Matthew McConaughey and other stars testify in House Committee to bring films to Texas

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Actor Matthew McConaughey has become a familiar face at the Texas Capitol. McConaughey previously spoke before state senators to push for film incentive legislation. On Wednesday, McConaughey and other actors brought their support to the House.

The Texas House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism discussed a bill that would increase funding to bring film and television projects to the state. McConaughey and others supported the bill as it was considered in the Texas Senate Committee on Finance last month. SB 22 passed in the full Senate last week. 

HB 4568, the House companion bill authored by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, would invest $500 million every two years to the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund.

This benefits film and television projects that are based in Texas and employ Texas workers.

“Hollywood does not have a trademark on telling good stories. No patent on that,” McConaughey testified today as he sat alongside fellow Texas-based actor Woody Harrelson. “I know that we Texans take a bit of pride in being able to tell a good story ourselves, so as we all know, a good story well told is worth telling. So why don’t we Texas our Texas and tell some ourselves?” 

McConaughey provided examples of how Texas film productions have yielded strong returns on investment for Texans. In shooting in-state commercials for Salesforce, he and Harrelson provided over 700 days of work for Texans, including 150 hotel nights, 30 truck rentals, 200 rental van car days, 18 trailer rental days, and 30 car service trips, McConaughey told lawmakers.

The Texas Film Commission was established in 1971 by the 60th legislature. It expanded to include the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program in 2007 in order to provide performance-based grants to pictures produced in Texas. The program’s funding has grown over the years, never exceeding $95 million until 2023, when $200 million was allocated. This bill would more than double the previous appropriation. 

Adriana Cruz, the executive director of the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, discussed the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program’s return on investment at today’s hearing. So far, the program has generated $2.52 billion of in-state spending, creating more than 189,000 direct jobs and a 469% return on investment.

Other industry stakeholders who testified included Chris Juen, co-owner of Out of Order Studios. Juen was born in El Paso and spent about 20 years in the Los Angeles studio system. He’s now based in Fort Worth, serving as executive producer on the television series, The Chosen, which is filmed primarily in Peaster and Midlothian.

“There’s not enough sound stages, there’s so much media,” Juen said as he discussed how this bill would help Texas invest in long term production infrastructure, which would attract longer-length projects and outside investors. He says this lack of infrastructure and stability almost pushed The Chosen out of Texas.

Amy Bailey, actress on The Chosen, backed Juen and McConaughey’s sentiments. She said she’s lucky to have landed a Texas-based production that allows her to take care of her children and aging parents in her home state.

In addition, Mattie Parker, the mayor of Fort Worth, testified on the importance of the film industry to Texas cities. Since 2015, film projects in Fort Worth have generated over $700 million in economic impact and affected more than 30,000 local jobs, according to Parker.

“The show 1883, which was filmed in the Fort Worth stockyards, spent $44.4 million in the Fort Worth area over a 75 day period, and hired more than 1100 Texas-based crew and 800 Texas cast members,” said Parker, adding that she believes that film and television is the next foundational economy for Fort Worth.

“Why are we making Texas films in other states? We got more areas and more places to do movies and films than any other place,” said Hunter. “And what this is, is an investment. It’s a new industry, and by gosh, it’s the right thing to do.”

After nearly two hours of testmony, the committee went into recess for members to take part in Wednesday’s session of the Texas House. Committee members resumed the hearing late Wednesday afternoon. After hearing more testimony, committee members left the bill pending, meaning they have not yet voted on whether to advance the bill to the House for consideration.