If you've got questions about your upcoming project and filming in Dallas, you've come to the right place.
The Dallas Film Commission acts as the “agent” for the Dallas area. The film commission is responsible for marketing and developing sales strategies to attract film and television productions to foster the growth of the industry in Dallas. We service fully-funded productions ranging from motion pictures, television, commercials, corporate videos, music videos, documentary and microdramas as well as new and emerging forms of media.
The film commission is also the official liaison between the film industry and the community, serving as a “translator”. We are also a free resource, assisting in identifying suitable venues and locations in the Dallas area as well as finding crew, equipment, housing and a wide variety of service providers. It also acts as an advocate for growth and exposure of the local industry. These resources and services include film permitting guidance, production incentive guidance, referrals for local crew and vendors, as well as studio facilities, locations guidance, liaising with governing bodies and pushing for competitive production incentives.
The Dallas Film Commission was founded in 1987 and is a member of the Association of Film Commissions International (AFCI). Additionally, the office is a member of the Texas Association of Film Commissions (TXAFC).
Have additional questions? Contact our team.
Permits, when needed are generally easy to obtain. The Dallas Film Commission does not issue film permits. Rules and regulations apply to many types of projects which includes Still Photography, Commercials, Documentaries, Feature Films, Television Series, Television Movies, Television Shows, Webisodes, Public Service Announcements, Music Videos, Student Films and Corporate Shoots.
Within the city limits of Dallas, you are required to have a Filming Permit if your production requires changes to street traffic (i.e. lane closure, street closure, sidewalk closure, intermittent traffic control, etc.), or if you are requesting to film on City of Dallas owned property. You are not required to have a permit just to roll film or tape. You can read more about the permit requirements for Dallas here.
The City of Dallas asks for 3 business days for a low-impact request, while high-impact (major street closures, DART reroutes, etc) typically take 5 business days.
The Dallas Film Commission does not produce, develop, finance or distribute productions, and does not offer creative notes on scripts or market scripts to agents and producers. If you have an idea for a new creative project, we encourage you to submit to Dallas area film festivals with pitch competitions and/or use our Dallas Crew & Vendor Directory to find Dallas area producers, production companies, or entertainment attorneys with an interest in developing new productions.
In Dallas, we currently use the State of Texas’ Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP), which is administrated by the Texas Film Commission and offers productions filming in Texas up to 31% cash grant rebate on local spending and local hires.
Listing yourself, services and credits in the appropriate professional categories in area production directories will provide exposure to productions that are shooting in the area. Directories that cover our area are Dallas Crew & Vendor Directory, and the Texas Film Commission’s Texas Production Manual (we suggest listing in both for maximum coverage). This is a free listing for crew members.
If you’re a crew member, filmmaker, production company or vendor with a minimum of one (1) paid, verifiable, production industry (film, television or commercial) credit and reside in Dallas County or any of the counties surrounding Dallas County (including Tarrant, Denton, Collin, Johnson, Ellis, Rockwall and Kaufman Counties), you can create a FREE listing in the Dallas Crew & Vendor Directory.
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While the Dallas Film Commission does not directly fund projects or maintain information about private investors for project funding purposes, we understand that financing is often the ultimate challenge for filmmakers and understanding film finance is key for all industry professionals. The Austin Film Society has helpful information about artist development resources like AFS Grants and other information on film finance here. The Texas Film Commission also keeps an up-to-date list of Other Financial Resources highlighting a variety of grants, scholarships, and crowdfunding resources available to filmmakers. Another great resource could be The Crowdfunding Playbook from Seed & Spark.
Our newsletter has a section dedicated to grants that is updated monthly.
Please register your project with us. If you are searching, please reach out to post a crew call.
Search our Crew & Vendor Directory.
There are many industry related trade magazines and websites available. Several list status of productions and all provide valuable information and insight. It’s advisable that anyone working in the business consider subscribing to and reading at least some of these publications.
The Dallas Film Commission maintains a comprehensive digital photo database highlighting Dallas' diverse locations. Our online locations gallery can help filmmakers envision their project in Dallas and helps to source leads on film-friendly locations. As you move beyond your project’s preliminary location needs, we encourage you to employ the expertise of Dallas-based location professionals. Search for local Location Scouts and Managers using our Dallas Production Directory.
Productions have been filming in Dallas for more than 90 years. Dallas boasts a highly skilled crew base and a developed network of industry vendors with professional experience working on major studio and network productions, independent projects and commercial productions alike. The DFW region has a talented crew base that is large enough to crew three projects simultaneously.
Dallas has a number of small to large-scale studio facilities, conveniently located close to downtown and ready-to-house productions. These facilities offer a variety of stages, office space, amenities and support services to meet the needs of all productions.
On average there are 234 sunny days per year in Dallas and it is highly unusual to lose any production time due to weather. During the winter the days tend to be generally mild, though it can freeze at night and the foliage takes on a winter look. Summer can be hot, but the local crews are used to working through it. Films have sometimes doubled several seasons shooting in a single month.
The Texas Film Commission maintains a dedicated webpage sharing information about labor laws for child actors working in Texas and best practices for safety on set.
While the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex encompasses several cities and over 7 million residents, the Dallas Film Commission does not have jurisdiction over the Fort Worth Stockyards. Please reach out to the Fort Worth Film Commission for their permit requirements.
The Texas Film Commission has established the Film-Friendly Texas Certified Communities program that allows cities to learn how to handle productions. If your production is filming in a city outside of Dallas City Limits, please refer to this list for an appropriate contact.
Most crew hires are not directly influenced by film commissions. Companies usually hire a unit production manager or line producer, often a local, who may have input into the employment of department heads, who often determine others employed.
Make your name and talents known to these people, so they look you up when hiring. Sometimes the usual suspects are on other jobs, and opportunities arise. Networking with crew members (even in other departments) will give you leads on commercials and other projects not included on the hotline. Networking at various industry organization meetings and events are good ways to make yourself known in the community. You can sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of our local events.
View Our Local Organizations
The Dallas Film Commission utilizes an online Locations Gallery to market Dallas as a filming destination and to showcase area film-friendly locations. If you own or represent an Dallas area film-friendly business or home that’s ready for its close-up, you can submit your property for inclusion in our online Locations Gallery for free. We do not represent any location, we only pitch them to perspective productions.
Whether you’re a crew member being offered a job, a property owner being approached by a location scout, or an actor unsure of a casting call's legitimacy, the Dallas Film Commission is here to help. Please email us with serious inquiries at: info@filmdallas.org and visit the Texas Film Commission’s Safety Online page for an overview of best practices to avoid potential scams.
Most filming takes place on private property or in a studio environment and is not open to the public. For security reasons, production companies do not typically release filming schedules or locations.
We're here to help! Email us at info@filmdallas.org
