Blog at Howard's Bend
Keeping Track of the Positive Texas
Pulse
in Film and Visual Media

Dr. Diane Howard
Personal/Professional Mission-
People's Positive Potential and
Productivity
Central Texas is rich with Best Practice Art in a broad
range of forms.
We are fortunate in Central TX to be in one of the Independent Film Capitals in
the World.
We have opportunities to be involved with
substantive, redemptive
independent films and visual media.
In this blog, I am tracking some of the opportunities we have to participate in
meaningful visual media and artistic projects.
Texas Film Commission
Hotline- Casts
Texas Film Commission
Hotline- Crew
UMHB Film Program
Dec. 11, 2008
Film News
BY JOE O'CONNELL
Wildfire Hopes To Reignite the Austin Film Scene
..."synergy" it's perhaps the
...description for Wildfire Films, a joining of four film companies,
two from Austin and two from Los Angeles, that just might give a drowsy Austin
film scene a needed shot of adrenaline by bringing
a slew of new productions to town.
First up locally for the group is a
biopic tentatively titled 16 Minutes about Latino civil rights advocate Gus
Garcia
(no relation to the former Austin mayor), who argued the landmark Hernandez v.
Texas case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954
and cemented Latino rights under the 14th Amendment, only to die 10 years later
penniless in San Antonio.
The script is being co-written by Rodriguez and Austin actress/playwright Amparo
Garcia-Crow,
who has been obsessed with bringing Garcia's story to light since 1990, with
help from Isidro Aguirre,
who has been fascinated by it even longer. Look for preproduction in the spring
with Rodriguez directing.
"This isn't people coming in from the outside to do this," Rodriguez said of the
new film company.
Dec. 4, 2008
Wildfire
Films
http://www.austin360.com/movies/content/movies/stories/2008/12/1203wildfire.html
By Charles Ealy
American-Statesman Staff
Wildfire Films LLC, a new movie production company based in Austin, announced
its formation Tuesday
and that it is planning to start work early next year on its first feature film,
about lawyer and
Hispanic civil rights leader Gustavo "Gus" Garcia in Texas.
The movie, titled "16 Minutes," is expected to focus on Garcia's flamboyant,
rough-and-tumble life
leading up to his 16 minutes of arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in the
landmark 1954 civil
rights case Hernandez v. Texas.
Wildfire Films representatives said Tuesday that "16 Minutes" would be
the first in what they hope will be a series of Hollywood-backed movies to be
shot in Texas in the coming years.
Operating from an expected base at the Austin Film Studios, the company's
partners are: Anton Diether, a longtime writer with credits
such as the Hallmark TV series "Moby Dick"; Mark Hacker, a story editor and
script consultant who's working on the screenplay for "16 Minutes"
with a team of writers, including Austin playwright Amparo Garcia Crow; Leon
Rodriguez, who recently directed "Double Tap," starring
Daniel Baldwin, and will direct "16 Minutes"...
Wildfire said it has partnered with Fred Roos Productions, Overture Films, Starz
Media and other companies to help finance coming
productions. A budget of $25 million is expected for "16 Minutes," the partners
said.
Rebecca Campbell, head of the Austin Film Society, said she welcomed the news of
Wildfire's upcoming work in Texas, "especially during a time
when productions have been moving to Shreveport and elsewhere because of
incentives being offered in other states."
Campbell expressed hope that a new incentives package, boosting the current 5
percent tax break for filming in Texas up to 10 or 15 percent,
would make its way through the 2009 legislative session. Wildfire said it has
not decided who will play Garcia, which might
begin shooting in South Texas in February. The high court's decision in
Hernandez v. Texas, which helped establish
equal protection under the law for Hispanics, was decided only a few days before
Brown v. Board of Education, the widely known landmark
ruling that led to the end of public-school segregation for black Americans. But
some historians have since said that the Hernandez case
was just as important and has been unjustly overlooked by history...
Nov. 29, 2008
Film News
BY JOE O'CONNELL
Shot in Texas: Bill seeks to boost film
incentives
As the Dallas Producers Association turns
30, the statewide film lobbying group it spawned is working to save the Texas
film industry.
