Austin is no longer just the place where indie darlings get made. It’s one of the busiest production cities in America — ranked fifth out of 25 North American cities on MovieMaker Magazine’s 2026 “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker” list, and the top-ranked city in Texas. With a cash rebate of up to 31% of eligible Texas spending drawing studios from Los Angeles and beyond, productions are setting up in Austin for months at a time, and they are casting local talent for speaking roles, recurring background, stand-ins, and commercial gigs.
Here’s how Austin’s production scene actually works in 2026 — the incentives pulling projects in, the studios they shoot at, what they film here, and exactly how talent gets booked.
Why Austin Is Booming Right Now
The short answer is money. Texas rebuilt its film incentive program into one of the most competitive in the country, and productions followed the math.
The Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP), run by the Texas Film Commission, offers qualifying film, television, commercial, video game, animation, visual effects, and XR productions a cash grant of up to 31% of their eligible Texas spending. The grant is paid after a review of Texas expenditures — it’s real money back, not a credit to figure out how to monetize. In 2025, Senate Bill 22 dramatically expanded the program’s funding through 2035, putting Texas in the same conversation as Georgia and Louisiana for incentive-backed shoots.
For productions, the city stacks even more on top. Austin’s Creative Content Incentive Program adds up to 2.5% for qualifying Austin-made
film and television productions based on livable wages paid to local residents. Combined with the state program, the Austin Film Commission
has cited potential combined rebates north of 33% — a number that gets producers on planes.
Austin adds practical perks, too: no rental or reservation fees for filming on city property, up to two free police officers for qualifying productions, no universal film permit requirement, and a dedicated film office to clear the path. The crew base is deep — Texas productions are required to keep it that way, as you’ll see below.
The Money Behind the Scenes: How the Texas Incentive Creates Casting Jobs
The incentive isn’t just a producer perk — it’s the reason background actors and day players in Austin keep getting called. Here’s why: to
qualify for the state grant, a film or TV project must meet four thresholds:
- Minimum spend: $250,000 in eligible Texas spending ($250,000 per season for episodic TV)
- Texas footprint: At least 60% of the production completed in Texas
- Local crew: At least 35% of all paid crew must be Texas residents
- Local cast: At least 35% of all paid cast, including paid extras, must be Texas residents
That last line is the key one for talent. On a series with a 200-person local cast-and-crew footprint — Taylor Sheridan’s 1923, which shot at ATX Film Studios in Austin, reportedly hired 200 combined cast and crew locally, spent $15 million on local wages and $23 million on local non-wage expenditures, and generated an estimated $51.8 million in economic impact for the city — dozens of background actors, stand-ins, and day players come straight from the Austin talent pool. Productions can also stack additional grant bonuses (for hiring Texas-resident veterans, filming at Texas historic sites, workforce development partnerships with Texas colleges, and more), but the total can never exceed 31% of eligible in-state spending.
The takeaway for actors: every incentive-qualified production has a contractual, financial reason to hire you instead of flying someone in. Being a Texas resident isn’t a soft preference — it’s a program requirement.
Where Productions Set Up Shop: Austin’s Studios and Stages
Austin’s stage capacity is the other half of the boom. Here’s the lay of the land:
- Austin Studios (Austin Film Society) — a 20-acre campus near the airport with sound stages, production offices, and a deep indie-to-studio track record. The CW’s Walker, starring San Antonio native Jared Padalecki, shot here.
- ATX Film Studios — the facility that landed Taylor Sheridan’s 1923 after Austin Studios was fully occupied at the time. A sign of how tight stage space has gotten.
- Troublemaker Studios — Robert Rodriguez and Elizabeth Avellan’s facility, the longtime home of Austin’s genre and commercial production, where Rodriguez’s series From Dusk Till Dawn was cast and shot.
Austin’s independent film roots run through all of this. Director Richard Linklater and producer Elizabeth Avellan built careers here long before the incentive money arrived, and the city still carries that indie-film culture alongside its new studio volume. The practical result: Austin productions range from $100-million-plus series to scrappy features shooting in the Hill Country — and both ends cast locally.
What Films in Austin: The Types of Productions You’ll See
Austin’s production mix is wider than most actors realize. Based on what’s shot here historically and the projects the incentive program
attracts:
- Prestige television: 1923 (Paramount+), Walker (The CW), Fear the Walking Dead (AMC, seasons 4–7), Love and Death (HBO), Panic (Amazon Prime), and Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn all put Austin on their call sheets.
- Feature films: Austin’s indie legacy continues to draw features, plus studio projects chasing the 31% rebate.
- Commercials: Austin is a major commercial production market. National brands shoot spots here regularly — past Project Casting listings include commercial extras work in Austin paying $200–$250/day for one-day shoots. Commercials are the steadiest paycheck source for
non-union local talent. - Music videos and branded content: The city’s music and creator economy feeds a constant stream of smaller shoots.
One caution: productions cycle in and out. A show can be the biggest employer in town one season and gone the next. The smart play is to
register with casting databases and stay visible so you’re ready when the next production arrives — not to bank on one show lasting forever.
How Austin Casting Calls Actually Work
Casting in Austin runs through a smaller, more relationship-driven network than Los Angeles or Atlanta. Here’s the machinery:
Extras casting directors and companies. Austin has dedicated background casting operations — for example, Lenz Casting, an Austin-based company that casts background actors and stand-ins for television, film, and commercial productions. Extras casting directors
maintain standing databases of local talent and pull from them when productions hire. Getting into those databases — with current photos,
sizes, and availability — is the single highest-leverage move a new background actor can make.
