Press Releases

Leadership Change

BREAKING NEWS: Steve Hill, Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund’s Executive Director and CEO, is stepping down and turning the day-to-day management of the company over to Austin Raywood. Hill said, “It’s time for semi-retirement and for turning over the reins to new blood and a younger leadership team to address the ‘new reality’ that is today's entertainment industry and the many challenges it's faced in the wake of the recent global pandemic." Hill will move to the position of ‘Chairman of the Board’ and continue to focus his efforts on generating funds for strategic investment opportunities through Sam Houston's current network of valued investors while continuing to build on the fund’s enormous success over the years. Raywood has a long list of accomplishments in the film and television industry. His new responsibilities will encompass the business side of Sam Houston's investments, while Sam Houston's new management team will also include Steven Jon Whritner who will continue as the company’s EVP Production and Development. Hill proclaims, “This will be an amazing team with Austin overseeing the business side of the fund’s investments and Steven Jon continuing in the pivotal role of 'creative chief,' overseeing the development, acquisitions and production side of Sam Houston’s investments."

Raywood also brings to Sam Houston a new strategic alliance with The Explorers Club with the goal of developing scripted and non-scripted content focusing on modern space travel and the massive surge in today’s space industry which is projected to reach $1 trillion in revenue by 2040, particularly the extraordinary innovations and future of SpaceX.

Start of filming of THE HUNTSMAN

Announcement in Deadline

Sam Houston SWFIF congratulates our Steven Jon Whritner for writing and producing his newest film THE HUNTSMAN

Adapted by Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Steven Jon Whritner (A Father’s War, The Chin) and directed by Kyle Kauwika Harris (Out of Exile), The Huntsman is a gritty psychological thriller about a repressed ICU nurse who volunteers as a reader for a recovering coma patient who is the prime suspect in the savage murders of six young women in a small southwestern town. SafeHouse Films is in pre-production on the screen version of the novel The Huntsman by Judith Sanders. Production is currently scheduled to commence spring 2024 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

For information regarding The Huntsman, please visit TheHuntsmanFilm.com

SAM HOUSTON SWFIF ELECTS RONALD REAGAN BIOPIC

HOUSTON, TX (January 2022) – The Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund has announced that it will provide an estimated $20 million dollars in prints and advertising funding for “Reagan”, the newly completed feature from Rawhide Pictures. The parties are in the final stages of negotiations with a domestic distributor yet to be determined for the independent theatrical release.

Directed by Sean McNamara (“Soul Surfer”) and starring Dennis Quaid (“The Day After Tomorrow”) as the former president, “Reagan” was written by Howard Klausner (“Space Cowboys”) and produced by Mark Joseph (“The Passion of the Christ”). The film, which wrapped principal photography in July of last year, tells the story of Reagan during his childhood, through his acting career and into the highest office in the land. Quaid’s co-stars include Penelope Anne Miller (“Carlito’s Way”) as ‘Nancy Reagan’, Mena Suvari (“American Beauty”) as Reagan’s first wife, the actress ‘Jane Wyman’, and Oscar-winner Jon Voight (“Midnight Cowboy”) as a fictional Russian KGB agent who profiles Reagan over four decades.

“The story of Reagan is a fascinating one whatever one’s politics,” producer Mark Joseph explains. “We came at it from the angle of wondering what his enemies thought of him and how they followed him and ultimately lost to him. Nobody knew him like his enemies did – and it’s through that lens that we tell the story. It’s impossible to understand the last century without understanding who Ronald Reagan was.”

“Reagan” was partially filmed at the former president’s ranch outside Santa Barbara, California. It’s the first film to ever shoot on the private property where Reagan resided, which became known as the Western White House.

