Out of 26 million Texans, you may have an idea to change the world. You may have had several ideas to change the world. But only a tiny minority of you pushed through the U.S. Patent office from application to successful patent. We've seen Texans change the world many times over. Jack Kilby did it with Texas Instruments in 1958 with the integrated circuit, causing the start of the digital revolution, which, in part, is why you can read these words over your electronic device.
Over the last few years, Texas Business has brought its feature: Texas Business Patent of the Day. This list is of the ones that were either extremely clever, odd or strange. One thing becomes apparent from these patents and the patent that runs daily in Texas Business—Texans have a unique mind set.
Though the history of the Corn Dog is disputed, the State Fair of Texas claims to have introduced the Corny Dog sometime between 1938 and 1942. As a paean to that invention that now sits in the freezer section of every grocery store in the southwest, here are the fried foods the State Fair of Texas has introduced, or tried to introduce, in the last seven years.
Dead Texas musicians live on every time you hear their songs. Their songs play everywhere, so the dead Texas musicians appear to be immortal. Here's the short list.
Don't get caught up with John Wayne religion. For one thing, he's not Texan. He's in some fine movies involving Texas, most notably The Searchers, but none of his movies can make the best cut of Texas movies. Here's the short list.
Unsung Texas Business Journalists Mention that one is a reporter, and there's a spark of interest. Mention that one is a business news reporter, and watch the eyes glaze over. Except to the players, business and economic journalists are unappreciated. While many wish to become sports reporters when they grow up, most do not realize that business journalists cover the Real Game. Mention that reporter covers business, and watch the eyes glaze over. A toast to these below on the short list and the numerous unnamed ones slogging away. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Best Texas Mexican Food: The Short List No, we're not going to debate the difference between Tex-Mex, Mex-Tex, Mexican and Texican food. Just know these establishments are the pinnacle of Texas Mexican fare. No brag, just fact. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Best Texas Burgers Texas Burgers. . While a hamburger is merely sustenance and gratification for a meal, the memory a good Texas burger can give rise to Homeric odes. The short list. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: The Contemporary Arab and Muslim Cultural Studies Institute of UNT plans to hold the first annual Arab Film Festival, which will be shown April 19-21 in Dallas.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—The Department of Radio-Television-Film at The University of Texas at Austin won a $2.17 million grant from the Moody Foundation to create "UT3D," the first comprehensive 3-D production curriculum in the country.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—News hit the entertainment industry that China’s box office rose 31 percent to 17.1 billion yuan ($2.75 billion) last year. With this, China has now overtaken Japan as the top-earning international territory for U.S. filmmakers.
Larry Hagman Exits the Scene Larry Hagman, the man who was best-known as the iconic scoundrel, J.R. Ewing, died on Friday in Dallas from complications of cancer at the age of 81. His wife of 60 years,Maj Axelsson, was by his side, as were his Dallas castmates,Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray, from the original show and its new TNT revival.Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Robert Redford , actor, film director, environmentalist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival, will join the 2012 Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF).
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH—The Lone Star Film Society announced Jayne Mansfield’s Car, written, directed and starring Academy Award-winner Billy Bob Thornton, as the opening night film for the 2012 Lone Star Film Festival, Nov. 7 -11 in Sundance Square, Fort Worth.
Texas Business reports: WACO—Murder mysteries, music-filled sagas, aeronautical documentaries and football die-hards will make their debut as Texas Independent Film Network and Baylor University's Film and Digital Media team up for the Fall 2012 Film Series.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, acquired the North American rights to the crime thriller Graceland.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—Fantastic Fest announced Walt Disney Pictures' Frankenweenie will have its world premiere on September 20 as the opening night film for the 2012 festival, happening September 20-27 in Austin, Texas at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.
Texas Business reports: CANNES, France—With development funding in place, producers of Empress of Texas are at Cannes International Film Festival 2012 to pursue an A-list actress for their heroine and a distributor.
Texas Business reports: STEPHENVILLE, Texas—Short films produced, edited, and acted in by students will be showcased April 19 at the 7th Annual Purple and White Film Festival.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN— Thomas Smith, visual effect producer for such films as "Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back" and "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial," has donated his archive to the Harry Ransom Center, a humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin.
