Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 19
Monday, February 19, 2007
Keep “Lights” alive! And in Austin!
Whatever it takes to keep “Friday Night Lights” in Austin, city and state officials should do. Period.
This isn’t some cheesy reality show, a la “Real World: Austin,” with slackers drinking and fighting on Sixth Street. This is a distinguished, high-quality drama series that prompted even the New York Times, which tends to look down its journalistic nose on television, to coo and drool.
In case you missed our Sunday story, “FNL” may be forced to pull up stakes in Central Texas and head for another locale if Texas and/or Austin don’t cough up some financial incentives to stay.
The cast and crew, especially creator Peter Berg and Austin native executive producer Sarah Aubrey, want to stay here. The young cast has fallen in love with their new home and quietly have become part of the community.
But NBC is looking for a way to shave about $100,000 per episode off the budget if the show is renewed for a second season. New Mexico, Louisiana and Georgia are among the state courting the production with substantial incentives.
A show about Texas high-school football needs to be filmed in Texas, and “FNL” has nestled into our environs with its own stadium at Del Valle and production offices in South Austin. They’re happy to be here; we’re happy to have them.
Texas has long touted itself as a movie mecca, but in recent years, productions have found our neighboring states more amenable financially. Our film commission does not offer incentives; other film commissions do.
Governor Perry has included an incentives package in his new state budget, but the Legislature has yet to approve it and probably won’t until mid-May. “FNL” needs to have a plan in place before then because NBC will have to decide on renewal before then.
Besides holding the bragging rights to the “FNL” locale, Austin benefits in many ways from having such a distinguished production in our midst. A cash infusion of more than $1.5 million arrives with each new episode, tourism benefits and other productions are more likely to come here if we can keep the good one we’ve already got.
So come on, city and state officials. Step up and do the right thing. The thought of South Congress Avenue without Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton and a host of gorgeous, talented young stars is just too depressing.
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