“A major factor in our decision to fund the film’s P&A was the fact that the late president’s life story is uniquely told through the eyes of a Russian KGB profiler tasked with ascertaining the risk of a Reagan presidency rather than as a fawning hero-worship tale,” says Sam Houston’s EVP Production & Development Steven Jon Whritner. “That’s what makes the film not only a remarkable drama, but an accessible one that should appeal to a wide audience. Not only that, but Dennis Quaid’s performance is a true tour de force that is sure to be remembered come awards season.”

Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund is chartered to promote filmmaking in the Southwest region of the United States, while fostering creative talent and bringing quality entertainment to a global audience. Through strategic alliances with leading production companies and distributors, Sam Houston provides financing for every phase of content creation, from development through production and distribution.

For more information regarding the Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund, please contact Steven Jon Whritner through samhoustonswfilmfund.com.

SKY’S THE LIMIT AT SAM HOUSTON SW FILM INVESTMENT FUND

HOUSTON, TX (December 2020) – Best known throughout the entertainment industry for closing high-dollar, cross-border deals, Sky Moore of Los Angeles-based law firm Greenberg Glusker, LLP is now representing the Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund, LLC in all legal matters pertaining to the ever-expanding Houston-based company’s motion picture production and investment initiatives.

Specializing in Entertainment Law, Corporate, Finance & Securities, and Film Financing, Sky is the author of The Biz, a popular book on the film industry, and the treatise, Taxation of the Entertainment Industry. He is also a mainstay on Hollywood Reporter’s “Power Lawyers” list of the top 100 entertainment lawyers in the country and is consistently listed as one of the top entertainment lawyers by Variety, having recently been recognized in the publication’s annual “Dealmakers Impact Report.”

“To my mind, there’s no one more knowledgeable in Entertainment Law than Sky Moore, particularly regarding film investing,” says Steve Hill, Sam Houston’s Executive Director and CEO. “When it comes to complex negotiations with major studios, production and financing partners or A-list talent, I want Sky leading the charge.”

“Complex and time sensitive deals are what I do best,” says Sky, adding, “Integrating all the different pieces of financing can be challenging, and instruments are always evolving. I’m a deal maker, not a deal breaker.”

With over 100 attorneys, Greenberg Glusker has remained the largest single-office, full-service law firm in California for over 60 years, with a reach that spans the entire United States and the globe.

Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund is chartered to promote filmmaking in the Southwest region of the United States, while fostering creative talent and bringing quality entertainment to a global audience. Through strategic alliances with leading production companies and distributors, Sam Houston develops content and provides financing for every phase of content creation, from development through production and distribution.

Over the past decade, in addition to developing film slates specially curated to suit its members’ varied interests, Sam Houston has provided tens of millions of dollars in prints and advertising (“P&A”) and backstop P&A financing for some of today’s most successful films, with production budgets of up to $70 million dollars.

For more information regarding Greenberg Glusker, visit greenbergglusker.com. To learn more about the Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund, please contact Sam Houston’s EVP Production and Development Steven Jon Whritner at swhritner@samhoustonswfilmfund.com or go to samhoustonswfilmfund.com.

SAM HOUSTON SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF DISTRIBUTION

HOUSTON, TX (May 2020) – Major changes are coming to Hollywood in the wake of COVID-19 and the Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund is taking steps to adjust to this ‘new reality’, including making significant changes to its long-standing business model for P&A investments.

“For years, distributors and exhibitors honored the standard 90-day minimum window between when a film opens theatrically and when it hits home video. To date, Sam Houston has adhered to this tradition,” said Steven Jon Whritner, Sam Houston’s EVP Production and Development. He continued, “However, the current pandemic has made us re-think this standard. A greatly reduced theatrical window or even a day-and-date release is quickly becoming a practical option for us, and a commercially viable one, as well. The extraordinary success of Universal‘s ‘Trolls World Tour’ only served to amplify our need to consider alternative distribution strategies.”

The ‘Trolls’ sequel dropped simultaneously in 21 drive-in theaters and on VOD, grossing an estimated $100 million dollars in On-Demand rentals in its first three weeks of release. It had a 48-hour rental price of $19.99 during a period of time when many viewers were sheltering in place due to COVID-19.