Both groups' motto? Flexibility. "We've never shied away from doing battle on
behalf of our membership,"
says Bob Dauber, one of six DPA founders. "Of course, we don't always win."
An association committee sparked the Texas Motion Picture Alliance, a statewide
group that persuaded the
2007 Legislature to fund a film incentive program for projects shot in Texas.
The program, which was capped at $20 million total for its first two years,
offers a 5 percent rebate on in-state spending.
The figure hasn't been competitive with
states offering incentives as high 42 percent, industry leaders say.
"The bad news is this is the first time since I've been here that we've had
nothing major shooting in the state of Texas," says Bob Hudgins,
who took over the reins of the Texas Film Commission in late 2005.
The dubious benchmark was reached last
week when the NBC-DirecTV series Friday Night Lights completed shooting its mini
13-episode season in Austin. Already airing on DirecTV, the season will premiere
on NBC in February.
A fourth season is on the industry's wish list as it seeks to lure Hollywood
back to the Lone Star State.
The solution, many believe, is to revamp
Texas' film incentive program with plenty of flexibility.
A 15 percent incentive figure has been not-so-quietly bandied about, but the
bill the Legislature will probably see when it convenes in January
will leave that level open to negotiation on a project-by-project basis, says
TXMPA president Don Stokes, who is also a DPA member.
"The program is being expanded to give
it more impact and to be more competitive," he says.
"We'll work with native filmmakers to keep their projects here as well as bring
other projects in."
Other proposed changes in the bill,
expected to be filed any day now by Sen. Bob Deuell of Greenville and Rep.
Dawnna Dukes of Austin,
include a drop in the eligibility requirement for incentives from $1 million of
in-state spending to $250,000;
a removal of the overall program spending cap; a drop in the number of days shot
in-state to qualify
and an inclusion of corporate films, documentaries and unscripted television
projects.
Also look for increases in the additional
incentive given for projects shooting in underutilized areas, to 2.5 percent
from 1.25 percent;
a new incentive for projects certified as either green or family-friendly;
and the potential to include salaries of actors and directors in the incentives
mix if they're Texas residents.
"They are pretty much ready to pounce on
this right off the bat," Mr. Stokes says of bill sponsors.
"There is a desire to move this through very quickly as a job retention
and creation bill."
That willingness to fight for growth and
change harks back to the DPA.
The producers association battled early
in its history for fairness in how sales taxes were assessed,
and more recently has embraced the Web and opened its membership to
non-producers
to become a clearinghouse for information on the North Texas film scene –
everything from where to find a portable green screen to how to break into the
film biz.
"You grow things by doing well," says Mr.
Dauber...
More information can be found at
www.dallasproducers.org.
Nov. 26, 2008
Film News
BY JOE O'CONNELL
...TXMPA reignites incentives candle
... you can soon expect a very interesting proposal from the Texas Motion
Picture Alliance aimed at
strengthening a 5% statewide financial-incentives program that is seen as
too minute to matter in its current state. Rep. Dawnna Dukes' office
confirmed she will be the House sponsor of the bill. "The desire is to move this
through very quickly," says Don Stokes, TXMPA president. "The
program is being expanded to give it more impact and to be more competitive."
Among the major changes is a drop in the eligibility for incentives from a $1
million in-state spend to $250,000, a removal of the overall
program spending cap, a drop in the number of days shot in-state to qualify, and
an inclusion of corporate films, documentary films, and
unscripted television projects. While an increase to a 15% film incentive has
been long seen as the mark needed to compete with states
offering 25% and more, the Texas bill may not feature an exact figure but
instead may make that number flexible depending on the project,
Stokes says. Also look for increases in the additional incentive given for
projects shooting in "underutilized" areas, a new incentive for
projects certified as "green," and the potential to include actor/director
salaries in the incentives mix if they're Texas
residents. "The spirit of what was passed last time is retained; it's just a
matter of trying to modify it," says Stokes. "That 5 percent is
not really competitive. We're trying to make it competitive." The cause has
been aided by fundraising events around the state, most notably
Spaghetti Western, a recent Austin event featuring heavy hitters Robert
Rodriguez, Elizabeth Avellán, Mike Judge, and Richard Linklater that
raised $70,000 to fund TXMPA lobbying efforts before the 2009 Legislature.
