Texas Film Commission Director Heather Page

The future of the Texas TV, Film, Digital, and Gaming industries are at stake with the impending legislative session starting up just after the new year, and the woman at the forefront who’s been a valiant advocate and rich resource will be featured at our next mixer at the central location of Baby A’s on Wednesday, December 14^th: Heather Page, Texas Film Commission Director. So it would behoove every actor, writer, producer, director, crew person, equipment rental store owner, and so on not to be at this next mixer.

Heather Page received a bachelor’s degree in cinema from Denison University, a master’s degree in cinema studies from New York University, and a certificate in graduate cinematography studies from the American Film Institute. Heather is an accomplished cinematographer, having worked on major feature films and television shows such as Revenge, Friday Night Lights, Armageddon and The Green Mile. She is a former Workforce Training Administrator for the Texas Film Commission, where she helped implement the Workforce Training Program created in 2007 by the Texas Legislature. She is a board member of the Society of Camera Operators, chair of the International Cinematographers Guild Scholarship Fund, and co-founder and director of Beyond the Lights Celebrity Golf Classic.

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry asked Heather to take over as the 12^th Director of the Texas Film Commission in 2012, which she accepted. Heather describes her job as “supporting the industry”, and the commission as “one big customer service landing site for everything film.”*

“A big part of that task is administering the state’s film, television, gaming, and digital incentives, the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP). She praised former Commissioners Bob Hudgins and Evan Fitzmaurice for streamlining and reforming the process. ‘Their work,’ she says, ‘allowed me to do some polishing when I arrived, in terms of the audits, to make them consistent and fair and to make it move quicker, so that businesses aren’t waiting two years for their incentives.’”*

With the Texas legislature meeting again in 2017, the TMIIIP is once again up for review, so it is incumbent upon all of us in the industry to support the Texas Film Commission in its efforts by informing ourselves and contacting Texas Representatives and Senators to let them know our numbers and the dramatic beneficial impact that incentives have on jobs for Texas jobs and the overall economy of Texas.

Further Reading:
Texas Film Incentives on Network Austin Mixer
*Austin Chronicle article from April 2016

Get Involved:
Texas Entertainment Industry
Texas Motion Picture Alliance (TXMPA)
 

Last Month

We extend our deepest thanks to all the creative folks who shared their varied talents with us at our Third Annual Talent Showcase on Wednesday, November 9^th. What an amazing array and abundance of talent we have right here in the Austin area! As expected, performances ranging from singing, dancing, comedy, and monologues drew a large audience and kept us laughing and enjoying this fun-filled, inspiring and hilarious evening of entertainment. Thanks to all the participants and attendees. It was a blast!

Now please attend this next important mixer… and bring friends! That’s Wednesday, December 14^th @ Baby A’s. See you there.…

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Mixing & Networking @ 6:00PM, Announcements @ 6:30, Speaker @ 6:45
Followed by More Mixing & Mingling and Networking