“In order to capitalize on heightened audience awareness surrounding a new film – it’s ‘buzz’, if you will – it’s important to consider unique options with regard to how a film is marketed and released in today’s rapidly-changing exhibition environment. Transactional VOD, with its countless distribution platforms, has largely replaced DVD and Blu-Ray as a vital revenue stream for motion pictures,” Whritner said. “Sam Houston has determined that, moving forward, we will no longer simply ‘default’ to the 90-day window strategy; rather, we will determine our P&A investment strategies on a film-by-film basis, using all available data to decide what mode of distribution best suits a particular film. After all, no film is created equal, so why should its distribution be?”

With its new ‘hybrid’ approach to distribution and P&A funding, in particular, Sam Houston will consider straight-to-streaming or a strategic combination of theatrical and VOD for all of its future releases.

“We used to insist on a wide theatrical release of between 1,500 and 3,000 screens with a 90-day lockout period for every picture whose P&A we financed,” said Steve Hill, Sam Houston’s founder and CEO. “Of course, we still see the inherent value in it, but with countless viable choices today, and audiences willing to pay for quality first-run content, that’s clearly no longer the sole option for distributors and savvy investors.”

With so many new and emerging streaming platforms, quality content is arguably in more demand now than ever. Because homebound audiences are craving it, streamers and television networks are clamoring for it. And although traditional cinemas are facing dire circumstances, with major theater chains now facing bankruptcy, it’s widely believed that, given time, audiences will return.

“Brick-and-mortar movie theaters aren’t going anywhere,” opined Whritner, “But exhibitors will be forced to change the way they attract audiences in light of today’s multitudinous options. COVID-19 has only served to expedite this long-gestating need for change. Moviegoers won’t be returning to theaters in pre-pandemic numbers for many months to come. So it would be frankly irresponsible for a film fund such as ours to ignore this fact. If nothing else, we have a fiduciary responsibility to our funding partners to change with the times.”

Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund is chartered to promote filmmaking in the Southwest region of the United States, while fostering creative talent and bringing quality entertainment to a global audience. Through strategic alliances with leading production companies and distributors, Sam Houston provides financing for every phase of content creation, from development through production and distribution.

For more information regarding the Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund, please contact Steven Jon Whritner at swhritner@samhoustonswfilmfund.com or go to samhoustonswfilmfund.com.

STOWE STORY LABS CONGRATULATES ALUM WRITERS

   "Thanks to the Labs I have developed a community of like-minded people and connections that have strengthened and pushed my work. I am grateful to be in Sam Houston's "faith-based" film slate with a fellow Stowe Story Labs alum." Betty Sullivan

"I was so close to not going to the Lab at the last minute because of certain pressure I was under. It's a hard decision to know in career endeavors when you should take a risk, but I am so glad I did. It's the human relationships that are developed at Stowe that make a difference. If I had not gone to Stowe Story Labs, I would not have made this big step with my project." Douglas Folsom

SAM HOUSTON FILM STUDIOS IN FINAL DISCUSSIONS

Houston’s own film and TV studio complex considers University of Houston’s campus

for its home base

HOUSTON, TX (June 21, 2019) – The University of Houston is in final discussions with the Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund for the location of the Fund’s proposed Sam Houston Film Studios complex on approximately 17.5 acres of University land located on its main campus.

The proposed building site is adjacent to the University’s Jack J. Valenti School of Communication and would include a new, four-story parking structure for both University and Studio use with space for up to 600 vehicles.

The proposal under discussion remains subject to final approval by The Texas State University System’s Board of Regents. Other possible locations under consideration include sites in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

Current designs for Sam Houston Film Studios boast five sound stages, adjacent workshop facilities, production offices, dressing rooms, conference rooms, rehearsal studios, editing suites, screening rooms, as well as flex space to accommodate any size film or TV production.

“Having a strategic alliance with a state-of-the-art motion picture studio complex right here on campus would bring incredible added value to the University’s School of Communication,” exclaimed former Board of Regents Chairman Welcome W. Wilson, Sr. “It would also greatly benefit the city of Houston by attracting a larger workforce to the area while growing the local economy.”

Sam Houston’s EVP Production and Development Steven Jon Whritner added, “The motion picture industry is a global, $40 billion dollar a year business. We believe it’s about time Texas, and Houston in particular, got a larger slice of the pie. Our wish is to attract more quality production to the state and the economic benefits that go along with it by offering the finest infrastructure and talent available. If we can accomplish this mission while enhancing what the University of Houston has to offer its students and faculty, so much the better.”

Similar strategic alliances between major film studios and universities exist across the U.S., including University of Southern California’s relationship with 20th Century Fox; the New York Film Academy’s satellite operation on Universal Studios’ lot; and Brooklyn College’s Graduate School of Cinema’s partnership with the newly expanded Steiner Studios in New York City.

In addition to the University of Houston having direct access to Sam Houston Film Studios’ facilities whenever production space is available, PBS station KUHT and NPR’s KUHF, which currently share offices and studio space in the Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting on the University’s campus, would relocate their operations to the newly constructed studio complex.

Developer for Sam Houston Studios is currently anticipated to be Gerald D. Hines, with Texas based SpawGlass anticipated to be the project’s Architectural Engineer and Project Manager.

The Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund was established to promote film and TV production in the State of Texas and throughout the Southwest region of the United States.

For more information regarding the Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund or Sam Houston Film Studios, contact info@samhoustonswfilmfund.com.

Sam Houston SW Film Investment Fund congratulates Derek Hill, Board Adviser of the Fund

Sam Houston SW Film Investment Fund congratulates Derek Hill, Board Adviser of the Fund for with his latest Emmy nominated work on “Ozark”.

Stowe Story Labs Sets Sam Houston First-Look Deal

HOUSTON, TX and STOWE, VT (September 2018) – Stowe Story Labs and Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund have agreed to a first-look deal covering potential financing and development of original screenplays and teleplays written by or being developed by Lab participants and further developed during Stowe’s popular annual Fall Narrative Lab and Writers’ Retreats.

The pact was made between David Rocchio, Stowe Story Labs Founder and President, and Steven Jon Whritner, Sam Houston’s Executive Vice President, Production and Development, during this year’s Fall Narrative Lab, held over four days from September 8-11, at the Helen Day Art Center in Stowe, Vermont. The new partnership provides Sam Houston a right of first refusal on select scripts curated by Stowe Story Labs and fitting Sam Houston’s exacting submission requirements.

Now in its sixth year of operation, Stowe Story Labs is a non-profit that brings emerging screenwriters, filmmakers and creative producers from around the world together with seasoned, working industry professionals to help get work made and seen. The Lab pairs attendees with top industry mentors, such as Academy Award® nominated creative producer Amy Hobby and Academy Award® nominated screenwriter David Magee. The Labs’ industry sponsors include SAGIndie, Seed&Spark, the Page International Screenwriting Awards, Tangerine Entertainment, and Final Draft.

“We are excited to partner with Sam Houston,” said Rocchio. “We help nurture some of the world’s best talents,” he said, “and by now working with Sam Houston we have another powerful tool to help these artists to bring their visions to life.”

“The Labs are the film industry’s best-kept secret, but not for long,” said Whritner. “Participants are drawn to Stowe both for its inspirational, scenic beauty and the meaningful program put together by the Labs. Participants come away with the tools to enhance their work and jumpstart their careers. There’s simply no better creative incubator than Stowe Story Labs,” he said.

Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund is chartered to promote filmmaking in the Southwest region of the United States, while fostering creative talent and bringing quality entertainment to a global audience. Through strategic alliances with leading production entities such as Cross Creek Pictures and Lynmar Entertainment, Sam Houston provides financing for every phase of content creation, from development through production and distribution.

