{"id":2129188,"date":"2025-11-01T17:55:26","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T17:55:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2129188"},"modified":"2025-11-01T17:55:26","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T17:55:26","slug":"fort-worth-film-commission-celebrates-a-decade-of-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/fort-worth-film-commission-celebrates-a-decade-of-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Fort Worth Film Commission celebrates a decade of service"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/p>\nFort Worth<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2015, one of Fort Worth\u2019s fastest-growing industries has injected nearly $1 billion in economic impact to the city and employed more than 50,000 people.<\/p>\n

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Film and television production has exploded in Cowtown over the past decade, from films such as \u201c12 Mighty Orphans\u201d<\/a> and \u201cThe Old Man & the Gun,\u201d<\/a> to shows like \u201c1883\u201d and \u201cLandman.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

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Business is booming, and it\u2019s only expected to grow.<\/p>\n

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Texas lawmakers passed a bill<\/a> earlier this year that puts $1.5 billion in film incentives up for grabs over the next decade. A couple of months ago, a new 450,000-square-foot production campus<\/a> opened in north Fort Worth.<\/p>\n

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As more projects come the city, their first stop will likely be the Fort Worth Film Commission<\/a>, which recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe never imagined film to grow this quickly,\u201d film commissioner Taylor Hardy said. \u201c$1 billion in 10 years is just a fraction of what we\u2019ll see in the next five years. We have all the pieces that have fallen into place to support film.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Creator <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>
Creator Taylor Sheridan in season 1, episode 2 of \u201cLandman\u201d streaming on Paramount+. Emerson Miller Paramount+<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

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Fort Worth Film Commission\u2019s early days<\/h2>\n

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While the film commission launched in 2015, its inception can be traced to a year prior in China.<\/p>\n

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Then-Mayor Betsy Price traveled to the country on a promotional tour with American Airlines to highlight the company\u2019s routes to China. Members of Visit Fort Worth and the Chamber of Commerce also tagged along to promote the city.<\/p>\n

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Red Productions President<\/a> Red Sanders was there as well, and recalls what Price asked him after a long day of meetings in Shanghai.<\/p>\n

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\u201c[She said] \u2018Red, what can we do to grow the creative class in Fort Worth\u2019?\u201d Sanders said. \u201cI was like, \u2018Well, Mayor Price, I\u2019m glad you asked.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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Sanders said it would be effective for Fort Worth to create its own film commission, since it was the only major Texas city without one.<\/p>\n

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The Texas Film Commission launched in 1971, followed by one in El Paso in 1974. San Antonio founded its film commission in 1985, while Houston created its film commission in 1987.<\/p>\n

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There used to be a regional film commission for the Metroplex, but it shuttered in 2002. Dallas created its own film commission that same year.<\/p>\n

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In the interim, Sanders said Fort Worth was mainly pitched when a production needed something Western-specific, like cows in the street, since the Stockyards could accommodate.<\/p>\n

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After the trip to China, film advocates and city leaders got to work. The film commission officially launched on Oct. 20, 2015.<\/p>\n

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\u201cLate to the party. But, man, like leading the party now,\u201d Sanders said.<\/p>\n

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\"Robert <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>
Robert Redford as Forrest Tucker in the film \u201cThe Old Man & the Gun.\u201d Eric Zachanowich Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

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Fort Worth Film Commission gets to work<\/h2>\n

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Jessica Hill served as the first Fort Worth film commissioner from 2015 until 2024.<\/p>\n

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In the early days, local filmmakers leaned on the commission to help on their films. David Lowery\u2019s \u201cA Ghost Story\u201d was one of the first projects the commission worked on, along with his wife Augustine Frizzell\u2019s movie \u201cNever Goin\u2019 Back.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Lowery, who grew up in Irving and lives in Dallas, returned to Fort Worth and used the city as a major filming hub for his Robert Redford-starring \u201cThe Old Man & the Gun\u201d<\/a> in 2018.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe couldn\u2019t have made \u2018The Old Man & the Gun\u2019 without the support of the Fort Worth Film Commission. So many of the most memorable moments in the film were shot in and around downtown Forth Worth, and the time we spent there with our cast and crew remains one of my happiest experiences as a filmmaker,\u201d Lowery said in a statement. \u201cThe film commission also came to the rescue on other films of mine, from \u2018A Ghost Story\u2019 to \u2018The Green Knight,\u2019 both of which had sequences that were filmed in Fort Worth. They\u2019ve opened so many doors for us, and always help us make our little films feel far more epic than they would otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Fort Worth native Channing Godfrey Peoples made \u201cMiss Juneteenth\u201d<\/a> in the city in 2019. Soon after, historical sports film \u201c12 Mighty Orphans\u201d filmed in and around the city.<\/p>\n

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For some of these filmmakers, Hill said they could have landed better incentives in other states, but choose to stick around locally.<\/p>\n

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From permitting and road closures, to coordinating with Fort Worth fire and police \u2014 all the work on the films laid the groundwork for what came next.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThose early projects really helped everyone find a groove,\u201d Hill said. \u201cWord started to spread like, \u2018Wow, Fort Worth makes things happen.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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Taylor Sheridan boom ignites film business in Fort Worth<\/h2>\n

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In 2021, \u201cYellowstone\u201d creator Taylor Sheridan returned to his old stomping grounds to film the show\u2019s prequel \u201c1883\u201d in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n

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The move proved to be a watershed moment for the city and the biggest project the commission had worked on to date. The production spent $44.4 million in the Fort Worth area over 74 days, in addition to hiring more than 1,100 crew and more than 800 cast members.<\/p>\n

