July marked a major milestone for Texas’ production industry as Trilogy Studios unveiled their new virtual production facility in Dallas, further cementing Texas’ transformation into a major production hub in the United States.

At the heart of Trilogy Studios’ new venture are three state-of-the-art virtual production stages, totaling more than 30,000 square feet, making it one of the most ambitious virtual production setups in the country. The virtual walls are designed to accommodate high-end visual effects, large-scale CGI, and immersive environments, giving the flexibility and resources required for everything from blockbuster films to episodic TV, all without the need to leave the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The facility also features a 157 foot-wide and 23-foot-tall LED volume, the largest in the state of Texas, and a 50-foot-wide and 20-foot-tall commercial stage, an ideal setting for commercial and broadcast productions. Accompanying the large stage is also a car processing stage with adjustable LED walls to capture in-camera hyper-realistic driving shots using multiple angles.

This initiative is just the first phase of a broader multi-city plan. In a statement, Trilogy Studios said that the new stages will cater to the growing demand for premium virtual production facilities in the film, television, and commercial markets.

“We believe virtual production stages are the future of filmmaking, and we are thrilled to bring this world-class facility to the state of Texas as the new creative beacon of the industry” said Studio Director Joe Worth.

This facility, featuring cutting-edge technology in collaboration with Optic8, a leading LED Volume integrator, offers filmmakers and commercial production companies an innovative and modern way to bring their creative visions to life in a controlled environment and is a testament to Texas’ tech-forward approach to media and entertainment. Trilogy’s launch is the latest step in Texas’ broader efforts to support and grow its media landscape.

In 2023, Texas passed a legislative bill that offers production companies $200 million in incentives to shoot their productions in Texas, with the ambition to position itself as a serious competitor to the traditional American production centers in Los Angeles and New York. The new legislature provides up to a 22.5% incentive, allowing the filmmakers to be recompensated this percentage amount from their total spending figure. Texas also possesses greater appeal due to the state’s business-friendly tax environment, as it is a right to work state with no income tax, making it a magnet for film productions and businesses alike looking to reduce costs without sacrificing quality.

Texas had previously allocated a $45 million incentive and found itself slowly losing ground to other up and coming states, like Georgia and Louisiana, in the competitive arms race that is playing host to film and television productions. But the Texas government had become more vocal in its backing of the production sector, realizing the economic and cultural benefits that the industry could bring to the state, and they sought to reestablish competitive incentive programs that would attract productions back to the Lone Star State.

Perhaps no one illustrates Texas’ rise as a production hub better than Taylor Sheridan, the acclaimed creator behind Yellowstone and its spinoffs. Sheridan was among a litany of A-list actors that came out in vocal support of the 2023 incentive bill, releasing a star-studded video featuring the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Owen Wilson and Glen Powell, detailing how the Texas Film Incentive actually supports real Texan jobs. Sheridan put his money where his mouth is and decided to shoot his newest series Landman in Fort Worth, which is releasing later this year in November on Paramount+. Texas officials sure hope that it will cause a ripple effect in the industry, and even perhaps a repeat of what’s been dubbed the Sheridan Effect, in reference to the gravitas that Sheridan holds and his reputation and status as an industry trendsetter.

“My goal is for Taylor to move all of his TV and movie production to Texas,” said Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. “He is a Texan and gets Texas. Working together, I think we can get it done.”

With Trilogy Studios in tow and more productions set to call Texas home, there is plenty of reason for optimism that Texas can continue to align itself as a burgeoning power of film and a viable alternative to traditional film hubs in the United States.

“After two decades in Los Angeles, I’m incredibly excited about the momentum building in the Texas film industry” said Chris Juen, co-owner of Out of Order Studios and Executive Producer of The Chosen. “I’ve seen first-hand the immense talent and potential here. Texas is quickly becoming a destination for top-tier productions, and it’s an honor to be part of that growth.”