Council hopes film-friendly rating offers city chance in spotlight
By DAVID LOWE Staff Writer

Statistically speaking, a small Texas town cannot often attract a major motion picture, but the Lampasas City Council wants to be ready for any producer who chooses to film here.

In an effort to earn Film Friendly Texas certification for Lampasas from the Texas Film Commission, the council on Monday unanimously approved a set of guidelines for filming conducted within the city.

The guidelines establish a $25 application fee for the production of movies, television programs, commercials, training videos and related projects and authorize the city manager to al- low the use of public property during filming.

The guidelines also establish fees for the use of city property and require production crews to notify the public of noise or potential disruption to traffic or public facilities.

Texas Film Commission Director Bob Hudgins, who explained the Film Friendly Texas program during a workshop session prior to the council's official meeting, said the program allows municipalities to attract filming projects while also establishing regulations to prevent damage to property and minimize inconvenience to residents.

"We're basically trying to make sure the production tells businesses and people, `This is what we're doing, and this is when we're doing it,'" he said.

The Texas Film Commission also serves as a liason between production companies and municipalities, said Hudgins, adding he encourages city staff to contact the commission to check the reputation of producers who plan to film in town.

City staff already have submitted to the film commission a photo packet of various landmarks around town, and both City Secretary Cherry Hargrove and City Council member Debbie Fuller attended Film Friendly Texas training.

Approval of the filming guidelines satisfied the final condition for Film Friendly certification, meaning Lampasas will join four other municipalities as "film friendly" cities.

The Texas Film Commission's Web site at www.texasfilmcommission. com/filmfriendly, will include profiles of "film friendly" towns, Hudgins said, including a copy of each city's filming guidelines and photographs to attract potential producers.

"We like to leave the door open for any of the possibilities that may come knocking on your door," Hudgins said.

While Texas attracts only about 15 feature films a year, the state is averaging about 700 commercials annually, he said. A city is much more likely to attract film crews for commercials or educational or training videos than for major movies, Hudgins added.

The commission director said he encourages cities to support independent films produced by local artists.

Some Central Texas cities have benefitted from substantial filming activity, Hudgins said. Georgetown has attracted several projects, and Smithville -- the location for "Hope Floats" -- has increased its tourism since the movie's 1998 release. Another major film project is coming to the Bastrop County town, he said.

Smithville's mayor specifically asked the producer to use the name "Smithville, Texas" throughout "Hope Floats," Hudgins said, which the film commission director considered a shrewd request.

Filming, particularly of commercials and educational or training videos, is becoming a large industry in Texas. Production always involves logistical challenges, such as providing lodging and parking for crews and keeping filming from disrupting residents, Hudgins said. Cities can benefit from the filming, however, by forming production guidelines and working with the Texas Film Commission, he said.

"We try to take this very seriously," Hudgins said. "This is an important part of our state's economy."