Texas wants a say in Hollywood portrayals

>>Taylor Sheridan calls his 2016 thriller Hell or High Water a love poem to Texas, but to film it, he had to go to New Mexico.

- 

The movie tracks brothers-turned-bank-robbers through West Texas oil country as they try to save the family ranch and stay a step ahead of the law.

But every horse, cow and oil rig shown in the film was shot east of Albuquerque, thanks to state financial incentives for the production.

“They could not ignore the 30% rebate that New Mexico offered,” Sheridan told a panel of Texas lawmakers in explaining the filming location.

The Texas legislature is trying to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Cheered on by home-grown stars including Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, lawmakers are debating the final details on a bill to provide at least $1.5 billion over 10 years to lure film, TV and video game makers.

Lt Gov Dan Patrick has made the proposal a priority and says it will turn the state into a film capital and help it “export Texas faith and family values”. But there's a condition: Texas also wants to police the content of the movies and television shows getting made.

Productions that want a grant can’t portray the state in a negative light, and judgment calls are up to a film commissioner appointed by the governor. Conservative lawmakers are questioning whether taxpayer dollars should go to projects that may clash with religious views or portray the kind of violence, sex scenes and profanity that run through a recent Sheridan hit, Landman.