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The Texas Round-Up
Notes from working in Texas film.
Spotlight: San Antonio Film Commission turned 40 after issuing 586 film permits in 2025.
Film San Antonio turned 40 with 586 permits in 2025. Who runs it, who helps filmmakers, and how to start with permits, SAFI and crew calls.
Spotlight: Robert Rodriguez made his first feature for $7,000 and built a studio in Austin.
How Robert Rodriguez turned a $7,000 debut into Troublemaker Studios, Texas crews, DIY film lessons and new Austin productions in 2026.
Spotlight: Houston Film Commission has a five-year plan to make Houston the film capital of Texas.
Houston First launched a five-year film plan on October 7, run through the Houston Film Commission. Who runs it, who helps filmmakers, and what’s next.
Crew depth in Texas by department, and where it thins out.
Every other source says world-class crew base. Here is which departments actually are, which are adequate, which are thin, and the one you should import, from my own shows. With the method, so you can argue.
Your Texas residency requirement depends on when you shoot.
It's not one number. It's two tests and a staircase, and the step you land on is set by the day principal photography begins. Everything explained, including the part that's a question for the Commission.
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