Oct. 28, 2008
I am usually careful about recommending
projects, especially casting calls for extras;
however, a good project that needs featured extras or extras in specialized categories
may be worth doing.
See
http://governor.state.tx.us/film/general/filming_extras/
,
http://governor.state.tx.us/film/hotline-cast/#cast10781 .
Remember that every performance
communication experience, encounter is a networking opportunity.
It is important to always have a positive attitude. Jobs go to people who have
the following qualities:
willingness to work hard, positive attitude, openness to direction,
expressiveness (especially with eyes and face),
flexibility, willingness to support others...
If you do extra work in a positive, cooperative way, casting directors will
often keep you on a list of people to call for future projects.
When you do extra work with a good attitude, often directors will use you more,
give you more face time on camera, and give you extra character work.
For work beyond that of extras, your
goal should be to seek representation from a good agent.
See
http://dianehoward.com/talent_agents.htm
Best Wishes,
Dr. Diane
Howard
Aug. 14, 2008
Film News
BY JOE O'CONNELL
Austin Studios Gets Pretty
...long-awaited studio renovations finally began last week via $5 million Austin
voters approved in November 2006.
Austin Energy has thrown another $1 million into the project, which has four
guys currently ripping out temporary insulation on Stage 5.
It and Stage 1 are slated to be the flagships for the studios, once
soundproofing and air-conditioning are in place come December,
says Rebecca Campbell, executive director of the Austin Film Society, which
operates Austin Studios.
The other sound stages will get sprinklers, digital infrastructure, and security
upgrades. "We finally get to pull the
trigger," Campbell says. "Now if we can [increase state] incentives, we'll be
rocking and rolling again."
BY JOE O'CONNELL
1/31/08
... MovieMaker magazine has proclaimed Austin the best place
to
"live, work and make movies,"
...MovieMaker ranked Austin No. 1 for the first time since 2004, citing
statewide cooperation that resulted in the
new film-incentives program, a strong crew base, great film-education
opportunities, hot film festivals, and plain old enthusiasm. ...
10/03/07
Always be careful in working with talent and casting agencies. Don't give money or credit card
numbers up-front.
Do not pay to meet, read, or
audition. If you believe that you have been the victim of a scam,
you can
file a complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/.
The State Attorney General should also be notified. Mastercard has free
information on
Scams and Flim-Flams at 1-800-999-5156. A watchdog group at www.fraud.org/internet/intset.htm
also
keeps track of several illegal money-making schemes.
The Better
Business Bureau advises caution when dealing with talent/modeling agencies.
See http://www.license.state.tx.us/databases.htm
for
Legitimate, Licensed Talent Agencies
in TX. Also see www.DoNotPay.org.
See http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/services/model.ht
for information on modeling and talent scams. To search for the license of a Texas
Talent &/or Modeling Agency,
see http://www.license.state.tx.us/LicenseSearch/.
From Dan Eggleston, Austin, TX- ...Please remind everyone that it is
ILLEGAL to charge someone for audition information or to
obtain a booking...Companies like this one will tell you that they are charging you for
your "web presence." Don't fall for this!!!
From Ken Farmer's PAG Notes, 2/07- ...When you go in for an
audition, there is usually a slot on the sign-in sheet asking for your
social security number. Do not, I repeat, do not, that's NOT, N-O-T, write down
your social security number on that sheet!!!
By law, only your employer or a governmental agency has the right to see your
SS# and you aren't hired yet...
Warning from Dan Eggleston-
If you come across something like this, the odds are likely 100% that it's a
scam.
Here's their "pitch." You will have instant access to amazing casting calls
with parts that are right for you - parts you can
apply to right away so you can get started immediately. You will get your own
unique Talent Profile, including
photo, so I can find parts that are right for you, and others can spot your star
potential.
