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 A
call has been made to get ALL filmmakers in ALL crew areas to join the
"Texas Motion Picture Alliance" (TXMPA) and show a solidarity
to draw attention to our film and television production business in
this state. More and more big budget film makers are taking their
business to other states. Tax incentives to keep our filmmakers here
and bring in filmmakers to Texas is a goal for the our future. Below
is the call:
To: My fellow TEXAS film workers, from the Red River
to the Rio Grande, from the piney woods in the east to the dusty
rolling hills in the west.
On many of my countless trips between Austin and Shreveport, I often
think about what Texas film workers are doing with their lives. I
wonder how they are supporting their families, how the strain of
working out of town is affecting them and whether or not we will see
Texas rise up to be the industry destination it once was and we know
it can be.
A few weeks ago Jeanette Scott, local Set Decorator and Austin Film
Society board member, visited my office to discuss ways to raise funds
for The Texas Motion Picture Alliance (www.txmpa.org ), a nonprofit
organization founded to become the legislative advocate for the film,
video, interactive, and digital media production industries in the
Lone Star State. Many people have worked tireless hours without
compensation to raise funds and support this movement. Tom Copeland
and numerous others have also donated many hours to the same cause.
Elected officials are consumed by the thousands of bills that are
proposed each legislative session. Getting our bill passed requires
the hard work of an experienced lobbyist. The main goal of TXMPA is to
raise funds to pay for a lobbyist so the Texas State Legislature can
hear our demands to increase the film incentives.
Those of us familiar with the movement to raise the incentive package
to bring films home to TEXAS (not just Austin but all of TEXAS!) know
that in the last Legislative session Film Fleet and its sister
companies donated thousands of dollars to this cause. Jeanette assured
me that the money was well spent, but now they need more!
This led us to the brainstorming of additional groups to talk to. My
question for Jeanette was this: Aren’t the TEXAS crew members behind
this? Let’s get their support!
When each and every one of us is on the set, if you need sun block -
see the medic; if you need a snack - go to Craft Service; if your car
had a flat that morning - see Transpo; need some tape - go to Camera.
We all know the drill. Now there is another department “on set” to
take care of us. It is none other than the Texas Motion Picture
Alliance. The TXMPA will secure the right people to help raise the
incentive package, but they need YOU behind them so that we all can
bring films home to TEXAS!
I propose that each and every one of you join this organization. The
membership fee is $50.00 per year. Fifty dollars is less than one tank
of gas, less than one dinner out and less than my yearly latte budget.
Film Fleet and its sister companies will pledge an additional $10.00
for every new paid TXMPA membership. I will take it one step further.
If there any film crew member that cannot afford the membership fee
right now, e-mail your story directly to me. The address is phil@filmfleet.com . Instead of a crew t-shirt on the
next project, I will assist you in paying your membership.
Not only am I asking crew members to join, I am soliciting all
industry related vendors such as Longhorn Car & Truck Rentals,
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Capps Truck & Van Rental, Crocker Crane
Company, Omni Hotels, Rush Truck Centers, Play-Mor Trailers, Southwest
Airlines, Raco Leasing, Hope Lumber Company, SWW Production Rentals,
Juan In A Million and more! If you think a vendor could benefit from
the efforts of TXMPA, forward me their information. I will contact
them directly.
Like all of you, I do not want to work out-of-state. I want to work at
home, in Texas, with my family and friends by my side.
Do the right thing. Join TXMPA today. You are just a click away... www.txmpa.org!
I, Phil Schriber, wrote and approved this letter.
All my best,
Phil Schriber
www.C47Houston.com
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