City-owned Austin Studios found to have generated $2.6B in economic impact

After a quarter century of operation, the city-owned Austin Studios facility on the site of the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport has generated more than $2.6 billion in economic impact, according to a recent study.

Last week, Austin Film Society (AFS) released its 2024 Creative Workforce Report, which focused on the economic impact of the local film industry and the workforce development benefits for film-related professionals in the area. The report found Austin Studios, a 20-acre production complex operated by AFS in partnership with the city of Austin, has helped to generate more than 1,100 projects and more than 37,000 jobs.

AFS leaders noted that data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show median pay for film and video editors and camera operators was $31.28 per hour in 2022, well above Austin’s current living wage of $21.63 per hour.

Martin Jones, head of Austin Studios, told Austin Monitor the report was partially intended to thank the city for being “visionary and helpful and growing the film ecosystem here in Austin.”

“The work that they agreed to let happen 25 years ago has begat a considerable and sizable impact on the bottom line for the city of Austin, and it solidified Austin as the major hub for production in the state,” he said.

The report also highlighted the AFS Creative Careers workforce development program that was launched in 2021 in collaboration with the city and the Grant for Technology Opportunities Program. The program has served more than 120 participants, offering an average of 150 hours of training per individual through a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on workshops and mentorship opportunities.

The program’s graduates self-reported more than 120 job placements, securing roles as production assistants, camera operators, editors and production coordinators. Notable employers of program alumni include ESPN, SXSW and Indeed.

The report noted that through Austin Public, a media production facility operated in partnership with the city, more than 550 active producers annually gain access to affordable training, equipment and studio space. Additionally, over 1,000 participants enroll in AFS’s continuing education courses each year, expanding their skills in areas such as writing, directing and animation.

Since 1996, AFS’s Artist Development programs have awarded $2.7 million in grants to over 525 Texas filmmakers, enabling them to launch significant projects and secure distribution deals with platforms such as Netflix, HBO and A24.

With private film studio projects planned on the outskirts of Austin in the coming years, Jones said the business of film and television production locally should only increase. That effort will be helped, he said, by continued support from the state Legislature and the $200 million in film incentives it approved in the 2023 session.

“The real message is we as an industry will definitely benefit from having more production capacity coming online and purpose-built spaces,” he said. “The rest of us already operating are conversions, starting with Troublemaker Studios and Austin Studios and ATX Studios, the sort of three major studios here in the city of Austin. Combined, we have over 12 soundstages, over a half a million square feet of production space spread out over about 35 acres of property.”

Jones said Austin Studios’ location close to most city amenities and commerce gives it a distinct advantage over studio facilities that are built farther away from major hubs because of the availability of large tracts of land necessary for production.

“I can’t think of another major metropolitan city that owns a movie studio and has worked with a nonprofit to create this kind of opportunity that has been an economic engine,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to Austin continuing to be that kind of place and for Texas to continue to see the value of the return on investment from having motion pictures, television, new media and video games produced here.”

Photo by AustinC21 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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