
← On Production22 sep · 26 min
Houston’s New Film Incentive Era featuring Alfred Cervantes
<p>Cameron sits down with <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0148864/"><strong>Alfred Cervantes</strong></a>, Executive Director of the <a href="https://www.houstonfilmcommission.com/"><strong>Houston Film Commission</strong></a>, to talk about what a film commission actually does and how Houston is positioning itself within Texas' new incentive era.</p><p>Alfred is a native Houstonian who has worked in the Texas film industry since 1992. Before joining the Houston Film Commission, he worked as crew on productions including <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109402/"><em>The Chase</em></a>, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110186/"><em>Jason's Lyric</em></a>, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110950/"><em>Reality Bites</em></a>, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112384/"><em>Apollo 13</em></a>, and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114168/"><em>Powder</em></a>, giving him a ground-level understanding of what productions actually need when they arrive in a new market. That on-set background informs everything about how he runs the commission today.</p><p>In the conversation, Alfred explains how film commissions help productions navigate the practical realities of filmmaking: locations, permits, crew, vendors, municipal coordination, and the countless logistical challenges that determine whether a project succeeds. He also addresses what producers most often misunderstand about what a film commission can and can't do, and why building a relationship with the commission early in the process makes a meaningful difference.</p><p>The conversation explores the early impact of Texas Senate Bill 22, how Houston's local incentive stacks on top of the state program, and why affordability, infrastructure, and crew depth continue to attract both independent features and larger productions. Alfred also discusses Houston's diverse location palette, from urban downtown corridors to rural landscapes, and why the city's growing crew base is creating new opportunities for filmmakers who haven't previously considered Texas.</p><p>If you're thinking about filming in Houston or just want to understand what a film commission can do for your production, this episode's for you.</p><p><em>The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the views of Wrapbook, its employees, or affiliates.</em></p><p><br><strong>ABOUT WRAPBOOK</strong></p><p><strong>Wrapbook is the AI pla