Filmmaker Pablo Veliz has screened his work at the Sundance Film Festival and gotten “the call” from Hollywood. But his heart and, more important, the stories he wants to tell remain in South Texas. At age 22, with nothing but a digital camera and his imagination, Veliz wrote, produced, edited and directed his first feature film, “La Tragedia de Macario,” about a Mexican peasant named Macario and his struggle to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
Full Story » By Melissa Macaya For Reporting Texas
Texas Business reports: PLANO—Cinemark Holdings Inc., one of the world’s largest motion picture exhibitors, plans to build a 16-screen, all-digital movie theatre that will feature the company’s new Cinemark NextGen design concept.
Samartian Movie Hiring Cast Texas Business reports: The independent movie Samaritan is hiring cast members, according to the Texas Film Commission. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Heather Courtney directed the film "Where Soldiers Come From," which will be screened at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 in Room 101 of Castellaw Communications Center.
Texas Business reports: WACO—The Baylor film and digital media division of the department of communication studies will show its first Texas Independent Film Network movie screening of the spring semester at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, in Room 101 of Castellaw Communications Center, 219 Baylor Ave.
Redemption Texas Business reports: An independent film will be shot in Austin In March and April and are hiring cast members. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: PLANO—Cinemark Holdings Inc., a motion picture exhibitor, deployed more than 3,400 digital cinema systems in 251 first run domestic theatres, converting from 35mm to digital projectors.
Texas Business reports: Baylor film and digital media, a division of the communication studies department, will show its final Texas Independent Film Network movie screening at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, in Room 101 of Castellaw Communications Center, 219 Baylor Ave.
Texas Business reports: Rice Cinema will present six films by noted Chilean filmmaker Patricio Guzmán Nov. 10-19. Guzmán will attend three screenings during the first weekend of the retrospective series and will discuss the films with audience members.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Now in its third year, Cinema Arts Festival Houston (CAFH), which runs from November 9 to 13, 2011 will bring an ambitious program of films by and about artists to the nation's fourth largest city.
Texas Business reports: “Lights! Camera! Propaganda!", "Invite Your Friends -- But Don't Trust Them!" and "Iron Curtain Meets Red Carpet" are some of the attention-getting sentiments that have cropped up on posters advertising the Cold War Film Festival at Baylor University in November, a four-night event featuring four films.
Texas Business reports: DALLAS—The Dallas Film Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that celebrates films and their impact on society, will honor screen and theatre legend, John Lithgow at its annual fall fundraising event The Art of Film on November 18, 2011, at the Hall of State, Fair Park.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—During the opening remarks of the 2011 Austin Film Festival (AFF) it was announced that veteran director Jonathan Lynn (My Cousin Vinny, The Whole Nine Yards) has signed on to helm Jasper Milliken, a story written by Julie Howe that won the Best Comedy Screenplay Award in the 2010 AFF Screenplay Competition.
Texas Business reports: DALLAS—Odyssey Pictures Corporation, a publicly traded media and entertainment company, has acquired the screenplay and feature film rights of the children's literary franchise, "Hank the Cowdog," from Rising Star Studios.
Texas Business reports: Baylor University's division of film and digital media will host a showing of the 2010 drama "Dance With the One" from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in Room 101 of Castellaw Communications Center on the Baylor campus.
Recent UNT graduate Joshua Spires received a first-place award in the 2011 U.S. National Kodak Film School Cinematography Competition for his work of The Whale, a film written and directed by another recent UNT graduate, Jaime Chapin.
Texas Business reports: DENTON—When Joshua Spires agreed to be the cinematographer on The Whale, a film created as an assignment for one of his classes at the University of North Texas, he didn't realize that he would be shooting more than 100 miles away from campus at Caddo Lake in East Texas -- and at sunrise and in darkness.
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH— The Lone Star Film Society (LSFS) announced announce five films that will be featured during the 2011 Lone Star International Film Festival Fort Worth in Sundance Square Nov. 9 – 13.
Texas Business reports: Baylor University's division of film and digital media will host a showing of the 2010 documentary "Echotone" from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, in Room 101 of Castellaw Communications Center on the Baylor campus.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—The Jarry Ransom Center, a humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin, acquired a collection of materials from husband-wife duo actress Carlin Glynn and writer and director Peter Masterson relating to their careers and their work on the original Broadway production and film of “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—The archive of film director Nicholas Ray (1911–1979), best known for his film, “Rebel Without a Cause,” has been acquired by the Harry Ransom Center, a humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin.
