City Council voted Thursday to increase incentives for filmmaking in San Antonio as demand for local film permits and state efforts to attract productions climb.
The idea is to bring in more movie, television and commercial productions — and the dollars they spend while filming — to San Antonio.
The newly approved rules raise the rebate from 7.5% of local production expenditures to 10%, with an additional 2% bonus available for productions that hire enough local cast and crew, as well as military veterans.
City officials say the new incentives are now the best in the state. Houston offers a 10% rebate, Corpus Christi offers 5% and Austin offers 2.5%.
San Antonio funds a film rebate for movies and television shows using $250,000 from the hotel occupancy tax fund. That fund will not change, but productions can now apply for more of those dollars.
Commercials are also now eligible for film incentives, along with movies, television episodes, documentaries and music videos, which falls in line with state film incentives.
The new rules, dubbed the San Antonio Film Incentive (SAFI), also include a workforce development component. Productions have to include local workshops, intern or job opportunities or other training for local students and residents to receive their incentive.
The SAFI will be overseen by the San Antonio Film Commission, a part of the city’s Department of Arts and Culture.
These changes coincide with a statewide push to bring film productions to Texas. This year, the Texas Legislature committed $1.5 billion in incentives for movie-makers over the next decade to bring productions and the jobs and expertise they have to Texas.
If filmmakers maximize San Antonio’s local incentives with that Texas Moving Image Industry Program (TMIIP), they could qualify for a 45% rebate package, according to a press release from the City of San Antonio.
The state’s rebates start with a base of 25% for productions’ in-state expenditures with additional incentives for filming in rural or historic sites, or having faith-based content or workforce development. To qualify for the state incentives, productions must have a budget of over $1.5 million.
John Leguizamo during the production of docuseries American Historia, which was filmed partly in San Antonio. Credit: Courtesy / City of San Antonio
According to the city’s press release, San Antonio has more than doubled the amount of film permits it gives out. The city registered 221 film permits in 2022 and 586 so far in 2025.
Local filmmakers and studio owners were excited about the changes.
The incentives make a difference, said Ceslie Armstrong, the CEO of Bexar Studios and the industry group Women in Film and Television Texas.
“It’s time to step up and own being the media and entertainment hub of Texas,” she said at Thursday’s council meeting.
“This incentive update will help us attract more midsize productions and independent films,” added Daniel Ramos, a movie director from San Antonio.
Jeremy Kenisky owns Alamo City Studios. He said San Antonio’s incentives would be particularly attractive to productions when combined with the state’s. He also anticipated benefits from the workforce development component of San Antonio’s program.
“With more films coming to Texas, it’s important to focus on growing the workforce and crew base here,” he said in a text message. “I think it’s great that part of the money is tied to tangible things like this that have real economic impact.”