shoot for the stars

Dallas reels in new ranking among best cities for filmmakers in 2024

Here's to a better year for filmmakers in 2024.

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

The report can be found on moviemaker.com.

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Animal News

Wills Point, Texas man charged with cruelty for abandoning 18 animals

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Lucas Wayne Penrod, charged with animal cruelty

Another animal cruelty case has emerged from Van Zandt County, resulting in the arrest of a Wills Point man: Lucas Wayne Penrod was charged with Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals, a 3rd degree felony.

It began on Friday, October 24, when the Wills Point Police Department performed a welfare check at a mobile home within the city limits. Officers became concerned when they heard multiple dogs barking along with a foul odor of animal waste.

On October 25, after obtaining a search warrant, Wills Point PD and the SPCA of Texas ACI Unit entered the residence and found multiple animals living in deplorable conditions.

The mobile home was filled with trash and animal feces. The team discovered a total of 8 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 4 adult dogs, and 4 puppies, cruelly confined to the unsanitary living conditions on the property.

Two dogs were confined to filthy crates with no access to water.
Three puppies were in a small bathroom covered in urine and feces; one of the puppies was deceased and decomposing.
The guinea pigs were found in a cage without access to food or water.

Most of the animals showed signs of long-term neglect and were in dire need of urgent medical intervention. The animals were seized by the SPCA of Texas and transported to the organization's Dallas location for veterinary care.

Dog in cage Wills Point Lucas Wayne Penrod Dog abandoned in Wills Point by Lucas Wayne Penrod.SPCA

On October 26, Lucas Wayne Penrod, the owner of the animals, contacted an SPCA of Texas Investigator regarding the animals. The Investigator determined that Penrod had unlawfully allegedly abandoned the animals, failing to provide them with proper care, resulting in the death of one of the puppies and the critical state of the surviving animals.

On October 28, the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) Unit obtained an arrest warrant for Penrod, who was apprehended by Tyler Police Department and booked into the Smith County Jail with a $50K bond. Penrod was charged with Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals, a 3rd degree felony.

On November 1, at a civil custody hearing at the Van Zandt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 courthouse in Wills Point, Penrod relinquished custody of the 18 allegedly abandoned, cruelly treated animals to the SPCA.

"The squalid conditions these beautiful animals were living in were abhorrent--locked in spaces without food or water, in their own excrement," said SPCA of Texas ACI Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns, CAWA. "This is some of the worst mistreatment of domestic animals I've seen in my extensive career in animal cruelty investigations. In no small part, these pets owe their lives to the Wills Point Police Department. If it wasn’t for their quick thinking to involve us right away, I don't think the animals would have made it."

"This case perfectly illustrates the team effort that investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty cases in Texas is," Burns added. "We are extremely thankful to the Tyler Police Department for their efficient assistance in apprehending Penrod so that he can be brought to justice in the timeliest manner possible. And we are especially grateful to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and court system with whom we continue to partner to get justice for abused animals in their jurisdiction."