Mystery Science Theater Meets Academia Texas Business reports: A human and his plastic robots mocking “B-list” sci-fi films while trapped in space may not sound like a typical area of serious academic study.Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
“Belvedere” from Bosnia-Herzegovina
Texas Tech Hosts Global Lens 2011 Film Festival Texas Business reports: Against the backdrop of Argentina’s mid-80s military regime, an overzealous young teacher develops an unusual obsession with one of her students after she is asked to keep a watchful “eye” over the happenings at an elite Buenos Aires private school.Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: Austin—Drafthouse Films, Timpson Films and Magnet Releasing have secured genre heavyweights Xavier Gens (Frontiers, Hitman) and Christopher Smith (Severance, Black Death) to join Noburo Iguchi (Robo Geisha, Machine Girl) and Kaare Andrews (Altitude) along with 21 other directors to make up the talented roster behind THE ABCs OF DEATH, a twenty-six chapter anthology feature that showcases death letter by letter.
Texas Business reports: Los Angeles—The world premiere of a Texas film will open the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival. The Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times and supported by L.A. LIVE, announced the world premiere of Richard Linklater’s Bernie as the opening night film for the 2011 Festival.
Texas Business reports: Austin—The Alamo Drafthouse and Texas Monthly announced their collaboration for the 2011 Rolling Roadshow, marking the first all-Texas tour of free outdoor 35mm screening experiences pairing famous movies with famous places.
Inside Out Casting Call Texas Business reports: A independent HD feature, “Inside Out,” is hiring cast members, according to the Texas Film Commission. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: The Texas Independent Film Network Film Series, hosted by Baylor University's Film and Digital Media division, will continue with a free showing of “St. Nick” Thursday, May 19, in Castellaw Communications Center, Room 101.
Presidio Launches Feature Slate with “12 Mighty Orphans” Texas Business reports: Austin—Upstart, Texas-based Presidio Pictures confirmed today that it has reached an agreement to acquire all rights to Jim Dent’s “Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football” and that pre-production activities have begun for a feature film based on the book. Filming will take place later this year, primarily in Fort Worth.Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: The Austin Film Society and The Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas announced that 23 Austin filmmakers will remake vignettes from AFS Founder & Artistic Director Richard Linklater’s seminal film Slacker.
Texas Business reports: The Austin Film Society’s Best of the Fests series presents American:The Bill Hicks Story with filmmakers Paul Thomas and Matt Harlock in attendance for Q&A.
Texas Business reports: Dallas— The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York has approved the sale of substantially all of Blockbuster’s assets to DISH Network Corporation.
Texas Business reports: The Austin Film Society (AFS) announced the Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund (TFPF) is now accepting applications for funding.
Texas Business reports: Plano—Cinemark Holdings Inc., one of the world’s largest motion picture exhibitors, plans to construct a 12-screen, all-digital movie theatre that will feature the company’s new Cinemark NextGen design concept.
Austin Premiere of !WOMEN ART REVOLUTION Texas Business reports: The Austin Film Society will present the Austin Premiere of !WOMEN ART REVOLUTION on April 13 at 7 PM at The Alamo Drafthouse Ritz. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: Dallas--More than 150 films will be presented in the 10-day Dallas International Film Festival scheduled to start this week.
With 157 films representing 26 countries, nine world premieres and six US premieres, the Dallas International Film Festival is heading into its 5th year with a wide-ranging slate of features and shorts that promise to appeal to film-lovers of all age-groups and ethnicities.
Texas Business reports: The Austin Film Society will present its Essential Cinema series, “Ousmane Sembene: The Godfather Of Post-Colonial African Cinema.”
Texas Business reports: Students from six North Texas schools will be walking the red carpet and mingling with the stars during the DALLAS International Film Festival.
Texas Business reports: Austin—Arts+Labor announced the new film, Outside Industry: The Story of SXSW, will have its world premiere at its natural home, the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival, on March 16.
Texas Business reports: The Austin Film Society (AFS) announced it added John Hawkes and Spoon to the line-up for the 2011 Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards.
Texas Business reports: CineFestival en San Antonio, the nation’s original and longest-running Latino film festival, will celebrate its 33rd anniversary celebration February 3-6, 2011 at the historic Guadalupe Theater in San Antonio.
Texas high school students could make film history at Cannes Texas Business notes this story by Jim Bergamo at KVUE News: It's not uncommon for some arguing, pushing and shoving in a high school hallway. But at Pflugerville's Connally High School, it is scripted and rehearsed. Full Story »
Texas Business notes this story by Jay A. Fernandez of Reuters: "Moon" director Duncan Jones' new action thriller will make its world premiere as the opening-night movie at the South By Southwest Film Festival on Austin, Texas, on March 11.
Texas chops 'Machete' from state movie grant Texas Business notes this story by Carl Hoover of the Waco Tribune-Herald: In another case of cutting one's nose off to spite one's face, the state has denied a movie assistance grant to Robert Rodriguez's "Machete" because the powers that be deem it casts the state of Texas in a negative light.Full Story »
UNT presents screening of students’ documentary films Texas Business notes this story by the Lewisville Leader: Eight short films created this semester by first-year students in the University of North Texas’ master of fine arts program in documentary film will be presented at UNT ThursdayFull Story »
Robert Rodriguez: for far fewer dollars Texas Business notes this story by David Gritten of The Telegraph: There’s no one in the American film business quite like Robert Rodriguez, who plays completely outside the rules imposed by Hollywood studios. Full Story »
Artist celebrates 20th anniversary of landmark film Texas Business notes this story by Cory Stottlemyer of the Fort Bend Sun:Unlike any other, the Houston art scene has grown and thrived along with the city itself. A melting pot of various cultures and methods of expression, Houston’s art scene is constantly changing.Full Story »
Everything's Coming Up Polish Texas Business notes this story by Kimberley Jones of the Austin Chronicle:How do you put a new spin on an oft-told history? Full Story »
Meryl Streep interacts with rapt University of Texas students Texas Business notes this story by Michael Barnes of the Austin American-Statesman: Asked by a University of Texas student whether she ever foresaw an acting career crowned by more than 100 major awards, Meryl Streep cackled.Full Story »
Jenn Gotzon interview, 'Doonby' a Texas mystery Texas Business notes this story by MonstersandCritics.com:An independent film based in Texas (and also filmed there) promises to bring a rich story wrapped in mystery to the big screen.Full Story »
Texas Business reports:A Canadian firm reached an agreement with a Texas movie theater firm to equip its Bryan-College Station theaters with motion and vibration effects technology.
Austin film industry needs incubator to thrive, leaders say Texas Business notes this story by Matthew Odam of the Austin American-Statesman: The days of doing video production work in exchange for a free gym membership and thus a place to shower will seem like a lifetime ago for local filmmaker Eric Hueber when he attends tonight 's world premiere of his movie "Rainbows End" at the 17th annual Austin Film Festival.Full Story »
Christian indie film festival slated in Texas Texas Business notes this story by The Underground:Vision Forum Ministries announced recently the holding of the sixth annual San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, slated to be held from Oct. 25-30 in San Antonio.Full Story »
PBS to premiere film about Galveston Texas Business notes this story by Bronwyn Turner of the Galveston County Daily News:GALVESTON — A new documentary film on Galveston, its history and response to Hurricane Ike will premiere on Houston’s PBS station Monday night.Full Story »
The Houston lawyer behind Mao's Last Dancer Texas Business notes this story by Susan Carroll of the Houston Chronicle: When famed Chinese ballet dancer Li Cunxin first met Houston immigration attorney Charles Foster in 1981, they sat down in Foster's downtown Houston office and quietly sized each other up.Full Story »
Take A Look Into The Dark Mirror At Waco’s Horror Film Festival Texas Business notes this story by KWTX:A new film festival is getting Waco in the spirit of Halloween. The Dark Mirror: Waco’s Horror Film Festival is a free film series that will take place from 6-9 p.m. at the Bosque River Stage on three nights this month: Oct. 16, 22 and 30.Full Story »
SXSW’s First Round of 2011 Panels Texas Business notes this story by Nigel M. Smith of IndieWire: The 2011 edition of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival have confirmed the first 20 panels, culled from proposals submitted via the SXSW PanelPicker interface. Full Story »
Warner Bros. Setting The Next Big Disaster Epic In Galveston, Texas Texas Business notes this story by Katey Rich of Cinema Blend: Though Roland Emmerich has stamped his name all over the genre in recent years, disaster movies are timeless and much bigger than he is; even Clint Eastwood seems to be getting into the game with the depiction of the 2004 tsunami in his new film Hereafter. Full Story »
