Dallas is a great place for filmmakers, a new industry report says - but not quite as red carpet-worthy as it was in 2023.

The city ranks No. 25 on a new list of best big cities to live and work as a moviemaker by film industry magazine MovieMaker. Dallas falls five spots from its rank as No. 20 in 2023, but is still among just four Texas cities to make the 2024 list. (Neighboring Fort Worth did not make the cut this year.)

MovieMaker's annual list ranks the best cities in North America for individuals to live while working in film, based on surveys, production spending, tax incentives, additional research, and personal visits whenever possible. The list is divided into two categories: 25 big cities and 10 smaller cities or towns.

The magazine praised the variety of shooting locations throughout the city, from urban areas like the Dallas Arts District to places out in nature like White Rock Lake, Fair Park, and more. Dallas' rank is also bolstered by a 10 percent hotel discount incentive (for film crews staying in Dallas longer than 15 nights), on top of Texas' rebates that can go up to 22.5 percent.

High-profile projects shot in Dallas include HGTV's House Hunters, We TV's Love After Lockup, and the crowdfunded American Christian drama series The Chosen.

"Nearby film programs at the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University infuse the city with bright-eyed young filmmakers — and best of all, the people of Dallas have embraced the film industry and imbued the filmmaking community with a sense of camaraderie and excitement," the report's author wrote.

Also factored into Dallas' rank were major events like the Dallas International Film Festival, which draws in thousands of industry experts, filmmakers, and fans to the city every year. The report says the festival has contributed over $1 million in prizes since its inception in 2006.

"The Dallas International Film Festival does an admirable job of showcasing must-see films like this year’s Best Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize winner Bad Press, directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, and Best Narrative Feature winner Story Ave, directed by Aristotle Torres," the report said.

MovieMaker predicts 2024 will be a vast improvement for all members of the film industry after a tumultuous 2023.

"Last year, like the pandemic years, was a time to reset, as much of the industry shut down so striking writers and actors could get the respect and money they deserve for their work," the report said.

The city that earned the crown as No. 1 in 2024 was Toronto, the capital of Ontario in Canada.

Notably absent from the report are Los Angeles and New York. MovieMaker famously excludes them from the big cities list — taking into consideration that both cities are already so packed full of industry creatives and opportunities — and instead focuses on more affordable places in North America.

"It’s easy in New York and L.A. to get trapped in a cycle of doing industry-adjacent jobs that won’t lead to your dream projects, or that leave you too exhausted to make your own films as you endure a long commute and testy roommates," the report's authors wrote. "When you’ve made your breakthrough — when agents and managers and studio executives and fellow filmmakers start demanding regular face-to-face meetings — maybe that’s when it’s time to move to New York or Los Angeles."

Other Texas cities that earned spots in the report include El Paso, which tied with Dallas for No. 25, San Antonio (No. 24), and Austin (No. 4).

The top 10 places to live in North America for filmmakers in 2024 are:

• No. 1 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• No. 2 – Albuquerque, New Mexico
• No. 3 – New Orleans, Louisiana
• No. 4 – Austin, Texas
• No. 5 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• No. 6 – Atlanta, Georgia
• No. 7 – Miami, Florida
• No. 8 – Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• No. 9 – Chicago, Illinois
• No. 10 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada