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TxMPA
Southeast Region Update
I’d
like to thank and congratulate everyone in the
Southeast Region of TXMPA for a successful
campaign which resulted in the passage of HB873. Governor
Rick Perry signed the bill into law in Austin at
Troublemaker Studios recently and SB1 (the
appropriations bill) is being debated in committee
now to add $40 million dollars to fund the
incentive law with a total of $62 million over the
next two years.
We
could not have passed the bill without your
financial support, membership, attendance at TXMPA
events, trips to Austin for Lobby Day and your
phone calls to the legislature. Please join
me in thanking the people on our calling teams who
have time and again represented all of us in
contacting our region’s Senators and State
Representatives at critical moments during the
session. It’s not too late to be part of a
calling team for a district, county or city in the
region - please let me know if you are interested
and I’ll add you to the list.
There
is still work to be done to pass the appropriations
and TXMPA is still working hard on your behalf. I
encourage each of you to please continue your
support of the organization by visiting our website
and making a donation. If everyone reading this
would donate $25 it would go a long way as our work
and lobby efforts continue. www.txmpa.org
SAVE
THE DATE:
June
27th – TXMPA Annual Meeting and
Election of Board Members
The
annual meeting this year will be held June 27th
and I encourage everyone to mark the date and
attend. This is an important event where you
have the opportunity to get a clear understanding
of the work done by TXMPA over the past year, you
have a say in the election of our board members
(the people who represent you and the industry all
over the state at various events and in important
legislative matters that effect you directly) and
– it’s fun! You see people you haven’t
seen in years, you get to meet and network with
other industry professionals that you otherwise
wouldn’t have the chance to meet and if you are
a vendor you have the opportunity to get the word
out about your inventory, availability and staff. I’ve
seen this meeting lead to JOBS over the last three
years and can’t emphasize enough how important
statewide networking will become when the jobs
start coming back into the state. And they
are coming sooner than you may know.
HOW
DEEP ARE OUR CREWS?
I
was recently asked if Houston could go five deep
on crew. It’s been ten years since we’ve
been anywhere even near five deep. I had to
honestly say I thought we would do what we’ve
always done which is to hire everyone in town and
bring in supplemental staff and crew from other
parts of the state. The other cities will
have to do the same, especially since the
incentive specifically encourages hiring from
within the state. For those of you who are
relatively new, the question posed is asking if we
had five major productions going on at the same
time would we have enough qualified (that being a
key part of the question) crew to fill all the
positions. Five deep is a significant number. It
implies that we would need approximately 500 to
600 people, at a minimum, in all areas of
production. Truth be told, I have no idea if
we have 500 people qualified in all positions that
are actually still in the Houston area or
Southeast Region and still working in production. Nor
do I know if the folks who have left for other
areas of the state or even other states would be
willing to come home. My hope and my personal
assumption is that the answer is yes. If a
Producer brings the work we will support the
project in every way possible including staffing
and crewing for their needs.
We
must now step up our efforts to show in advance
that we can meet all crew requirements. Why?
If Producers are asking the question - they are in
doubt. Help me and others assure potential
projects that they can come here with confidence
– here’s how…
WANT
TO WORK IN TEXAS? IN OUR REGION? HERE ARE
SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO DO NOW:
GET
YOUR NAME LISTED EVERYWHERE STATEWIDE:
Yes,
we’ve all saved our money over the last few
years and haven’t joined every organization or
put our name in every directory in the state. The
work is coming and it’s time for change…GET
LISTED EVERYWHERE YOU CAN. Don’t have a lot
of money? Ok, start with:
1.
FREE – Listing in THE TEXAS FILM
COMMISSION ONLINE PRODUCTION MANUAL. You must list
yourself and your business. This is a
critical statewide resource for Producers and
Production Companies. It’s also our version
of a statewide industry census and we are asking
that everyone who wants to work in Texas and is
working in Texas stand up and be counted. It’s
important to show the legislature that we can meet
or beat the 55,000 industry members we once had
and that the incentive law is helping to keep and
create jobs in our state. Did you leave for
work elsewhere? It’s time to come home. Work
in Gaming and never knew we had production guides? The
State Guide is for you, too. Get listed
Texas!
