WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The City of Waco’s newest Chief Economic Development Officer is a film and TV fan, and plans to make his way out to the Waco Independent Film Festival to show his support.
Senior neighborhood reporter Bobby Poitevint caught up with him before, and Danny Chavez says he is already brainstorming ways to advance the film and TV industry in Waco.
The Waco Indie Film Festival is four days of events filled with films, panels, awards and parties celebrating talents near and far.
Outside of independent films, several productions have been shot in Waco — including FX’s 'Pistol' which brought in Oscar-winning British director Danny Boyle, who shot some scenes in Waco in 2021 for the 6-episode series on the Sex Pistols' 1978 tour.
Some scenes were shot outside of the ALICO building in Downtown Waco.
25 News met Chavez outside of the ALICO building to talk about his vision for film and TV in Waco.
While Chavez is only two months in on the job, he’s been in this type of work for just over a decade working in both Carolina’s and even previously in Texas — and while in those roles helping highlight the film and TV industries across those communities.
Now, he wants to continuing highlight all of the great features Waco has to offer outside of Hollywood.
“I think Texas has been strategic in what they wanted to go after. I think just figuring out what our niche focus is, Chavez said.
"We want to find all of the different opportunities — I think for us it’s important just to establish where we want to be at in film, how we grow that, and how we work with the state to continue to grow that.”
Texas is no stranger to film makers.
The Lone Star State has a grant program called the Texas Moving Image industry Incentive Program and in the 15 years since it started almost $2 billion was spent in Texas communities boosting local economies just like Waco.
Chavez wants to see that continue to grow.
He has seen what states like Georgia have done to boost their economy through film and TV and he wants to develop those same ideas here.
Which makes sense because, as previously mentioned, Chavez is a film and TV lover himself.
His favorites range from mob movies to comedies — the cinema gives him a window into a different world and a break from our own reality.
"Everything goes on in the world and we get to go home and watch a movie or show.”
Texas, according some reports, ranks in the top ten states for most productions made and there have been thousands of major ads, movies and TV shows made in Texas since the start of film making.
