Governor’s signature helps City of Stars in push for local films

It’s now official. Kilgore is a film friendly city.

The Kilgore Chamber of Commerce received an official proclamation from Governor Rick Perry this week, which bestowed the designation on the city and allows officials to begin advertising to filmmakers scouting locations across the Lone Star State.

“I think it’s wonderful because it’s going to allow Kilgore’s name to be put out to other cities that have had film producers come to their towns and spend a lot of money,” said Chamber President Mike Coston.

Coston, who along with the Chamber of Commerce is leading the efforts to attract filmmakers, said film crews who come to town spend money in local hotels, restaurants, catering services and other areas such as grocery stores, which brings an economic boost in addition to the added tourism of fans who want to see where their favorite film was made.

Also, Coston continued, if Kilgore gets a film or commercial shoots to come to town, the filmmakers can put some people to work.

Coston said the gubernatorial proclamation marks the culmination of a nearly year-long process of workshops, meetings with Texas Film Commission executives and tours of the city to officially prepare Kilgore for the film-friendly designation.

The film commission also brought in a photographer and videographer to capture elements of the city that may attract directors to the city.

This spring, the Kilgore city council voted to authorize the city manager to make decisions necessary to accommodate the needs of filmmakers.

Kilgore has been no stranger to the film crew in recent months as local filmmaker Lucas Kitchen completed a documentary that chronicled the first East Texas Crusade for Christ and the first stadium crusade for third generation evangelist Jonathan Lotz, grandson of crusader Billy Graham.

Other filmmakers have crossed through town as they scouted locations for movie scenes. Coston said the film commission executives expressed interest in Kilgore’s long, well lit alleyways, wide streets and other elements that reflect East Texas oilfield life, including the forest of oil derricks scattered across the city limits.

Coston said the Chamber of Commerce is assisting with the promotion of Kilgore’s film friendly designation and is putting filmmakers on notice that Kilgore is officially open for business.

“We’ve been following the guidelines and a few weeks ago we were approved by the Texas Film Commission and then it went across the governor’s desk and he signed it,” Coston said. “Now we are official. We can stick a sign out on the highway that Kilgore is indeed a film friendly city.”

Coston said he has not received many calls yet regarding making a film in the city, but said that can take time. The most important step was getting the designation and officially announcing filmmakers are welcome.

“It’s kind of like playing the lottery,” Coston said. “You can’t win the lottery if you never buy a lottery ticket. At least now we’ve bought a ticket and our chances of winning are much greater than it had been before and much greater than a lot of other cities in Texas.”

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