2.
JOIN TXMPA or renew your membership and
then attend as many events as you can no matter
what city they are in. This is truly a
statewide organization and the best way to network
that I know of. AND board members are
constantly being updated about features, series
and studio construction and infrastructure
upgrades going on throughout the state.
3.
WORTH THE COST – invest in yourself! THE
HOUSTON PRODUCTION GUIDE – this is the 4th
largest city in the country, the biggest city in
the state and it’s the biggest city in our
region. FOX is still running a hub here that
shoots daytime series year round and they use this
resource. Joining this book is a must as
Producers considering the entire Houston area,
Galveston, NASA, East Texas and Corpus shoots will
go to this source first. Contact the Houston
Film Commission.
5.
FREE - SUBMIT YOUR INDUSTRY RELATED
INFORMATION to Hector Luna at “C-47 Houston”
magazine. Hector does an amazing job of
publishing a great trade publication that keeps
everyone informed literally EVERYTHING that is
going on in our region. And if you can afford to
place an ad, place one and help him keep providing
us with this great local publication. www.info@C47Houston.com
6.
FREE - Let Production Companies, Producers,
Production Managers, Coordinators, Talent Agencies
and Keys know that you are still in town. Update
your contact information, availability and the
status of your job level (and be honest about the
position you are really ready for if the project
is a network level or major film – you have to
be able to perform what you say you can or we all
look less professional).
7.
FREE – JOIN all the social networks that
are local and statewide. TXMPA is on several
free online networks for example – we’re on
Facebook, we twitter and we’re on Linked In. SWAMP,
as an example, is on everything too. Check
for all sources that may lead you to a job, they
are out there and part of this new social
networking movement.
8.
FREE - Check your status with your union if
you were or are a member – it’s free to find
out what you would need to do to get back in good
standing if you were called to a show that was
union (information is power and you can start
saving up for the day you may need to re-up).
NEXT
and WORTH THE COST:
1.
JOIN - TAFTP Directory in Dallas. Why?
Fox is bringing a Network, Primetime Series to
Dallas in May. And Producer/UPM Joe Dishner,
from Dallas, is looking forward to working in
Houston again very soon. Check out Joe’s
credits if you are not familiar – he’s a Texas
based heavy hitter. We want Joe to come back
to Houston as soon as he’s ready!
2.
JOIN – THE AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY. Why? They
are large, strong and supported by Robert
Rodriguez and Richard Linklater (don’t know
these names - look them up - information is
power!) AFS constantly has the pulse of
goings on in Austin and they have great networking
events all the time. Austin’s Troublemaker
Studios is producing 5 feature films in the coming
year, including The Jetsons and Sin City
2; and NBC is officially bringing back
“Friday Night Lights.” (as announced by
Governor Rick Perry and Robert Rodriguez at the
Governor’s signing of HB873 into law).
3.
Start joining every industry related
organization in our Region as you can. The
return on the investment is worth it – consider
it part of your personal advertising budget –
remember you are investing in yourself. SWAMP,
WIFT Houston, Houston Film Society, Cinema Arts
Society, OiH – just to name a few. And read
IndieSlate Magazine – don’t forget, it’s a
national trade magazine but it’s published right
here in Houston and they need your support.
PLACE
ADS FOR YOUR BUSINESS – SEE ABOVE.
ATTEND
the Houston Film Commission’s upcoming vendor
meeting for important information and
re-organization of our region’s resources if you
are a vendor or business that is in any way
industry related.
ATTEND
the Regional TXMPA upcoming CREW ORGANIZATIONAL
MEETING for important information and
re-organization of our region’s crew and
resources.
ATTEND
CERTIFICATION MEETINGS – created by the state to
help Producers know who is truly qualified for a
position. These meetings will either train
you and certify you for entry level positions in a
one or two day seminar; or for the pros - you will
use the certification as a tool to confirm what
the Producers that already know you know…you are
truly qualified and experienced for higher level
positions, including Key Positions.
DUST
OFF YOUR GEAR AND UPDATE YOUR KITS.
1.
Update your resume and bio.
2.
Make sure you have current numbers for
reference calls.
3.
Update your inventory lists and your rate
sheets. Check to be sure that we are offering
better than or at least competitive rates
statewide and with New Mexico and Louisiana.
4.
Fix or replace broken gear that is critical
and you know will be part of your kit if called to
work.
5.
The basics…especially for PAs…you must
have a current driver’s license, insurance, a
car or even better a truck, and a cell phone. A
GPS is almost a requirement these days, too. In
certain positions you will have to have a laptop. You
can wait to buy these things, but if called on you
will likely need them literally the next day. Price
them out and start setting aside the money now to
buy them the very day you are called. You
can’t say you don’t have these items as they
are a requirement in order to get hired and you
will be expected to show up ready to work with
these items in place, no questions asked.
6.
Familiarize yourself with companies still
in business and new companies that have replaced
ones which may have moved, closed or the owners
have retired. Know where they are located and
possibly call them up to arrange for a tour. At
a minimum touch base with the managers again. Putting
a face to a name in advance goes a long way when
you call in for availability and pricing.
FINALLY
– WANT TO WORK REALLY CLOSE TO HOME? GET
YOUR HOMETOWN CERTIFIED FILM FRIENDLY FROM THE
TEXAS FILM COMMISSION
1.
You are your best advocate if you
live in Splendora and want to work in Splendora. How? Contact
your local city officials, most likely the person
that runs the Economic Development for your town,
and encourage them to become a TEXAS FILM FRIENDLY
CITY.
2.
Why? The city may not be aware of the
incentives available by the state. They may
not realize the jobs that a film or series could
create and the literally very localized amount of
money that could be pumped into the city economy
in a very short period of time. If they
become a Film Friendly city they are singled out
at the Texas Film Commission as a city that a
Producer should look at because they’ve met
certain requirements making it easier for a
Producer to film there. It gives them an
advantage if the Producer is otherwise undecided. And
all city managers and mayors LOVE to add
recognition titles earned to help in the promotion
and advertising of their city.
3.
The Texas Film Commission runs the
certification for this program and can help you
talk to your officials once you get the ball
rolling and create the interest locally.
We
asked for incentives and we got them. We had
faith that jobs would come with incentives and
they are coming. Now we have to get ready… Let’s
get every city in our region certified as Film
Friendly. And let’s get all crew,
graduating RTF students and vendor/business reps
to come to these very important upcoming meetings,
we need to meet and to know all of you that are
out there.
I’m
so happy to say – Thank you! Let’s put
everyone to work!
Susan Fowler
TXMPA SE Regional Rep
713/
408-6208
I’d
like to thank and congratulate everyone in the
Southeast Region of TXMPA for a successful
campaign which resulted in the passage of HB873. Governor
Rick Perry signed the bill into law in Austin at
Troublemaker Studios recently and SB1 (the
appropriations bill) is being debated in committee
now to add $40 million dollars to fund the
incentive law with a total of $62 million over the
next two years.
We
could not have passed the bill without your
financial support, membership, attendance at TXMPA
events, trips to Austin for Lobby Day and your
phone calls to the legislature. Please join
me in thanking the people on our calling teams who
have time and again represented all of us in
contacting our region’s Senators and State
Representatives at critical moments during the
session. It’s not too late to be part of a
calling team for a district, county or city in the
region - please let me know if you are interested
and I’ll add you to the list.
There
is still work to be done to pass the
appropriations and TXMPA is still working hard on
your behalf. I encourage each of you to
please continue your support of the organization
by visiting our website and making a donation. If
everyone reading this would donate $25 it would go
a long way as our work and lobby efforts continue.
www.txmpa.org
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News Updates:
May 10, 2009