Latino Film Showcase Texas Business notes this story by the San Antonio Express-News:The Texas premiere of the upcoming PBS documentary "The Longoria Affair" is one of the highlights of Saturday's inaugural Latino Film Showcase presented by the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists.Full Story »
Matthew McConaughey Reunites With "Dazed'" Director in Carthage Texas Business notes this story by ABC News/Entertainment: Matthew McConaughey is joining Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine in "Bernie," a dark comedy that will reunite him with his "Dazed and Confused" director Richard Linklater. is joining Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine in "Bernie," a dark comedy that will reunite him with his "Dazed and Confused" director Richard Linklater.Full Story »
Film on the Victoria Tragedy Set Mexican on Road to Moviemaking Success Texas Business notes this story by Jose Luis Castillo Castro of the Latin American Herald Tribune: SAN ANTONIO, Texas – When Pablo Veliz was 22 years old he managed to get his first feature-length film screened at the Sundance Film Festival – which immediately made him one of the most up-and-coming producers of Hispanic movies in the United States.Full Story »
Fantastic Fest 2010 Officially Kicks Off Down in Austin Texas Business notes this story by Jeremy Kirk of FirstShowing.net: For many, Austin is the center of outside of the box, that civilization of abnormal and cool that anyone who gets a taste wants so much more.Full Story »
The Rise and Fall of Blockbuster Texas Business recommends this story by Newsweek: Before Blockbuster became a video store behemoth—and, now, a firm that has filed for bankruptcy—it was, in fact, an oil company.Full Story »
Movie Mojo Q&A with Texas actor Thomas Haden Church Texas Business notes this story by AccessAtlanta.com: Born in Texas, Thomas Haden Church, employed his distinctive voice as a radio deejay and a voice-over announcer before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.Full Story »
Looking for Luck in South Texas Texas Business notes this short film by the New York Times: Alec Soth shot in South Texas: In this installment of the Continental Picture Show series, Alec Soth tests his fortune among bingo players and lottery hopefulsFull Story »
Chris Vognar reports from the Toronto Film Festival Texas Business notes this story by Chris Vognar of the Dallas Morning News regarding Boxing Gym, set in Lord's Gym, a modest Austin boxing cathedral where men and women sweat, spar, train, bond and generally do the things fighters do.Full Story »
Texas Business notes this story by Melissa Vega of ValleyCentral.com: You might know him best for his break out role of "Pedro" in hit movie Napoleon Dynamite.
Texas Business notes this story by Crystal Olvera of the Monitor:With the CineSol Film Festival returning this weekend, Festiva takes a look at some of the Valley's brightest up-and-coming filmmakers, each of whom has made substantial strides in fostering the Valley's nascent but promising movie industry.
Texas Business notes this story by Sarah Scroggins of the Daily Toreador:Screaming girls, and guys, were crowded around the front door of Crickets Bar & Grill around 2 A.M Tuesday morning to get a glimpse of Twilight’s Robert Pattinson.
Will ads touting new-release DVD advantage revive Blockbuster? Texas Business notes this story by Maria Halkias of the Dallas Morning News: If Blockbuster Inc. can get the rest of the world to believe it's not dead yet, it could be led to life after debt restructuring by a clever advertising campaign being tested in two cities.Full Story »
New company taking over historic Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff Texas Business notes this story by PegasusNews.com: DALLAS — The Oak Cliff Foundation has officially handed the keys to the historic Texas Theatre over to Aviation Cinemas, Inc., a newly formed movie theatre company Full Story »
Angelika theater abruptly fades to black Texas Business notes this story by Michael Reed of the West University Examiner: The Angelika Film Center — one of two non-university affiliated theaters to show independent films in Houston — closed its doors abruptly Sunday.Full Story »
'Last Dancer' is a well-choreographed bit of Texas history Texas Business recommends this story by Cary Darling of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Mao's Last Dancer, based on the real-life struggles of Chinese ballet dancer Li Cunxin who defected to the U.S in the early '80s, will have special resonance for Texans, especially those in the dance community.Full Story »
Texas Business notes this story by Gerald Peary of the Boston Phoenix:EL PASO, TEXAS - It's the West Texas city that Whole Foods forgot, though the chain started up in Austin.
