El Paso Creatives Push for Local Film Incentives: A Call to Action

El Paso’s film community is rallying behind a bold proposal to secure the city’s place as a true film hub. A letter sent to local leaders calls for the creation of a city-backed film incentive program that would help bring big-budget productions to the Borderland and keep talent, jobs, and opportunities right here at home.

Why El Paso Needs This

The letter highlights what many already know: El Paso has the people, landscapes, and talent to compete with the best. Productions like One Battle After Another by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Netflix’s Tex Mex Motors have proven the city’s potential. But despite the recent passage of Senate Bill 22, which boosted Texas’ state-level film incentives to $300 million per biennium, El Paso still loses productions to neighboring states like New Mexico, which offers up to 40% in refundable credits.

Without local action, El Paso risks being left behind.

What the Proposal Includes

The creative community is asking the City of El Paso to step up with a local incentive plan that would:

• Offer a 5–10% rebate on local spending, rewarding productions that hire local crew, rent locally, and spend in the city.

• Provide performance-based grants tied to jobs, filming days, and El Paso resource use.

• Streamline permitting and reduce city fees to make shooting here easier.

• Establish a film liaison at City Hall to attract productions and support filmmakers.

They’re also asking for education-focused investments, such as workshops, mentorship programs, student internships, and a city-backed equipment lending program, all designed to build a workforce pipeline and keep young talent from leaving El Paso.

The proposal recommends an initial pilot fund of $250,000–$500,000 in the FY26 budget, with clear performance metrics and annual reviews.

Why It Matters Now

Film is more than just entertainment. It is jobs, economic growth, and cultural visibility. Productions bring high-wage employment, boost local businesses from hotels to hardware stores, and showcase El Paso’s culture to global audiences. Perhaps most importantly, a strong film industry would highlight El Paso’s unique binational identity and create long-term opportunities for young creatives.

The letter is clear: this is about more than movies. It is about economic diversification, tourism, and civic pride.

How You Can Support

The filmmakers behind the proposal are urging El Pasoans to reach out to their local leaders and voice their support. If El Paso invests now, the city has a chance to compete directly with New Mexico and attract productions that could bring millions into the local economy.

This is a pivotal moment. The foundation is already here, now it is up to our city leaders, and the community that stands behind them, to seize it.