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After a “Landman” mention, Corpus Christi creatives push to grow a local film industry, with new symposium efforts and proposed tax incentives.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi’s mention on the Paramount+ hit series “Landman” may have been somewhat brief, but local leaders say it underscores a bigger opportunity: turning the Coastal Bend into a hub for film and music production.
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For members of the local entertainment community, that small nod is motivation to bring more substantial productions to the area.
That was a key focus Thursday at the Coastal Bend Music and Film Symposium, held at K Space Contemporary and House of Rock in downtown Corpus Christi. Organizers said the event brought together musicians, filmmakers and creatives to network and explore ways to expand the region’s entertainment footprint.
“We’re kind of on the outskirts of Texas and so we just felt it was a good idea to get everyone in the same room with like-minded interests and open up some dialogue and pull the curtain back a little bit on the industry,” said Casey Lain, owner of House of Rock.
The film component of the symposium was expanded this year after strong interest at last year’s event.
“We had one session that was scoring, it was about writing music for movies. We added it as a joint session — it was well received,” Lain said. “After that, there were a few filmmakers and people in the community who came out and said this would be a great idea if we had more film.”
Local officials say efforts are also underway at the policy level. Proposed state and local tax incentives aimed at attracting film productions are expected to be presented to Corpus Christi City Council. The incentives would be tied to verified local spending.
“So if they don’t spend anything in the Corpus Christi area then there’s no financial responsibility on our part to give them a credit or a reward, so it really is a win-win,” Drew Mayer-Oakes, Corpus Christi’s Film and Music Commissioner, said.
Organizers say the long-term goal is not to rely indefinitely on public incentives, but to build a self-sustaining industry.
“We’re looking forward to creating an industry that’s long lived and not depending on tax breaks and grants from the state or anyone else, but that it is self-sufficient,” Mayer-Oakes said.
Mayer-Oakes also pointed to another advantage for the Coastal Bend: a comparatively low cost of living to other burgeoning entertainment hubs. Supporters say that affordability can help attract and retain young creatives looking to build careers outside larger, more expensive markets.
For local organizers, the hope is that the next time Corpus Christi or actors from the Coastal Bend appear on screen, it won’t just be a passing reference but as a main feature.
