: Times vary depending on role cast in. Extras should be prepared to work a 12 hour+ day on the day chosen.
Shoot location: Austin, TX and surrounding areas
Compensation: NON-UNION Extra Rate is TBD but will be minimum wage or higher. Overtime will be paid after 8 hours. Lunch and snacks provided.
Talent Specs: *NOTE: ALL TALENT MUST HAVE PROOF OF TEXAS RESIDENCY in order to work this project!!!
EXTRAS: male and female, all ethnicities, all ages!!
–Some specific types include:
-Law Enforcement/Police Officers/Detectives (real – with experience preferred)
-Hospital Staff – Nurses/Doctors/Orderlies/ER Staff/ etc. (real – with experience preferred)
-Airline Ground Crew (real – with experience preferred)
-Flight Attendants (real – with experience preferred)
-Bartenders and Waitresses (real – with experience preferred)
-Reporters and Journalists (real – with experience preferred)
-News Crews (real – with experience preferred)
-Social Workers (real – with experience preferred)
-Coroner’s Office Staff – Coroner, Medical Examiner (real – with experience preferred)
-Cab Driver (real – with experience preferred)
-Security Guards (real – with experience preferred)
-Bridesmaids
-Groomsmen
-Unemployed Job Seekers (for unemployment office scenes – do NOT have to be real!)
-Hospital Patients
-Restaurant Customers
-Garage Workers and Mechanics (real – with experience preferred)
-African American Party Goers
-Hispanic Party Goers
-Burly Bouncers (real – with experience preferred)
-Dive Bar Customers
-People with ‘beater’ old cars
-Hip Hop types
–and many other general extra roles!
STAND-INS – for Lead actors. More detailed information will be posted later.

**We will be needing A LOT of African American and Hispanic talent. Please share this notice with friends, family, co-workers, strangers!

Overall Talent Considerations: NO professional acting experience required! NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Your OLC talent profile and photos MUST be UP TO DATE within the last 6 month! Children under 18 MUST have updated photos taken within the past 3 months! ALL TALENT MUST HAVE PROOF OF TEXAS RESIDENCY in order to work this project!!!

HOW TO SIGN UP: (*If you are already in the OLC database (from “Friday Night Lights”, “My Generation”, “Revolution” or other projects, DO NOT CREATE A NEW PROFILE for this project – just log-in to your original account and you will automatically be considered. If you do not remember your log-in info, send us an email to request it). Once signed up, make sure to follow our page on facebook at www.facebook.com/onlocationcasting  to get updated casting notices.

IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY HAVE A TALENT PROFILE with OLC -
Submissions to our website ASAP at: www.onlocationcasting.net .
Enter on Talent, Click Register and Talent Application. Complete application and upload 1-2 photos. It is FREE to register so you should NOT pay for the suggested ‘active’ account upgrades that will be offered twice a month. There is NO charge and you can be booked for work with the basic ‘not-active’ profile. DO NOT PAY FOR AN ‘active’ ACCOUNT!!!

-Recent photos of yourself should be taken within the past (6) months. Please submit one head/face shot and one full body shot if possible.

-**PHOTOS should be of clear good quality, facing forward to camera, NO sunglasses, NO hats, NO silly gestures or faces, and should include ONLY those being submitted for the project. Photos should not be date stamped with any year other than 2014! Try to take a photo against a solid color background – take one from just mid-chest up and one from mid-calf up if possible.

IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE to create an online talent profile – feel free to CALL us at 512-696-4233 and we will make arrangements to have you come in for an in-person photograph.
If you have additional questions about this project or On Location Casting – please feel free to email us at: onlocationcastingTX@yahoo.com  with subject line “American Crime”. Please do NOT email just to ask to be booked – we will not begin booking until approx. 3/7/14.

'American Crime' TV pilot comes to Austin

John Ridley

ABC's series pilot American Crime is gearing up for a mid-March shoot in Austin (can you say SXSW time?).

Set in Modesto, CA (here's guessing if picked up to series this series will shoot in California), it's about a murder with racist undertones. John Ridley, who is up for an an Oscar for his penning of12 Years a Slave, wrote the pilot, which follows the accused, the victims and their families through the trial.