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Sheridan has continued business in Fort Worth ever since.<\/p>\n

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\u201cLawmen: Bass Reeves\u201d filmed locally in 2023, followed by \u201cLioness\u201d season 2 and \u201cLandman\u201d season 1 the following year. \u201cLioness\u201d and \u201cLandman\u201d<\/a> returned to Cowtown this year to film new seasons, along with the first season of \u201cYellowstone\u201d spinoff \u201cThe Dutton Ranch.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Michelle Pfeiffer-led \u201cThe Madison\u201d<\/a> filmed season 1 in 2024 and will return sometime this year. Episodes of \u201cYellowstone\u201d and \u201cThe Road\u201d have also filmed in the city over the past year.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think [Sheridan] sees the potential for the city and wants to help take it to the next level,\u201d Hardy said.<\/p>\n

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\"(L <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>
(L to R): Co-creator Taylor Sheridan and Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris in season 1, episode 3 of \u201cLandman\u201d streaming on Paramount+. Emerson Miller Paramount+<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

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Since 2021, 101 Studios, the production studio for most of Sheridan\u2019s shows, has booked more than 75,000 hotel rooms.<\/p>\n

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On \u201cLandman\u201d season 2 alone, 101 Studios hired 1,092 crew, 192 cast and more than 2,500 extras. The oil industry drama spent much of the spring and summer filming across TCU, downtown and more.<\/p>\n

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In addition to hiring local cast and crew, more production companies are setting up shop in Fort Worth. Hardy points to Nametag Films relocating from Dallas to Fort Worth as one example.<\/p>\n

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Facilities that the city needed like post-production and prop houses, are now starting to pop up in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe had to be really scrappy in the beginning,\u201d Hardy said. \u201cWe were repurposing buildings for stages and offices and just trying to work together to find solutions. Now, I think, we have more of this traditional businesses and services and infrastructure in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Beyond the economic impact production has on the city, Hardy said locally-filmed shows also equate to tourism.<\/p>\n

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Audiences who have seen a Paramount+ show filmed in Fort Worth are two times more likely to consider travel to the city than those who had not, Hardy said, citing a survey the commission produced. Potentially, that could lead to more than 230,000 visitors per year.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe also saw from that survey that more than half of the people said that their perception of Fort Worth improved,\u201d Hardy said.<\/p>\n

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\"The <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>
The historic Granbury square was transformed into late nineteenth century Fort Worth. \u201c1883,\u201d a sequel to popular Paramount drama \u201cYellowstone,\u201d filmed scenes in Granbury\u2019s historic square in summer of 2021. PHOTO BY MARY VINSON Mary Vinson Courtesy<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

The next 10 years of the Fort Worth Film Commission<\/h2>\n

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Hardy has been with the commission since nearly the beginning.<\/p>\n

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She first joined as an intern in 2016, later that same year securing a full-time gig. Over the years, she\u2019s served as associate film commissioner and officially took over the top job after Hill left in October 2024.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Having been there for almost all of it, Hardy said the biggest change over the years has been awareness.<\/p>\n

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When \u201cThe Old Man & the Gun\u201d filmed in the city, director David Lowery and star Casey Affleck would walk around Sundance Square unrecognized. Now, locals have an ear to the streets.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think now people have kind of embraced Fort Worth as a film destination, and are so excited about the productions coming to town,\u201d Hardy said. \u201cThat gives us just even more energy and that community collaboration to be able to support and welcome them, which has been really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That support is also felt in city hall, where Mayor Mattie Parker has embraced the film industry.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Parker\u2019s annual State of the City earlier this month<\/a> was all about the industry\u2019s impact in Fort Worth, where \u201cstories come to life.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cFor more than a decade, the Fort Worth Film Commission has been the driving force behind the growth and vitality of the film and entertainment industry in our city,\u201d Parker said in a statement. \u201cThrough these efforts, Fort Worth has emerged as a premier destination for production \u2013 creating sustainable workforce pipelines and significant economic impact for our residents and businesses alike.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As the film commission looks ahead to its next 10 years, it\u2019s anyone\u2019s guess as to what the future holds.<\/p>\n

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Hardy never imagined the commission would be where it is now. More than 1,000 projects have filmed in the city since 2015, from film and television to commercials and music videos.<\/p>\n

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What is for certain is that the commission will continue pushing Fort Worth as a supportive space and, maybe most importantly, as a \u201cyes\u201d town.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re ready for any new challenges,\u201d Hardy said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/h5>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
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Brayden Garcia<\/a><\/p>\n

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/p><\/div>\n

Brayden Garcia is a service journalism reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Brayden mainly writes about weather and all things Taylor Sheridan-related.<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.star-telegram.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fort Worth Since 2015, one of Fort Worth\u2019s fastest-growing industries has injected nearly $1 billion in economic impact to the city and employed more than 50,000 people. Film and television production has exploded in Cowtown over the past decade, from films such as \u201c12 Mighty Orphans\u201d and \u201cThe Old Man & the Gun,\u201d to shows […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2104357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[404743,404740,404741,384212,404744,404742],"class_list":["post-2129188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-fort-worth-film-and-tv","tag-fort-worth-film-commission","tag-fort-worth-film-commission-anniversary","tag-landman-fort-worth","tag-lioness-fort-worth","tag-taylor-sheridan-fort-worth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Tannahills-Tavern-Music-Hall-featured-in-new-CBS-show.JPG","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2129188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2129188"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2129188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2129189,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2129188\/revisions\/2129189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2104357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2129188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2129188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2129188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}