Say Goodbye to Hollywood: San Antonio Among Best Places for Moviemakers to Live and Work
January 28, 2021 - San Antonio
From Tinseltown to taco town. “Many in the film and TV industry are looking to change their way of life, and many cities and towns across the country are welcoming those storytellers with open arms,” said Tim Molloy, editor-in-chief of MovieMaker Magazine. Photo: Ruben Garcia.
By Jade Esteban Estrada, Staff Writer | San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts and Culture announced that the Alamo City has been named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker
- The magazine considered San Antonio’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic as part of their evaluation process
On Wednesday, the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts and Culture and its Film Commission division announced that San Antonio has been named one of MovieMaker’s Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in 2021.
This is actually San Antonio’s third consecutive appearance on the annual list, which was published Jan. 26, following the implementation of the department’s Film Strategic Plan.
“The fact that San Antonio earned this recognition from MovieMaker - even with new safety requirements to prevent the spread of Covid-19 - is encouraging news that demonstrates the progress made possible by our City Department of Arts and Culture’s efforts,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who has been in front of the cameras almost daily with Covid-19 updates since the beginning of the pandemic. “Our work to welcome and encourage filmmakers will continue to provide opportunities for us to become an increasingly desirable location for the film industry.”
MovieMaker, a magazine that focuses on the art and business of filmmaking with an emphasis on independent film, determined this year’s winners based on surveys, data from recent productions, research on production rebates, and information on how each city is coping with the pandemic. Featuring 25 cities, San Antonio joins two other Texas cities on the list (Austin and Dallas) and is highlighted among Albuquerque, Atlanta, and Chicago.
“This was obviously a very different year for our annual list of the Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker - it’s a time of incredible upheaval, but also opportunity,” said MovieMaker editor-in-chief Tim Molloy. “Many in the film and TV industry are looking to change their way of life, and many cities and towns across the country are welcoming those storytellers with open arms.”
San Antonio’s continued strategic efforts to develop its film scene, free film permits for City-owned properties, and diverse and accessible film locations factored into MovieMaker’s decision to include the city on its list.
“The seventh-largest city in America is refreshingly direct about how much it wants your business,” wrote MovieMaker in their write-up on the Alamo City, which is sandwiched at #22 between Seattle and Kansas City.
“San Antonio has a unique culture and atmosphere, so it’s not really surprising that filmmakers would think of this area for their films,” said SA-based actress Yvette Cardenas. “This city is rich in culture and we have the privilege of being a city with a small town feel with landmarks that you won’t find anywhere else in the United States.”
Actress Patricia Zamora is hopeful that the announcement will increase the demand for local actors. “This is exciting news for those of us who call San Antonio home,” she said. “I look forward to an abundance of opportunities for work and for San Antonio artists to showcase their talent!”
The magazine considered San Antonio’s response to the pandemic as part of the evaluation process. This includes the amendment to the city’s film permit process to include safety requirements, one-on-one guidance for productions provided by Film Commission staff and support of San Antonio filmmakers and artists with the SA CARES 4 Art Program, which provided up to $5,000 grants to those who lost income due to Covid-19.
Even through the pandemic, with a three-month film permit shutdown and ongoing safety restrictions for film crew sizes, San Antonio impressively experienced an increase in the number of days film crews filmed in the city - with 342 in FY2019 and 348 in FY2020.
“This growth in production days not only showcases an increased interest in filming in San Antonio, but also represents the demand for online and streamed content to substitute for in-person cancelled [shows] due to Covid-19,” said Department of Arts and Culture Director Debbie Racca-Sittre. “Filmmakers have proven vital to providing a sense of normalcy through the online delivery of special events, arts and culture programming, business meetings and sessions, and much more. We are proud to support the filmmaking process and of our continued recognition by MovieMaker as a friendly city for filmmakers.”
For complete details on MovieMaker’s 2021 list of Best Places to Live and Work as a MovieMaker, click here.
For year-round information about filming in San Antonio, visit filmsanantonio.com.
Jade Esteban Estrada is a staff writer for the San Antonio Sentinel, where he covers public health and other citywide issues. jade@sasentinel.com | Twitter: @getjaded