Elvis Nolasco and Caitlin Girard lead the cast as veteran and his beauty queen wife. Richard Cabral portrays a hustler who is linked to the murder and attack on the couple, and Johnny Ortiz is Cabral's character's restless son.

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.

Is Albuquerque the new San Antonio?

Don't blame San Antonio tourists if they assume the Alamo is made of adobe. Two major network TV series set in the Alamo City are being filming in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Night Shift is a medical drama set at "San Antonio Memorial." Here's the plot description from NBC:
 

At San Antonio Memorial, those who work the 7pm – 7am shift are a special breed. Welcome to the night shift, where every day is a fight between the heroic efforts of saving lives and the hard truths of running a hospital. After a grueling tour of duty in Afghanistan, adrenaline junkie TC Callahan became accustomed to combat, but he could have never guessed that his toughest battles would be fought right here at home. TC and his irreverent team of late night docs know how to let off steam with the casual prank or two, but when lives are at stake, they are all business. Unfortunately, the night shift is now under new management, and boss Michael Ragosa is more interested in cutting costs than helping people. But TC has never met a rule he couldn't break, or a person he won't stand up to. And it's clear that not even Jordan, TC's ex-girlfriend and now Ragosa's second in charge, has a chance at keeping him in line. If Ragosa wants a war... he'll get one.

The pilot for Texas Rangers show Killer Women was shot in Austin, but the pilot (and we can assume the series) is set in San Antonio and the show is now ready to lens in Albuquerque. Here's the story:

Of all the notorious lawmen who ever patrolled the violent Texas frontier, none are more storied than the Texas Rangers. Being the only female ranger in this elite squad isn’t going to stop ballsy, badass Molly Parker (Tricia Helfer). Molly is committed to finding the truth and seeing justice served. While she’s surrounded by law enforcement colleagues who want to see her fail, including Police Lieutenant Estaban Salazar (Vic Trevino), the Rangers have her back, led by Company Commander Luis Zea (Alex Fernandez). Molly’s also got her brother Billy (Michael Trucco) and his wife Nessa (Marta Milans). On the verge of getting divorced from her smarmy husband Jake (Jeffrey Nordling), Molly begins an affair with sexy DEA agent, Dan Winston (Marc Blucas).

 At least Dallas has TNT series Dallas shooting there for a third season and Austin stole Revolution from North Carolina and brought the apocalypse to Central Texas.

'Lying Game' waits for true renewal

 UPDATE: Nope. it's cancelled.

It's sort of fitting that ABC's Killer Women filmed its pilot in Austin but the series will be shot in New Mexico. That's the exact opposite of ABC Family's The Lying Game for which the pilot lensed in New Mexico but the series shot in Austin. Notice that past tense? No one knows at this point if the show will get a third season. The delayed official announcement is now to come on July 15, and the folks behind the show are urging viewer support and, oddly, for folks to not watch a couple of new ABC Family shows. And in Austin this news is hardly rating a blip in the media. Instead all eyes are focused on NBC's hit series Revolution's moving production to town.

Here's the scoop from a Facebook fan page Renew The Lying Game:

I noticed there have been a ton of questions from all of you lately that need to get clarified.

QUESTION 1: When will we know if TLG has been renewed or not?
Allie (Laurel) said that they will know the official word on JULY 15TH which is a little over 2 weeks away. I will post the official word as soon as I know!

QUESTION 2: Blair is on Switched at Birth this season so TLG must be canceled.
NO not at all true. Blair is ONLY guest starring this season. The word is that he's in ONLY 6 or 7 episodes maybe less. He filmed these episodes earlier in the year while TLG wasn't filming.

QUESTION 3: Is boycotting ABC Family's new shows really going to help TLG get renewed?
YES! ABSOLUTELY! The less viewers these shows get the better the chance is for TLG to get renewed. If these shows get way more viewers then TLG then ABC Family will think TLG doesn't have a big enough fan base to continue and these other shows do.

QUESTION 4: What if I just boycott Twisted & watch The Fosters? Am I still helping TLG?
Yes & no! A lot of people are assuming that only Twisted's ratings have to do with TLG's renewal or cancellation & that The Fosters only affects Bunheads. But NO official word has stated this. When the announcement came out it said ABC Family wants to see how BOTH of their new shows do. If BOTH are canceled is WAY MORE likely that TLG will get renewed. That means that TWO time slots will be opened.

