GVEC Communities Happy to Work with Hollywood as Film-Friendly Locations

Several communities in the GVEC Region have been certified as Film Friendly under the Texas Film Commission’s Film Friendly Texas program, including Cuero, Gonzales, Seguin, Shiner, Yorktown, New Braunfels, and Yoakum. More than 175 Texas cities are now Film Friendly Certified Communities. The designation helps attract film and TV production projects to communities in the GVEC Region. Being a film-friendly community offers several benefits, such as increased visibility for tourism and economic boosts to local businesses through productions, talent, and crews. For the film industry, these communities provide a warm welcome alongside picturesque, historic locations, making them ideal filming destinations.

What does being a Film-Friendly community mean?

The program connects media industry professionals with skilled community liaisons across the state so they can provide local expertise and production support. By participating in this program, communities within GVEC’s service area can connect with a network for promoting media production in their cities. It also sends a clear message to professionals within the film and television production industry that these cities are ‘film-friendly’ and serious about attracting their business.

The Texas Film Friendly program emphasizes working with both rural and suburban communities within the GVEC Region. It provides a platform for certified communities to market their unique attributes and resources directly to media professionals working within the state.

The benefits of working in Film Friendly Certified Communities in the GVEC Region

Media industry professionals reaching out to Film Friendly certified communities served by GVEC can expect to connect with skilled community liaisons who’ve:

• Attended a Film Friendly Texas training workshop and received ongoing training and guidance from the Texas Film Commission
• Passed administratively enforceable filming guidelines that promote media production in ways that are mutually beneficial for residents and industry professionals
• Submitted photos of filming locations in their respective cities for inclusion in the Texas Film Commission location database

The impact of being Film Friendly 

In 2016, Gonzales, Texas was designated a Film Friendly Texas Certified Community. This helped the city attract the production of a Pierce Brosnan series, “The Son” on AMC.

The chain of events leading to this important milestone goes back to the spring of 2016, when former Gonzales Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and now GVEC Economic Development Director, Daisy Scheske Freeman attended a Film Friendly workshop held by the Texas Film Commission. The City of Gonzales also sent staff to the next Film Friendly workshop to gain insight into the film and TV industries of Texas.

Scheske Freeman completed the Texas Film Commission certification process and Gonzales was designated a Film Friendly certified community in the summer of 2016.

"Through that certification, the Texas Film Commission staff helps communities build a film profile, for those seeking certain scenes in Texas," Scheske Freeman said.

After the city received the designation, Daisy,  representatives from the Texas Film Commission, and local filmmaker Erik McCowan began cataloging Gonzales' historic homes and picturesque sites, including the courthouse, Pioneer Village, Gonzales Memorial Museum, Palmetto State Park, and many more.

Several location photos were taken; the photos are housed in the Texas Film Commission's locations database and are sent out to filmmakers working in Texas.

According to the Texas Film Commission, when this particular project requested more information about filming in Gonzales, the commission was able to quickly and easily connect them with contacts in Gonzales, such as Scheske Freeman, who had already received training and guidance on how to accommodate requests to film in accordance with Film Friendly guidelines.

“The Son” filmed segments of its season two in locations across Gonzales County and transformed downtown Gonzales into an early 1900s Mexican border town.

Main Street Marketplace store owners, Sarah Tenberg and Wendy Hodge worked with the production’s Art Department crew. “We got great business from them. It made a huge impact on our vendors and profitability.

Another business that profited from the production was the Gonzales Food Market, operated by multiple generations like fourth-generation family member, Daniel Lopez. The food market provided catering services to the production which impacted the business’ bottom line.

How film and TV production can boost the local economy

When a film or TV project lands in a community like Gonzales, the local spending that takes place and positive economic impact is immediate. On-location filming activity stimulates local economies by creating jobs for Texas-based crew members and local residents. It also generates on-site spending on local goods and services at small businesses. The economic impact includes:

• Lodging
• Catering 
• Transportation 
• Location fees
• Lumber and construction supplies
• Local hires

Scheske Freeman says that when a city like Gonzales is easy to work with and its citizens, visitors, and business owners welcome production projects with open arms, it pays dividends for the entire community.

Some of the films and TV shows shot in the GVEC Region

Here’s a brief list of just some of the productions that have taken place in the GVEC Region:

Shiner Filmography: Friday Night Tykes, Seasons 3 & 4 (TV Series: 2015 - 2016) • Shiner Beer (Commercial: 2013) • Something's Brewin' in Shiner (2012) • August Evening (2007) • The Daytripper, Season 1 (TV Episode: 2010) • Resurrection (1980)

Gonzales Filmography: Fear The Walking Dead, Season 4 (TV Episode: 2018) • The Son (TV Series: 2017) • Found Footage 3D (2015) • Kill or Be Killed (2015) • From Dusk Till Dawn, Season 1 (TV Series: 2014) • The Retrieval (2013) • Predators (2010) • Temple Grandin (TV Movie: 2010) • The Daytripper, Season 1 (TV Episode: 2010) • Resurrection (1980)

Yoakum Filmography: Sanzaru (2019) • Friday Night Tykes, Seasons 3 & 4 (TV Series: 2015 - 2016)

Yorktown Filmography: Achievement Haunter (TV Series: 2018) • Upstream Color (2016) • Boomtown (Documentary Short: 2013) • Something's Brewin' in Shiner (2012) • Ghost Adventures (TV Episode: 2011) • August Evening (2007) • The Daytripper, Season 1 (TV Episode: 2010) • Resurrection (1980)

Cuero Filmography: Bagatelle (Short: 2018) • Friday Night Tykes, Season 3 (TV Episode: 2015) • Cold Justice, Season 1 (TV Episode: 2013) • Ruby's Town (Documentary: 2007) • Flesh and Bone (1993)

New Braunfels Filmography (partial): Fear the Walking Dead, Seasons 4-7 (TV Series: 2018 - 2022) • Walker, Season 1 (TV Series: 2021) • From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series (TV Series: 2014) • Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) • Michael (1996)

Seguin Filmography (partial): Iron Resurrection, Season 3 (TV Episode: 2018) • Lone Star Law (TV Episode: 2016) • Highway Cowboys (TV Episode: 2014) • Revolution, Season 2 (TV Episode: 2013) • August Evening (2007) • 8 Seconds (1994) • Dazed and Confused (1993) • Raggedy Man (1981) • Piranha (1978) • The Great Waldo Pepper (1975)

“Lights, camera, action" 

If you’re a film or TV production company, consider the many benefits of the GVEC Region, including historic sites, picturesque landscapes, a welcoming community, and businesses. Our communities in the GVEC Region can help you find an ideal location for your next project. Learn more here.