Certified communities are featured on the Texas Film Commission\u2019s website and receive ongoing training surrounding media industry standards.<\/p>\n
Lakeway received its film friendly certification from the Texas Film Commission in March.<\/p>\n
To accommodate the film friendly label, the city established a framework that allows production companies to work with property owners and city staff to ensure regulations are being followed.<\/p>\n
By attracting film productions to the communities, the film friendly certification also has an economic benefit. Communities benefit from the direct injection of spending in their areas not just during the production but beyond, according to the Texas Film Commission.<\/p>\n
\u201cProduction companies run on logistics. … We get the benefit of hotel stays, other short-term lodgings, restaurants, catering materials. … They run on food and supplies,\u201d Kilgore said. \u201cEven a small production can meaningfully add to the community and drive the economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
In May, Rollingwood officials also began discussing<\/a> implementing film regulations in response to several inquiries regarding filming in the city.<\/p>\n Zooming in<\/p>\n The Texas Film Commission also provides support to productions through the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n The TMIIIP is a cash grant designed to encourage job creation in the film production industry across Texas as well as generate a positive economic impact in communities by attracting media production to the state.<\/p>\n The incentive provides qualifying productions the opportunity to receive grants based on a percentage of a project\u2019s eligible expenditures spent in-state, including eligible wages paid to Texas residents.<\/p>\n In order for productions to be eligible for the incentive, 35% of paid cast and 35% of paid crew must be Texas residents, and 60% of total production must be completed in Texas.<\/p>\n Texas also provides up-front sales tax exemptions on most items rented or purchased for direct use in production, refunds of the state occupancy tax on hotel rooms occupied for more than 30 consecutive days and refunds on fuel tax paid on fuel used off-road.<\/p>\n Almost 200 projects have successfully completed the TMIIIP program and produced all or part of their project in Travis County in the past 10 years, according to the Texas Film Commission.<\/p>\n Between 2015-2025, Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive grants helped generate:<\/p>\n $1.18 billion in gross value added$696.5 million in total labor income1,200 full-time equivalent jobs per year<\/p>\n Some context<\/p>\n
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Star Hill Ranch has 21 historic structures from around the state, which have served as a backdrop for several major productions. (Courtesy Star Hill Ranch)<\/p>\n