QUESTION 5: How can I help get TLG renewed?
Tweet ABC Family like CRAZY letting them know that you want TLG back with hashtags ‎#RenewTheLyingGame & ‎#LyingGameBack10 Also email them & leave tons of FB comments. The more noise we make he better!

'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.

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.

The female 'Walker, Texas Ranger' shoots Austin pilot

It's called Killer Women and the ABC television pilot is set to shoot in Austin from March 11-26, though the show is actually set in San Antonio.

Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer plays the lead in the pilot about the only female in the Texas Rangers (the law enforcers, not the ball players). The male lead is DEA agent Marc Blucas of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Necessary Roughness fame. He also had a small part in The Alamo when it shot outside of Austin where I met the likeable ex-jock. He is a former Wake Forest basketball player, and his teammate and pal is some guy named Tim Duncan.

Blame this all on Modern Family's Sofia Vergara, A native of Colombia who is exec producing the adaptation of Argentine TVseries, Mueres Asesinas, which itself is based on the book trilogy of the same name by Marisa Grinstein.

Third Coast Extras is seeking all sorts of background folks as well as a mariachi band for the pilot shoot. Check them out on Facebook here. Would the series shoot here? Your guess is as good as mine. Often these projects vamoose for LA once they're picked up. If it stays put, maybe Chuck Norris can make a cameo.

'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.

'The Lying Game' comes to Austin

I've been remiss in reporting the arrival of an ABC Family series to Austin. What's even more interesting is the pilot shot in New Mexico, but they chose not to stay there for the series shoot. The show titled The Lying Game premieres Aug. 15. It's based on on the novel by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars)!

And, yes, there is an open call for extras (or better yet go straight to the Third Coast Extras Facebook page). Here are the details:

The Lying Game follows Emma, a kind-hearted foster kid who learns she has an identical twin sister, Sutton. Sutton, unlike Emma, was adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. After their initial meeting, Sutton talks Emma into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues a lead on the mysterious identity of their birth mother. After Sutton inexplicably fails to return to the girls’ designated meeting place, Emma must decide whether to come clean about her identity and risk her own safety in the hope of uncovering her twin sister's whereabouts, along with the truth about why they were separated in the first place.

Adrian Pasdar of Heroes has just joined the cast, I'm sure as "The Old Guy."

The Lying Game also stars Alexandra Chando (As The World Turns) as Emma/Sutton; Andy Buckley (The Office) as Ted; Helen Slater (Supergirl) as Kristin; Blair Redford (90210) as Ethan; Sharon Pierre-Louis (Lincoln Heights) as Nisha; Kirsten Prout (Kyle XY) as Char; Alice Greczyn (Lincoln Heights) as Mads; and Allie Gonino (10 Things I Hate About You) as Laurel. Charles Pratt, Jr. (Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, All My Children, Melrose Place) serves as executive producer and writer; Leslie Morgenstein (Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries) and Gina Girolamo will serve as executive producers. Produced by Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television.

'Good Christian Belles' goes to LA; 'Dallas' awaits verdict

This just in: Dallas-set Good Christian Belles (formerly Good Christian Bitches and also GCB) will shoot in Los Angeles, according to Janis Burklund of the Dallas Film Commission. The pilot shot in Dallas, and the show was picked up this week by ABC. "We always knew this one would be more difficult to keep here given it’s large cast and that it will be heavily shot on interior sets," Burklund said.

An ABC spokesperson said an official announcement of the filming location could come next week.

TNT did not mention the modern-day Dallas pilot at its upfront today. Burklund says no need to worry, but there are some rumblings it too may film in LA.

"The Dallas pilot just finished shooting and was produced for next season," she said. "They didn’t intend to have it in time for this season, so I wouldn’t have expected it to have been mentioned in TNT’s upfronts today. Believe we’ll know before too long about a series pickup, but can’t say exactly when. Can assure you Dallas isn’t out of it, and we are still working hard to ensure it stays here.

