| For a long time, Austin has been | | | | Linklater, helped create the Austin Film |
| considered the Third Coast in the film | | | | Society as a non-profit educational |
| industry, with more filmmakers on the | | | | organization. Though the organization |
| rise in Austin, and more Hollywood types | | | | began strictly as a film appreciation |
| coming to Austin to shoot their movies. | | | | group, today the Austin Film Society |
| One of the biggest proponents of the up | | | | holds their own filmmaking camps for |
| and coming filmmakers is UT's | | | | Austin's youth, has discussion panels |
| Radio-Television-Film department. | | | | with experts in different aspects of |
| Though the film courses are a challenge | | | | moviemaking, and offers an internship |
| to get into, with many vying for a slot | | | | program. |
| and low numbers of students per class, | | | | In 1999, Richard Linklater, Robert |
| many consider the red tape worth it, as | | | | Rodriguez, and other movie making heavy |
| UT has become a highly regarded film | | | | hitters approached the Austin City |
| school, comparable to UCLA or NYU. | | | | council explaining that Austin was |
| Though UT's film school is on the rise, | | | | becoming a moviemaking hotbed which |
| Austin is still not the heart of the | | | | could lead to several million dollars |
| movie industry, but some graduate | | | | for the city. |
| students have taken it upon themselves | | | | Linklater and Rodriguez went on to point |
| to get UT's student films in from of | | | | out that office and studio space was |
| Hollywood big shots, and created their | | | | hard to come by, due to Austin's |
| own film festival called CinemaTexas. | | | | constant popularity and the tech boom of |
| The award winners of the UT student film | | | | the time. In November of 2000, the |
| festival, with help from prominent UT | | | | Austin Film Society leased the old |
| alumni, get their movies screened before | | | | Robert Mueller airport from the city for |
| the Director's Guild in Los Angeles, | | | | a mere 100 dollars a year, and has |
| solidifying CinemaTexas as a true | | | | turned the old hangars into official |
| festival. | | | | sound stages called Austin Studios. |
| In 2003, the University of Texas Film | | | | Sandra Bullock was the first to bring |
| Institute (UTFI) was set up. Not only | | | | Hollywood to town with her Warner |
| does it help students keep up with the | | | | Brothers movie Miss Congeniality which |
| newest film technologies, but it is also | | | | used two stages for 5 months. Since |
| partnered with Burnt Orange Productions, | | | | then, several feature length movies have |
| allowing students to participate | | | | been shot at the studios, as well as |
| directly on feature length big budget | | | | documentaries, television commercials, |
| independent films. | | | | music videos, and photo shoots. |
| Some local budding filmmakers looking to | | | | With over 100,000 square feet of |
| gain some skills, but not deal with UT's | | | | production space, and a tolerance for |
| bureaucracy find themselves enrolling at | | | | productions at any budget level, the |
| Austin FilmWorks. Their 14 week-long | | | | Austin Studios have become popular among |
| course is taught by former UT professor, | | | | multimillion dollar blockbusters and |
| Steve Mims. When Robert Rodriguez | | | | local low budget creations alike. |
| couldn't get into UTs film school due to | | | | With the variety of filmmaking options |
| a low GPA, he turned to Mims classes for | | | | to local Austinites, and the amount of |
| insight, and considers him a crucial | | | | high end productions coming into town, |
| influence on his filmmaking skills. | | | | the possibility of becoming a filmmaker, |
| In the mid 1980s, local filmmaker and | | | | or running into a Hollywood movie star, |
| creator of cult hit Slacker Richard | | | | are ever increasing. |