You will be eligible to participate in our Superstar Talent Search, where you
can win incredible prizes
like a personal consultation with a Casting Director. You can access this all on
the Web any time you
like or you can even choose to have parts sent to you! If you are ready to be
discovered, there is simply no
easier way to get started. And it is absolutely free. A credit card is required
to ascertain your interest,
and will never be charged unless you choose to continue the service beyond the
Absolutely Free
period. You have my Iron-Clad 100% Guarantee. As your virtual casting agent, I
am in a fantastic
position to help you launch a career in show business. What's better, I can do
it right now, Absolutely Free,
if you respond immediately by accepting my invitation here. 10/03/07
Summer of '07
As we are celebrating new incentives and
progress for Texas talent and moving toward higher professional standards,
I hope that those of us in performance industries and organizations will
continue to work at being positive,
constructive professionals, partners,
and collaborators.
Effective team players
inspire and
facilitate others to productively, use interpersonal, intrapersonal, and
public relational skills that include professional communication, which is
positive, constructive, and respectful. They empathize, "listen," and look
for common ground. They communicate verbally and nonverbally in positive and
constructive ways that inspire, facilitate, and support others to produce
maximum, positive collaborations, community, and results.
Effective team members
value others. They guide and promote high standards and expectations in
contexts of praise, encouragement, and mutual respect. As role models, they
lead by example. They guide by their lives and words. They are calm and
enthusiastic. They are intense but not tense, passionate but not impulsive.
They are expressive and articulate but not rudely blunt. They correct with
patience and gentleness. They facilitate functional people and
relationships. They know that healthy people, relationships, teams, and
community produce the most positive products.
See
http://www.dianehoward.com/Dr_Howard_Guidelines_Effective_Leadership_Communication_Onsite_Distance.htm
and
http://www.dianehoward.com/Dr_Howard_Guidelines_Effective_Interpersonal_Communication.htm
.
Warmest, Best Wishes,
Dr.
Diane Howard
Texas Motion Picture Association, TXMPA.org
Film Industry
Resources
Texas
Resources for Employment in Arts and Entertainment Industries
Professional
Performance Network
Film Austin
Joe Connell's Blog
*A note to actors about casting directors, intensives,
auditions and audition workshops...
*Acting, ethics and proper etiquette of casting directors
by Donald Iarussi
Posted in AustinFilmCasting,
July 4, 2006
I am in Austin, Texas… here…
some casting agents local and some who come to town…audition
those who come to their casting workshops
and intensives. I have talked to many NYC Agents and L.A. agents who believe as
I do, that intensives are a … waste of
money. If any agent requires you to take their workshop or audition intensive or
workshop in order to audition for them…They are
being
unethical. Please subscribe to magazines like
http://www.backstage.com
either in paper or on line. Read the
articles and learn what you should and should not be doing.
If a casting agent will only see you if you take their class. They are being
unethical and practicing a form of payola. If you know of casting
directors that will not see you unless you take their workshop or intensive…Report
them to the producers who she works for on projects…
The TV Network executive, AFTRA Actors Equity and most importantly to
SAG, The Screen Actors Guild.
http://www.sag.org
…some casting agents are
charging fees to actors that want to be in their office casting files. The sales
pitch is that, if you are in the files,
you stand a better chance of being called in for auditions. The truth is that
the casting files themselves are a revenue stream for the casting
agents and have not much to do with casting. Anyway, the practice of charging
file fees is illegal and, sooner or later, it will be
challenged in court.
Staff attorneys for the California State Labor Commission say
that, when actors pay to be in a casting agent's photo
file, he is in effect
asking the casting agent to function like a talent agent. The hope is that the
casting agent will go out into the world and
find acting roles for the actor
to audition for. That's what agents do, and according to both of the legal
opinions I have read, this practice
makes fee-charging casting agents de
facto talent agents and puts them under the arm of the law. In California,
it is illegal for agents to
charge up front fees to actors. In other
words, even if a casting agent is calling himself a casting director, he may be
functioning like a
talent agent if he is charging file fees. If it walks
like a duck and quacks like a duck.....
My strong advice to new actors is
that your primary short-term goal be to build a resume, get some decent training
and gain experience.
