Physical Address: 4265 San Felipe Street, Suite 1100, Houston, Texas 77027
Mailing Address: Box 22091, Houston Texas 77227
Email Us: info@samhoustonswfilmfund.com

The Sam Houston Southwest Film Investment Fund (SHSWFIF) has been established as a Texas LLC and has members that have pledged a specific level of investment into the development, production and distribution of quality entertainment content, primarily theatrical motion pictures.

SHSWFIF is chartered to: promote filmmaking in the Southwest region of the United States, attempting to maximize the existing infrastructure; invest in new and improved infrastructure where needed; utilize and develop local creative talent and businesses. All of these objectives are associated with a reasonable return on investment.

Our investors come primarily from the Southwestern United States, and have many years of experience in the oil and gas industry. As seasoned investors, they identify the striking similarities between investing in the oil and gas industry and investing in the business of making commercially viable motion picture content. Accustomed to carefully managing risks and realizing returns on investment, our investors are prepared to mitigate the risks inherent in film production and reap the benefits from investing with established production partners that have proven track records. SHSWFIF’s members feel strongly that the old paradigm of centralized Hollywood studio filmmaking is not always efficient and believe exploring new business models, strategies and shooting locations, particularly those unique to Texas, is paramount to success – a move we are not only strongly supporting, but also spearheading.

SHSWFIF has garnered active support from various Texas State Legislators and personnel who have agreed to draft and introduce bills in the State Legislature that will create State sponsored tax incentives and grants to help facilitate heightened interest in and employment growth of the visual arts in Texas. In addition to investing in entertainment content development and promoting new production-friendly legislation, the objective of the SHSWFIF is to support the building of the Sam Houston Film Studio, a state-of-the-art motion picture studio complex in Texas, thereby increasing local employment and supporting local businesses by bringing more film production to the state.

Since 2010, SHSWFIF’s primary focus was on prints and advertising (P&A) in the range of $8MM to $30MM as a financier to the distributor. SHSWFIF has provided tens of millions of dollars in P&A and backstop P&A financing for some of today’s most successful films with production budgets of up to $70 million.

Since the global pandemic, however, SHSWFIF has shifted its focus from P&A to a strategic combination of P&A and equity financing. When an exceptional project presents itself, SHSWFIF has the ability to fund a production’s net budget up to $60MM. The fund has the capacity to finance up to three such projects per year.

PROJECT INITIATIVES FOR 2026 AND BEYOND 

It’s no secret, we’re living in a “new reality” of motion picture production and distribution due to a perfect storm of recent events, such as the lingering repercussions of the pandemic, crippling writers and actors strikes, not to mention the rapid emergence of streaming platforms.

Unlike today’s younger audiences that’ve been weaned on horror flicks and comic book extravaganzas, adult moviegoers have grown accustomed to binging countless offerings from their favorite streamers, preferring to watch the latest releases from the comfort of their couches instead of venturing out to their local cinemas.

SHSWFIF recognizes this seismic change but is pliable enough to conform swiftly to an ever-changing industry that remains too big to fail, yet far too cumbersome or stubborn to adapt.

That’s not to say that SHSWFIF doesn’t remain bullish on the intrinsic value of a theatrical release. The marketing and cross-promotional power of an exclusive theatrical release remains unchanged. What has changed, is distribution’s business model. The 90-day theatrical window no longer exists and Hollywood has discovered (the hard way) that day-and-date releases don’t necessarily work. But a limited run of at least a couple of weeks still has the power to generate substantial awareness for a motion picture prior to its debut on a streaming platform. The smaller P&A spend becomes an efficient, cost-effective bridge to a film’s streaming premiere, stretching the picture’s marketing dollars substantially.

The cost of the average feature film in today’s Hollywood is north of $65 million U.S. dollars, not including marketing, with so-called blockbusters typically costing upwards of $150 to $300 million U.S. Dollars or more.

SHSWFIF works from a completely independent financing, production, and distribution mindset. We produce quality product, utilizing the latest technologies and finest creative talent, while focusing only on those types of projects and genres that have proven track records of success, but cost far less to produce. In fact, all of the IP Sam Houston currently controls can typically be produced for a fraction of the aforementioned Hollywood average, exclusive of P&A.

The math is simple: lower costs mean higher profit margins and far less risk for SHSWFIF’s investors.

Industry standards are constantly changing and so are the IP interests of SHSWFIF. High-quality, artistic, and commercially viable properties and concepts are always a priority. As of 2026, the fund is prioritizing certain genres and has created several specialty divisions specific to the type of projects currently under consideration, in particular well-packaged, high concept Dramas (with a particular emphasis on Historical Action/Adventure based on previously published source material). Current projects in active development include “Thunder Run” based on the Pulitzer prize-winning book by journalist David Zucchino, and “Shot Down” based on the non-fiction book by Steve Snyder.

Please adhere to the following requirements to ensure that your submission receives an equitable and comprehensive review:

Submission Requirements

When anticipating a submission to SHSWFIF please list any and all key talent attachments, estimated budget (both net & gross), the current status of the project and any other aspects (e.g., awards or recognitions) that may influence our development team’s review. If genre-specific, please include that information in your submission as well.

Upon submission, it is imperative that you attach all of the required materials pursuant to the type of financing your project may be seeking. You will find a “submission checklist” for all such materials under each of the applicable tabs on this website (i.e., “Development Financing”, “Production Financing” and “P&A Financing”). Projects that are not submitted with the required backup documentation may be summarily rejected. Only digital files will be accepted and any hardcopies, unless specifically asked for, shall not be opened or returned.

Please allow a minimum of two weeks for SHSWFIF’s development team to thoroughly review your submission.

Important: Please be advised that SHSWFIF cannot accept unsolicited projects or pitches. Therefore, if you do not currently have representation (i.e., an agent or entertainment attorney), please feel free to download our standard Idea Submission Form, which must be returned fully executed with every submission.

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