For more information regarding the Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund, please contact Steven Jon Whritner at (646) 335-2643 or go to samhoustonswfilmfund.com. For information regarding Stowe Story Labs, contact David Rocchio at (802) 279-1258 or visit stowestorylabs.org.

The SHSWFI Fund has ceased and suspended further construction on the new studio

Antoine Fuqua has finished filming of the remake of "THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN" with Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt in lead roles, that is planned for release in September 2016. Antoine reports to that this new film was the most challenging to direct and may be his greatest work to date. MGM and Sony have produced and the Fund has offered P&A financing. Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund continues to support Antoine as one of the best directors of today.

Sam Houston Film Studio Ground Breaking

Pushing for The Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program funding

Steve Hill, MD of SHSWFIF, meets with Texas Speaker of the House, Speaker Straus, to push for replenishing the film and TV Tax Incentives fund by $100MM. Hill represented case tieing the funding of the new film studio to the continuation of the "Texas Rebate Program" for films produced in Texas. The new Texas studio will open December 2015.

California Productions look to Texas

For the first time, there’s a calculation of just how much coin California is losing as a result of runaway production — and it’s not a pretty picture.

According to the California Film Commission, the state has lost $2 billion in production spending since 2010.

The org’s just-released annual report on the state’s production tax-credit incentives includes an analysis of the fate of the hundreds of projects that applied for the credit but were denied via the commission’s lottery system. The report showed that in the most recent fiscal year, the 326 projects that failed to receive the credit went on to spend $211 million in California, and an eyebrow-raising $1.02 billion — or 83% of their total spending — outside the Golden State.

“The report just reinforces what we hear every day,” says Amy Lemisch, exec director of the commission. “Incentives are among the most important factors in where a project is shot.”

JULY 29, 2014 | 04:00PM PT

The Sam Houston South West Film Fund Endorses TrueSpark

Charity Helping At-Risk Youth Through Inspiring Movies 

"The Sam Houston Film studio in Austin, Texas whole healthy endorses and stands be bind this long over due and needed initiative". "No child should be at risk in this county". "We hope more will follow as our industry so sadly needs more initiatives like this" Steve Hill Executive Director and CEO

To view the TrueSpark trailer use the password: Rudy

TrueSpark Building the Foundation from TrueSpark on Vimeo.

To endorse TrueSpark, simply follow this link: 

http://www.truespark.org/endorse-truespark.html#.U3t8aqUw0ds

MOU for cooperation signed with Cross Creek Pictures

Steve Hill: CEO of Sam Houston SW Film Investment Fund LLC has signed an MOU for cooperation in the areas of 'film equity' and 'P&A financing' with CROSS CREEK Pictures CEO - Timmy Thompson. Both Companies bring credibility, experience  and their joint funding capacities to select projects.  Steve Hill says: " Working with an experienced team such as Brian Oliver and Timmy Thompson is a real honor" in light of their last films success of which the most note worthy was "Black Swan", "The Ides of March" and "Rush". "We hope this will allow the parties to combine the best of both companies; and be able to offer Hollywood a lower costs and better managed Production and Distribution process at one stop". The Fund wants to provide support to CROSS CREEK on their next films. Sam Houston Film Studio expects to open in Austin at the end of 2015 and make it available to CROSS CREEK and other production companies.

50 acres of land have been secured near Austin, TX

SHSWFIF has secured the land 20 miles south of Austin International Airport. The construction funding has been offered and accepted from a major developer in Houston and subject to permitting and civil engineering being completed in next 90 days. Construction of state of art 5 sound stages studio is expected to start summer 2014 and open Q4 2015. The Fund plans to place 2 feature films in the studio annually and will seek other production tenants to provide the investors with full utilization of the facility supporting the production of films in Texas. 