Secondarily, get an agent. If you are having trouble
getting an agent, then you need to re-double your efforts, perhaps change your
appearance and market yourself differently. Whatever you do, it is not a viable
career strategy to stop pursuing agents on the premise that you
can cozy up
to casting directors who will have you in on auditions anyway. They may lead you
to believe that this strategy might work, but
it won't. The business does
not work like that. The casting directors will take
your money to be in their files and will still call talent
agents when
money-paying acting work is up for grabs.
When pursuing agents, put yourself in the agent's shoes and ask yourself how
you would make money on yourself if you walked in the door, picture
in hand.
Make certain that you are marketing yourself type-wise. Remember that most
agents make their money from commercials, so the best
thing you can do is
fit into a commercial category. Watch TV shows that are aimed at your
demographic age….Watch the commercials.
Those actors are your competition. Note how they dress, their energy, the way
they are presenting themselves. Then do the
same. When you get your photos
taken, try to fit into a viable commercial category so that agents know what to
do with you.
June 7, 2007
By
W. Gardner Selby
Scene: GOP Gov. Rick Perry stands on
the shady shore of pristine Lake Bastrop, a pine bough
dangling over his head.
He happily signs a
measure authorizing grants to companies making
movies, TV shows and finishing similar projects in
Texas. Many applaud.
CUT!
...Perry was joined by actor and
sometimes-Texas resident Dennis Quaid,
Democratic state Reps. Dawnna Dukes of Austin and Joe
Pickett of El Paso...
The event had a
hooray-for-Texas/Hollywood quality, with everyone
expressing hopes the approved film incentives — tallying
$20 million
up front that could be awarded to productions spending
considerable money on projects in Texas — will foster
creative results.
The big twist, proponents said, is
authorization in the state budget for the Texas Film
Commission to ask for more money from state leaders —
in the form of the Legislative Budget Board — so long as
it can show the additional funds will go to producers
that have already poured plenty of money into working in
Texas; essentially that could make the incentive fund
unlimited.
“I hope one day Texas will be the
creative capital of the world,” Perry said.
For now, he added, he’ll settle for recapturing film and
TV business lost lately to Louisiana.
Dukes, noting estimates that Texas has
lost hundreds of millions of dollars of productions to
states
offering tax credits to producers, said: “The days of
missed opportunities are finally over.”
Perry played down the significance of
lingo in the law stating Texas
“may deny an application because of inappropriate
content or content that portrays Texas or Texans in a
negative fashion.”
“There’s been a lot of misplaced
concern about the provision,” Perry said....
Don’t look for Ozzy Osbourne prancing around the Alamo, but otherwise,
it’s going to be lights, camera, action — many green
lights.
Quaid’s punch line: “I’m moving here
in 2 and a half years. And I would like this to be the
new Hollywood.”
May 28, 2007
Dear Supporters
and Members of TXMPA,
It was a late night photo-finish-to-the-end in the Capitol, but the
Appropriations Bill passed with the $22 million in funding for the film
incentive grants.
On Monday afternoon, May 28, 2007, the Speaker of the House and the Lt.
Governor signed the bill. The last step is to
have the Governor sign the bill. We do not anticipate a veto from the Governor.
He has been very supportive of this initiative.
We have a program and the money!
Thank you all very much for all your efforts. Together we accomplished the
nearly impossible task of creating legislation in Texas.
Our grass roots organizing and the wise counsel from HillCo Partners, our
lobbying firm, have produced an incentive program to keep
Texans working in our industry. Please give yourselves a standing ovation...
There is still lot of work to be done between now and the next legislative
session in January, 2009.
TXMPA will assist in marketing the new program and we need to monitor the
results of these grants.
We need to pursue an Economic Impact Study and examine other incentives to
consider. We have become THE voice for the industry in Texas at the Capitol.
We will continue to keep you posted through our Web site (http://www.txmpa.org/)
and we will continue to fight for you, the members of the industry in Texas.
And yes, we still need donations. Please consider making one today through our
Web site
(http://www.txmpa.org/)
or by mail (P.O. Box 40339, Austin, TX 78704)...
Hector Garcia
Texas Motion Picture Alliance, President
Contact Dr.
Howard
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