Submit Your Property as a Production Location

The Texas Film Commission maintains a free database of statewide locations that are available for use in films, television shows, commercials, music videos and digital media projects.

We receive requests from media industry professionals seeking a wide range of locations including: ranches, residences, small towns, courthouses, parks, dancehalls, restaurants, and small businesses just to name a few.  If you own or manage a property in Texas that you would like to be considered as a production location, we welcome your submission for inclusion in our locations database.

Page Contents

• How To List Your Property
• Maximizing Your Location's Potential
• What To Expect After Listing Your Property
• If Your Property is Selected for Filming
• Additional Questions

HOW TO LIST YOUR PROPERTY

Before uploading your photos, please read the photo requirements below.  For an example of the types of photos to submit, view these sample galleries for houses, businesses and downtowns.

PHOTO REQUIREMENTS & TIPS

• Each submission must include a minimum of 5 to 10 different pictures of the location's interior and exterior to be considered for inclusion.  However, we encourage many more so you may submit up to 50 photos.
• Filmmakers like to see the ‘big picture,’ so think wide-angle and panorama shots.  Landscape-oriented shots are better than portrait-oriented shots.  We cannot accept close-up shots or those that focus on people, animals or events.
• Include photos of all structures on your property to showcase everything the location has to offer.  Include multiple shots of interiors and exteriors and unique features of the property even if they aren’t "aesthetically pleasing."  It could be exactly what a production is searching for!
• Try to include at least one shot of each interior room.  It may be helpful to stand in the corner of a room with the lens adjusted to the widest angle setting, or using the panorama feature on a smartphone.
• Take photos during the day for the best lighting.  When photographing interiors, turn on lights and open curtains to help brighten up photos.  Dark, out-of-focus or outdated photos cannot be accepted.
• We cannot accept small-resolution (thumbnail) photos or "photos of photos."  Modern smartphone photo resolution is more than acceptable.
• Do not overlay any digital watermark or include filters/effects that distort the picture.  If you would like to include a photo credit, please do so in the assigned text box when submitting.  Screenshots of Google Maps or similar services may not be used.
• If you have multiple locations to submit, each property/address must be submitted individually.
• Use a laptop or desktop-based browser such as Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Chrome updated to the latest version when uploading photos as using a tablet or phone can lead to errors.
• We cannot accept thumb drives, video files, or hard copy photographs/negatives.
• Once submitted, photos can only be edited, changed, or updated by Texas Film Commission staff.  Contact us for help.

After you have read all the above instructions, please click the button below to digitally submit photos.

Upload Your Photos

MAXIMIZING YOUR LOCATION'S POTENTIAL

The Texas Film Commission’s internal locations database is powered by TEXScout, which also has a public-facing website called LocationsHub.  This allows the general public to view locations in our Texas Locations Gallery at their leisure, far increasing the chances of properties and businesses to be seen by production personnel.

By default, locations are listed in both databases to maximize the chances of being contacted by a production.  If, however, you would like to list your property in only our internal database, please make a note in the 'Usage Restriction' field and we are happy to accommodate.  There is no cost associated to property owners at any time.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER LISTING YOUR PROPERTY

Once internally reviewed and approved, your photos will be added to our secure locations database.  Approved photos are then made available for viewing by media industry professionals seeking Texas locations for their projects. 

Please note that while our office will do everything we can to promote your property to industry professionals, we cannot guarantee that your property will be selected as a production location.

IF YOUR PROPERTY IS SELECTED FOR FILMING

If a production company is interested in your property, initial contact is generally made by a Location Scout or Location Manager hired by the production company.  If you are contacted, it will likely be to schedule a preliminary location scout.  A location scout does not obligate either party; it is simply an in-person visit to see if the property might work as a potential location for the project.

If your property is ultimately selected for filming, keep in mind three important things: 

1. The production company will make an offer for compensation based on how long they need access to your property and how much they have allocated in their budget to spend.  
   • From student films to indie features to studio television series, each project varies in size and scope.  There is no industry standard for location fees and pricing.  Keep in mind that every project has varying budgets for locations.
2. Industry standards and best practices encourage securing a written location agreement document executed between the production company and the property owner, outlining the agreed upon dates, rates and terms of use for any production activity taking place on your property.  A location agreement will typically be provided by the production company to be thoroughly reviewed by the property owner.
3. Industry standards and best practices also encourage working with projects that have production insurance policies in place.  Production Insurance is an industry standard that protects filmmakers, production companies and property owners supplying a location for production purposes.

All terms and conditions for location use, rates, and so forth are negotiated between the production company and the property owner—not the Texas Film Commission.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

Many people are not familiar with on-location production, so the Texas Film Commission staff is here to help offer guidance on industry standards and best practices as well as verify our working relationships with various parties, if requested.  Please contact us and ask to speak to a member of our production department with any additional questions you may have.