How Taylor Sheridan is changing the Texas film industry

The latest: "Landman," set in the West Texas oilfields, was one of the 10 most streamed original series in the last quarter of 2024. The premiere had 35 million global streaming viewers, per Paramount+.

• The show, starring Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore, is currently casting college students for the next season.

The big picture: The Texas film industry is hoping to push a major tax incentive package through the Legislature.

• Films and TV shows set in Texas are often filmed in other states because of more generous tax credits.

Zoom in: Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker wants to boost filming in the state and locally, saying the industry has had a $700 million economic impact on the city since 2015.

• Sheridan films many scenes in his shows in or near Fort Worth. Filming "1883" led to 13,325 booked hotel nights in the city.

State of play: Sheridan grew up in Fort Worth, where he was both a theater kid at Paschal High and a ranch hand on the weekends. He uses his real-life Texas experiences in his work.

• "Everybody wants to be a cowboy," Sheridan told Texas Highways in 2021. "It's a romantic way of life. But it's rarely portrayed realistically in Westerns. We want to show the real cowboy life."

The intrigue: Lt. Gov Dan Patrick said the state increased its film incentives after a 2023 dinner meeting he had with Sheridan.

• "Based on the new incentives, Taylor moved virtually all his productions to Texas. Small towns in Texas suddenly had movie crews and millions of dollars spent in their economy," Patrick posted on X.

Follow the money: The current Texas Senate budget proposal includes nearly $500 million to revamp the Texas film incentive program.

• It consists of $48 million in grants for small films and TV commercials, and up to $450 million in new tax credits.
• The proposed House budget includes $68 million for state film agencies and film and television incentives.