Waco Hippodrome curtain still a ways from rising Texas Business recommends this story by Carl Hoover of the Waco Tribune-Herald: The Waco Hippodrome Theatre’s padlocked doors and darkened interior will remain that way for months as its managing board seeks to pay off roughly $500,000 in loans, unpaid bills and refunds before moving ahead with a new programming strategy.Full Story »
Hollywood revives 'Texas Monthly' writer's screenplay Texas Business recommends this story by Alan Peppard of the Dallas Morning News: Texas Monthly's Dallas scribe Skip Hollandsworth is smiling cautiously, but little more, after the news that actors Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine are attached to star in a film he wrote with Dazed and Confused and School of Rock director Richard Linklater.Full Story »
Leander Becomes Film-Friendly City Texas Business notes this story by Jenn Raines of the Community Impact Newspaper: The City of Leander recently received its Film-Friendly Texas status by the Texas Film Commission after completely a process that started in March.Full Story »
Texas Business notes this short story by Alex Glenn Prather of CBS 7 News:Midland, Texas- An actor from here in West Texas is starring in a movie set to hit theaters next year.
Dobie movie theater closes its doors Texas Business notes this story by KVUE: There will be one less movie house in Austin now that the Dobie movie theater near the University of Texas campus has announced it is closing its doors.Full Story »
Texas Business notes this story in the The Paper:The husband and wife team of Cliff and Mandy Holverson, owners and makeup artists of Closed Casket will be shooting their first short film.
Texas Business notes this press release from University of Texas at Austin: AUSTIN--Paul Stekler, a critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker known for his films about American politics, has been appointed chair of the Department of Radio-Television-Film.
Texas Business recommends this story by Mike Baird of the Corpus Christi Caller Times:CORPUS CHRISTI — Playing football at Ray High School cinched one local man’s dream of performing on a different stage in Hollywood.
Texas Business recommends this story by Gaby Loria of KVIA:EL PASO, Texas -- It was a big night for the local actors showcased in an independent film with a Sun City connection.
Texas Business notes this story by of Pegasus News:artnering with the Texas Association of Film & Tape Professionals, Dallas-based USA Film Festival has scheduled a three-program evening of Texas-made films for August 23 at the Angelika Dallas.
Texas Business notes this story By Craig Hlavaty of the Houston Press:In 1972, the Rolling Stones were arguably at their live zenith, rumbling through the world behind that year's Exile on Main Street and blazing a debauched path of crazy sex, deviant drugs and bluesy rock and roll.
TexasBusiness.com notes this story by Swamplot:The vacant Falstaff Brewery in Galveston will be one of the shooting locations for the Epiphany Filmwerks production Hellstorm, about a group of architecture students trapped at the locale during a hurricane.
TEXASBUSINESS.COM reports:The Harry Ransom Center, a humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin, has introduced an initiative to raise $30,000 to restore and preserve five original costumes from "Gone With The Wind" (1939),the university announced in a prepared statement.
Larry McMurtry's Memoir TexasBusiness.com recommends this story by Bruce Feirstein of the Wall Street Journal: n this summer of moviegoer discontent—when 3-D and computer graphics seem to have trumped coherent storytelling, and when the megaplexes are filled with sequels, remakes and cheesy '80s TV shows turned into thuggish action extravaganzas, where the ever-rising body count is what passes for character development—it seems like a reasonable question to ask: What happened to storytelling?Full Story »
'Bernie' Will Reunite Jack Black and Richard Linklater TexasBusiness.com recommends this story by Jette Kernion of Cinematical: The news spread quickly around Austin film circles today via a casting call notice on the Short Film Texas website: Richard Linklater was starting casting for his new feature film Bernie, which will be shot in East Texas and Austin this fall. Full Story »
Zionist talk show to film in Houston TexasBusiness.com recommends this Houston Chronicle story by Kate Shellnutt: Houston native Ari Abramowitz is taking his Israeli talk show on tour, stopping in his hometown, a place he says helped inspire his outspoken commitment to the Jewish state.Full Story »
Film fest hits the road from Little Italy to Joliet Prison TexasBusiness.com recommends: A legendary group of independent theaters in Texas, Alamo Drafthouse, will take its summer film festival on the road this August with nine free screenings, shown across the US in locations where the films were shot or set, reports The Independent of the United Kingdom. Full Story »
A film crew for an independent movie starring Venezuelan actor Fernando Carrillo is currently shooting in Elsa. Carrillo made a name for himself as the hunky star of the popular telenovela “Rosalinda” (1999), alongside Mexican singer/actress Thalía. He has also acted in films such as “Love Equation” (2009), “Pit Fighter” (2005) and “2+251” (2004), reports Amy Nichol Smith of the McAllen Monitor.
SMU documentary to depict plight of undocumented students in North Texas Daniela Balderas and Erik Burgos have seen the struggles that fellow students can go through if they are in the country illegally – and they wanted others to see those hardships, too.So, the two Southern Methodist University seniors decided to make a documentary about those students in North Texas, reports Neena Satija of the Dallas Morning News.
Doug Pullen: Plaza Classic Film Festival frenzy nears TexasBusiness.com notes: EL PASO -- It's T-minus nine days and counting until the third annual Plaza Classic Film Festival and already organizers can measure just how much more aware people are of it. About 4,500 tickets had been sold as of late last week for its more than 70 movies and events, reports Doug Pullen of the El Paso Times. Full Story »
Two more local Blockbuster stores bite the dust The end credits rolled for two of three Amarillo locations operated by struggling Blockbuster Inc. The movie- and game-rental chain closed stores at 707 E. Amarillo Blvd. and 7232 Hillside Road, but the location on Southwest 34th Avenue at Georgia remains open, reports Karen Smith Welch of the Amarillo Globe-News.
OUR TOWN: East Texan's film to be shown at Oakwood High School PALESTINE — A special showing is planned Saturday for the independent horror film penned by Oakwood native Dorell Anthony. The film “Homecoming” will be shown at 4 p.m. Saturday at Oakwood High School, reports Cheril Vernon of the Palestine Herald-Press.
TV series 'Chaos' saved, but it may not film in North Texas after all Television series Chaos will shoot 13 episodes for CBS, but not necessarily in the expanding North Texas production scene as originally planned. A last-minute deal was cut late Wednesday between 20th Century Fox Television and CBS to shoot 13 episodes of the series as a midseason replacement, reports the Dallas Morning News. Full Story »
Blockbuster Inc. has had little to smile about lately, but it's taking a humorous approach in a test advertising campaign touting the 28-day advantage it has over rivals Netflix Inc. (NFLX) and Redbox for some new movie releases. The movie-rental giant, feverishly working on a recapitalization that it hopes can allow it to avoid a bankruptcy filing, this week began airing television commercials in Reno, Nev., and Charlotte, N.C., markets, reports Mary Ellen Lloyd of the Dow Jones.
Texas Theatre to screen Kirby Warnock's 'Return to Giant' A mere 55 years ago, Hollywood came to Marfa, Texas, for the making of the monumental Giant Next week at the Texas Theatre you can journey behind the scenes of that storied production in the West Texas summer of 1955, reports Roy Appleton of the Dallas Morning News.Full Story »
Family film project in Utopia looking for extras Seven Days in Utopia, based on the inspirational novel by David Cook, will film in Utopia, August 11 through Sept. 1. The film stars Robert Duvall and Lucas Black, reports Carolyn B. Edwards of the Bandera County Courier. Full Story »
Coastal Bend filmmakers compete in Texas Monthly film contest Saturday CORPUS CHRISTI — Three local filmmakers will have their short films judged by some of the movie industry’s biggest names. That may be better than the top prize, a Flip high-definition video camera, reports Steven Alford of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Full Story »
Two local filmmakers from Carrollton — unsure of their futures — followed their passion and made a film that has garnered numerous awards from some of the biggest film festivals around.
Cliff and Kyle Bogart are graduates from Creekview High School and the University of Texas, reports James Roth of the Carrollton Leader. Full Story »
Asian Film Festival Starts In Dallas Friday marks the first day of events for the 2010 Asian Film Festival of Dallas (AFFD), with shows at the Magnolia Theatre starting at 2 p.m. But you'll want to husband your energy resources, because the height of fun on Friday comes at the very end of the day, as festival organizers are holding a RoboGeisha costume contest, reports John P. Meyer of Pegasus News.