State of Texas passes tax incentive bill to support films in Texas with a 95 Mil Allocation

PRODUCTION INCENTIVE

TAX EXEMPTIONS & REFUNDS

• Up-front Sales Tax Exemptions on most items rented or purchased for direct use in production;
• Refunds of the 6% State Occupancy Tax on hotel rooms occupied for more than 30 consecutive days;
• Refunds on Fuel Tax paid on fuel used off-road.

A UNIQUE INCENTIVE: TEXAS CREW

FEDERAL TAX INCENTIVES

Sneak preview of the new Sam Houston Film Studio in Texas, Opening in 2020

The "Olympus Has Fallen" trailer released on Apple iTunes Movie Trailers

When the White House (Secret Service Code: "Olympus") is captured by a terrorist mastermind and the President is kidnapped, disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped within the building. As our national security team scrambles to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning's inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President, and avert an even bigger disaster.

Click below to view the trailer, now on iTunes Movie Trailers

Fund seeks lobbyist to push Film Tax Credit

Discussions are underway to appoint the Texas based law firm - Baker Botts - as the 'registered lobbyist' for the SHSW Film Investment Fund. An engagement letter has been signed with the law firm - Gardere LLC. - to draft the new 'Texas Film Credit Legislation'.

Antoine Fuqua’s OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, Starring Gerard Butler; Film to Open March 22th, 2013.

FilmDistrict Acquires US Distribution Rights For Olympus Has Fallen Starring Gerard Butler.

Film to be released wide in the US on April 5, 2013

Los Angeles, October 26, 2012 – FilmDistrict announced today that it has acquired US distribution rights to Millennium Films’ OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman and directed by Antoine Fuqua (TRAINING DAY). FilmDistrict plans to release the film wide on April 5, 2013.

OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN is an action thriller starring Gerard Butler, a disgraced Secret Service agent who is called back to duty when the White House is taken over by terrorists.  The movie also stars Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, Cole Hauser, Ashley Judd, Melissa Leo, Dylan McDermott, Radha Mitchell and Rick Yune.

The film is written by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt and produced by Fuqua, Butler, Alan Diegel, Ed Cathell III, Danny Lerner and Mark Gill. The executive producers are Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, John Thompson and Heidi Jo Markel.

FilmDistrict’s Peter Schlessel stated, “Olympus is a great action thriller that will keep audiences guessing and on the edge of their seat.  Everyone at FilmDistrict is happy to be in business again with Avi, Mark and the team at Millennium and with a film starring Gerry Butler, who also stars in PLAYING FOR KEEPS.”

Houston... Endeavour goes to Hollywood

FA18 view of Space Shuttle Endeavour's flyover Southern California. This video starts over Ventura and goes down the coast past Malibu to LAX and beyond.

SAM HOUSTON SW Film Investment Fund LLC Reaches Agreement with CAA Creative Artist Agency of Los Angeles

The SAM HOUSTON SW Film Investment Fund LLC has reached agreement with CAA (Creative Artists Agency) of Los Angeles to represent the company and its fund on film investments and the placements of P&A financing through the CAA Film Investment Group. Negotiations are underway to place 12 Million with Sony on to support the P&A for Olympus Has Fallen that was recently completed by Millennium Studios at Shreveport, Louisiana.  CAA will also be representing the Fund with Xian Qujiang Film and TV Investment Group, and CFG in China for the production of the full feature film about the Tang Dynasty to be released in 2014. 

Agreements have been reached with Derek Hill and Antoine Fuqua

Agreements have been reached with Derek Hill (world famous Artistic Film Director) and Antoine Fuqua (World famous top ranked Film Director) to co-own and manage a new Studio to be built in Austin Texas. 

Plans for a "Full Feature Film Studio" in Austin Texas are Underway

Funds submit Plans, Drawings and a Full application to the State of Texas for a 12 Mil Grant to fund the acquisition and building of a new "Full Feature Film Studio" in Austin Texas.  Opening is planned for 2014.