Hire Film Crew in Texas (2026): Local Crews, $1.5B Incentive
Texas just committed $1.5B to film over 10 years. How to hire vetted local crew in Austin, Dallas, and Houston fast, and why the TMIIIP cash grant rewards hiring Texas residents.
Hire Film Crew in Texas (2026)
Texas just went from a fringe incentive state to one of the biggest commitments in the country - and the productions chasing that money need crew on the ground now.
The $1.5 billion bet
In 2025 the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 22, committing $1.5 billion over ten years to the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP) - $300 million every two years starting September 2025. (Office of the Texas Governor)
What makes it different:
- It's a cash grant, not a tax credit - after your project wraps and the spend is audited, the state issues a direct cash payment.
- Grants run up to 31% of qualified in-state spend, with stackable bonuses.
- Qualifying Texas labor is core to the spend that earns the grant.
Note: TMIIIP includes a content-review step in the application process. Worth factoring into your timeline.
The upshot for producers: hiring Texas-resident crew increases your qualified in-state spend and keeps your costs down - no flights, no out-of-state per diem, and a crew that knows Austin, Dallas, Houston, and the hill country.
What you can staff locally
Texas crew depth has grown fast - Austin in particular, but Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston too:
- Camera - DPs, operators, ACs, DITs
- Grip & Electric - gaffers, key grips, best boys, grips
- Sound - mixers, boom ops
- Art & production - designers, coordinators, ADs, PAs
- Glam - hair, makeup, wardrobe
For what these roles cost, see the 2026 film crew day rates.
How to hire Texas crew on NeedaCrew
- Post your project - dates, city, roles, budget tier.
- Browse Texas crew by role and availability, rates up front.
- Book directly - no markup, no posting fees.
Free to sign up, free to post.
Staff your Texas shoot
The money's here. Hire the crew that's here too.
→ Sign up free and find Texas crew · or see how it works for producers
Incentive figures reflect publicly published 2026 program details and can change - confirm current terms with the Texas Film Commission and your production accountant.
Related Guides
Hire Film Crew in California (2026): Local Crews, $750M Incentive
Production is coming back to California in 2026 on the back of a $750M tax-credit expansion. How to hire vetted local LA and statewide film & TV crew fast, and which roles to staff in-state.
Hire Film Crew in Chicago (2026): Local Crews, 35% Illinois Credit
Staffing a shoot in Chicago in 2026? How to hire vetted local film & TV crew fast, why Illinois's 35% credit rewards hiring locally, and where to find DPs, gaffers, grips, and PAs.
Hire Film Crew in Georgia (2026): Local Crews, Incentive-Ready
Staffing a shoot in Georgia in 2026? How to hire vetted local film & TV crew fast, why the state's 30% credit rewards hiring Georgia residents, and where to find gaffers, grips, ACs, and PAs.