Vintage Movie Posters Sold At Texas Auction A Lacombe resident scored $44,200 off vintage movie posters at a Dallas, Texas auction last weekend. Three years ago, Blaire Pitre, 39 made a wealthy discovery in his Lacombe home — 360 vintage movie posters. On July 16 and 17, 40 of those posters went up for auction, reports Jasmine Franklin for the Lacombe Globe. Full Story »
AFS Doc Tour: Doxita: Life Is a Progress Karen Cirillo will bring this warmly received program to Austin as part of the Austin Film Society's long-running Documentary Tour series, reports Anne S. Lewis of the Austin Chronicle. Full Story »
Film crews keep bringing Waco to big screen Waco residents shouldn’t be surprised if they occasionally spot a scene that looks familiar when they watch a movie. Although still a bit player, the city is getting attention from movie crews wanting to use areas of the city as locations for scenes, reports Bill Teeter of the Waco Tribune-HeraldFull Story »
Asian Film Festival of Dallas 2010 The Asian Film Festival of Dallas launches another year of amazing work from Asian and Asian-American artists at its 9th Annual Film Festival, taking place July 23-29 at Landmark's Magnolia Theatre and Angelika Film Center Dallas, reports the Dallas Film Commission. Full Story »
"Winnebago Man," directed by University of Texas film teacher Ben Steinbauer , is a warmly funny character portrait that explores the culture of unwanted online fame by way of case study, reports Mark Olson of the Los Angeles Times.
Lewisville local shoots and stars in film near her hometown Brittany Joyner has always dreamed of producing and acting in her own films. So now that she's working on her second production, she couldn't imagine a better place to film than just outside her hometown of Lewisville, reports Kara Koloini of the Dallas Morning News. Full Story »
'Giant' returns to Abilene's Paramount Theatre TexasBusiness.com recommends: In 1956, the first time “Giant” played at the Paramount Theatre, people lined up down the block to buy tickets and then again to get in, reports Larry Zelisko of the Abilene Reporter-News. Full Story »
'Giant' returns to Abilene's Paramount Theatre In 1956, the first time “Giant” played at the Paramount Theatre, people lined up down the block to buy tickets and then again to get in, reports Larry Zelisko of the Abilene Reporter-News. Full Story »
Our Eight Favorite Musical Moments From Texas-Shot Films If Chainsaws, Slackers and Spy Kids sounds like a titillating title for a book, it's only because the book itself deals with some of the most provocative indie films in recent cinematic history - many of them made by Texas-born filmmakers, reports Brittanie Shey of the Houston Press. Full Story »
Predators' Premiere at the Paramount It may have been the presence of Oscar-winner Adrien Brody that generated the press scrum outside last night's Predators world premiere at the Paramount, reports Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle. Full Story »
Fredericksburg Film Festival Carrie Hoover of the Texas Hill Country Magazine reports on the first-ever Hill Country Film Festival took place in Fredericksburg, Full Story »
Film touching on migrants' lives wins grand prize They've been called “lost souls of clay,” the 2,501 life-size ceramic sculptures that Mexican artist Alejandro Santiago has created to represent the men and women who have left his birthplace of Teococuilco to seek work, reports Jessica Belasco of the San Antonio Express-News.Full Story »
Historic East Texas theater faces grim reality of modern moviegoing WILLS POINT – For years, Henry Matthew Ezell followed a Saturday ritual: He would walk from his daughter Vaudie's house on West James, just east of the cotton gin, and with his thick shoes thumping on the red-brick streets, would end up at the Majestic Theatre, which opened the door to a whole new world, reports Michael Granberry of the Dallas Morning News. Full Story »
Historic East Texas theater faces grim reality of modern moviegoing TexasBusiness.com recommends this story by Michael Granberry of the Dallas Morning News: WILLS POINT – For years, Henry Matthew Ezell followed a Saturday ritual: He would walk from his daughter Vaudie's house on West James, just east of the cotton gin, and with his thick shoes thumping on the red-brick streets, would end up at the Majestic Theatre, which opened the door to a whole new world. Full Story »
The Texas News Scrawl is a handy reference to stories Texas Business recommends from other news sources. Some of the stories that Texas Business currently suggests include: Pipeline ruling strengthens Texas private property rights; Texas Bowl seeks new title sponsor; Insult to Injury: Texas Workers’ Comp System Denies, Delays Medical Help; American Airlines continues to shed jobs; Chemical Safety Board shut out of West probe by ATF; America’s greatest threat: Unsafe work conditions; The West News proves the value of a great weekly newspaper in a community torn up with grief and chaos; and more.
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