'Good Christian Bitches,' er 'Belles' picked up by ABC

What I failed to tell you while my internet was down: Good Christian Bitches--now Good Christian Belles--was picked up by ABC to series.

Read more about the show here.

NOTE: We do not have confirmation yet of a Dallas shoot for the series. The pilot was shot in Dallas and the show is set there, so one can hope. Stay tuned.

SHOT IN TEXAS: TV series poised to begin shooting in D-FW

My Dallas Morning News SHOT IN TEXAS column from today.

BY JOE O’CONNELL
Special to the Dallas Morning News

ABC is expected to begin production in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Monday on the pilot of Good Christian Bitches, and TNT’s reboot of the Dallas TV series will start production in April.

The pilots are positive signs for the North Texas film and television industry, which went from hosting production on three network series—The Good Guys, Lone Star and Chase—to none.

Dallas seems like a lock to be more than a pilot since original Dallas stars Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray signed on. The new show follows their grown-up children, with two Desperate Housewives stars leading the cast--Josh Henderson as John Ross and Jesse Metcalfe as Christopher.

Good Christian Bitches follows the “high school mean girl” (Leslie Bibb) who returns to Dallas after her divorce and runs into the old gang, which includes Kristen Chenoweth (Glee), Annie Potts (Designing Women), Miriam Shor (Damages), and Marisol Nichols (24).

The show’s title, taken from Kim Gatlin’s book on which it is based, is likely to change, but not before it has generated some national controversy. Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association sent out an email to members seeking petition signatures protesting the show even before it shoots.

“Disney-owned ABC has no reservations about creating hate speech against Christians,” Wildmon wrote, “but you can be sure they would never consider a show called Good Muslim B-tches or Good Jewish B-tches.

ABC spokesperson Erin Felentzer said every show in the pilot stage is considered to have a working title and offered no comment on the protest.

“I never thought that name would stick,” said Janis Burklund, head of the Dallas Film Commission, who remains more concerned about how much the Texas Legislature may cut funding for filming incentives program aimed at attracting networks to shoot in the state from the current two-year $60 million total to as little as $10 million.

“We’re more concerned about the future,” said Burklund, since the current batch of pilots will fall under current funding. “At least one if not more series have backed off while they wait and see what happens.” Details on productions needs for both shows are at the commission’s web site, filmdfw.com.

The Good Christian Bitches pilot from Darren Starr (Sex and the City) is actually what’s called a “pilot presentation,” essentially half a pilot that showcases its potential as a full series. But the current star power behind the show gives it a strong shot of making ABC’s fall schedule.

Earlier this month during Texas Film Hall of Fame ceremonies in Austin, film and television producer Scott Robbe said a clause barring incentives for projects showing Texas in a bad light may be what’s really keeping many investors away at this point.

“That’s got to go!” said Robbe, who recently moved to Austin where he is working on an upcoming Austin shoot of a nursing home-set horror thriller called The Home. It’s expected to feature Elijah Wood, Michelle Rodriguez, Ed Asner, Hal Holbrook, Louise Fletcher and Cloris Leachman. Robbe is also working with Gus Van Sant on a documentary about the AIDS advocacy group ACT UP.

ABC semi-hot for 'Good Christian Bitches'

Yes, the Dallas-set show Good Christian Bitches based on the Dallas-set book by Kim Gatlin is getting a semi-pilot from ABC or at least it "ordered a pilot presentation." I don't know what that code talk means, but it's clearly a start (if not a full pilot).

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

Executive produced by Darren Star and Aaron Kaplan, Bitches, is a primetime soap set in Dallas that asks: Is it possible to start over in a town that thinks they already know you? Robert Harling wrote the script and will exec produce.

According to the synopsis, it focuses on Amanda, the "mean girl" in high school, who returns home after her marriage ends in scandal. Her old classmates reacquaint themselves with the new, humbled Amanda, but will they give her a second chance or seek revenge?

Unaired 'My Generation' episodes to show up on Web

Noah Hawley, the creator of Austin-shot My Generation finally announced the fate of the rest of the eight completed episodes of the short-lived ABC series--the Web. Here's his Tweet about it:

Off to the final sound mix on #MyGeneration. You'll be able to watch all eight episodes starting next week on iTunes, Hulu and ABC.com.