The Texas Film Commission Job Hotline. The state’s film office maintains a Job Hotline listing casting calls for productions currently hiring in Texas. To apply, you email the listed contact with your information and recent photographs. If you’re needed, the production contacts you with reporting details — and the Commission’s official advice is to always get a deal memo or contract detailing your pay rate and work dates, even for unpaid work.
Commercial casting. Commercial shoots in Austin frequently cast through local casting offices with fast turnarounds — often a few days
between the call and the shoot. Rates for non-union commercial background work in the Austin market have historically run $200–$250/day, and these one-day bookings are the bread and butter for local talent between series.
Principal casting. Speaking roles on series and features shooting in Austin are cast through regional casting directors who work with
agents across Texas. If you’re pursuing principal work, getting reputable Texas representation matters — and remember that 35% local-cast requirement works in your favor on incentive-qualified projects.
Background Work in Austin: The Numbers
Background acting is the most accessible entry point in the Austin market, and the pay math is straightforward.
- SAG-AFTRA background rate: $224/day (general background), $234 for special ability, $262 for stand-ins — under the current contract
running through June 30, 2026. - Non-union commercial extras in Austin: Historically $200–$250/day for 10–12 hour days on one-day commercial shoots, based on past Austin casting listings.
- Series background: Varies by production and union status. Past Austin series casting calls have listed rates from under $100/10 hours on non-union shows to SAG scale on union productions.
A working background actor in Austin during an active series season can realistically book several days per week. At $224/day, three days
a week is $672/week — roughly $2,600–$2,900/month before taxes, as an estimate for a busy stretch. It won’t replace a salary, but during a 4–6 month series shoot, it’s real income — and a path to stand-in work ($262/day), which is the steadiest background-adjacent gig on any set.
To maximize bookings: register with every local extras casting database, keep photos current (update every 6–12 months or after any major appearance change), list your real sizes accurately, and answer availability requests fast. Casting directors book the reliable people first.
If You’re Not Local: Can You Still Get Cast in Austin?
Yes — with one major caveat. The 35% Texas-resident cast requirement means productions actively need locals, so “local hire” is the default for background and most day-player roles. Here’s the honest breakdown:
- If you live in Texas (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio): You’re a Texas resident and satisfy the requirement. Many Austin productions consider the broader Texas talent pool for background — but expect last-minute call times and changes, so be ready to drive.
- If you live outside Texas: Most background casting calls specify local hires only, and productions won’t pay travel for extras. You can
still submit for principal roles if you have representation and can self-tape, but relocating or establishing genuine Texas residency is the realistic path to regular work. - Thinking of moving? Austin’s cost of living is meaningfully lower than Los Angeles, the crew and talent community is tight-knit and welcoming, and the incentive pipeline suggests multi-year demand. Just don’t move for one show — move for the market.
How to Get Cast in Austin: A Practical Checklist
- Get into local casting databases. Register with Austin extras casting companies and the Texas Production Directory’s listed casting
directors. This is step one, before headshots, before classes. - Get real headshots. You need a clean, current headshot and a full-body photo that look like you on a normal day. Update them yearly.
- Watch the Texas Film Commission Job Hotline. Check it regularly and submit fast — early submissions get seen first.
- Set up casting alerts. Follow Austin casting offices and check casting platforms daily. Commercial calls move in days, not weeks.
- Take classes and get on stage. Austin has acting schools, coaches, and a strong theater scene. Training improves your bookings and builds the network that leads to agent referrals.
- Consider representation. For principal work, research reputable Texas talent agents. Never pay an upfront fee to an agent — legitimate
agents earn commission on work they book you. - Stay available and say yes. Early in your background career, say yes to everything you can legally and physically do. Reliability is your brand.
- Know your rates. Union or not, know the SAG-AFTRA minimums ($224/day background through June 30, 2026) and never accept less than the posted rate on a union job.
Find Austin Casting Calls on Project Casting
If you’re ready to put yourself in front of Austin productions, start where the calls are posted. Project Casting lists casting calls and auditions across Texas — from background and extras work on series and commercials to principal roles — updated as productions post them. Create a free profile, set your location to Austin, and submit to the roles that fit you.
Browse Austin casting calls on Project Casting and submit to your next role.
FAQs
How do I find casting calls in Austin, Texas?
The most reliable sources are the Texas Film Commission’s Job Hotline, local extras casting companies’ databases (register directly with them), and online casting platforms like Project Casting that aggregate Austin-area calls. Check daily — commercial calls especially move fast.
How much do background actors make in Austin?
Union background work pays the SAG-AFTRA rate of $224/day (contract through June 30, 2026), with $234 for special-ability and $262 for stand-ins. Non-union commercial extras work in Austin has historically paid around $200–$250/day. Series background rates vary by production.
Do you need to live in Austin to be an extra there?
Mostly, yes. The Texas film incentive requires at least 35% of paid cast (including extras) to be Texas residents, so productions strongly prefer local hires and typically won’t pay travel for background actors. Texas residents from nearby cities can often book; out-of-state talent should expect local-hire-only calls.
What is the Texas film incentive for productions?
The Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program offers qualifying productions a cash grant of up to 31% of eligible Texas spending, with a $250,000 minimum spend, 60% of production in Texas, and 35% Texas-resident crew and cast requirements. Austin adds a city incentive of up to 2.5% on local wages.
What TV shows were filmed in Austin, Texas?
Notable productions include 1923 (Paramount+), Walker (The CW), Fear the Walking Dead (AMC), Love and Death (HBO), Panic (Amazon Prime), and Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn. The lineup changes season to season as productions follow incentives and stage availability.
How do I become a background actor in Austin with no experience?
No experience is required for most background work. Register with Austin extras casting companies, submit current photos and accurate sizes, watch the Texas Film Commission Job Hotline, and respond to
availability requests quickly. Show up on time, follow directions, and you’ll get called back.
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