FILMING BEGINS ON THE FIRST LARGE-FORMAT MOVIE ABOUT TEXAS Texas State History Museum Foundation Taps Ad Leader GSD&M To Produce

GSD&M, nationally acclaimed ad agency for such brands as Southwest Airlines, Wal-Mart, Charles Schwab and the U.S. Air Force has been chosen by the Texas State History Museum to produce a large-format feature-length movie about the State of Texas.

AUSTIN (PRWEB) May 5, 2002 -- Initial shooting is underway for a new large-format film starring the state of Texas. Tentatively titled A Land Called Texas," the large-format movie is being produced for the Texas State History Museum Foundation by nationally acclaimed Austin advertising agency GSD&M. The State will participate in the cost of the movie with money saved within the overall Museum development budget.

Legendary screenwriter and native Texan Al Reinert penned the script and is also directing. Reinert was cowriter of the Academy Award-winning Apollo 13" and wrote and directed the Oscar-nominated For All Mankind," a documentary about the Apollo moon landings. Joining Reinert as Director of Photography is Sean Phillips, regarded as one of the top large-format cinematographers, and also veteran Hollywood producer, Susan Vogelfang.

Representing GSD&M are Jan Wieringa, Executive Producer, and Tim McClure, Executive Creative Director. Wieringa was formerly with HBO Pictures and Propaganda Films. McClure is a founding partner of the agency and president of Mythos, its Legendary Branding Group.

The Foundation approached McClure last year about taking on the project. The Foundation thought we could bring the high level of creativity to their film that we bring to our advertising work," McClure said. Both movies and advertising, when done well, tell a good story. Ours are usually just told in 30 seconds."

Principal photography began April 24 in San Antonio. Other locations will include the Hill Country, city scenes in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston and Austin, ranches and farms in West Texas and the Panhandle and other areas throughout the state. Aerial shots in the Big Bend region, along the states Gulf coast, at an offshore oil rig and in the pine forests of East Texas took place last week.

There is such great variety in Texas, not just in terms of scenery, but cultures, events and traditions," said Wieringa. It will be a challenge to capture it all, but Texas is perfectly suited for large-format film — where everything is big."

Filming is scheduled to continue through October 2002, with a plan to debut the film in the spring of 2003. The Museum, home of Austins only IMAX® Theatre, will be the site of the premiere. The Museum and Foundation hope to ultimately distribute the film to other IMAX® and large-format theatres and possibly to international outlets as well. A trailer of the new film is scheduled for this summer.

About GSD&M
Founded in 1971 in Austin, TX, GSD&M has grown to become a nationally acclaimed advertising agency with more than 500 employees and billings of over $1 billion. A unit of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC), GSD&M is the consumer voice for such brands as Wal-Mart, Southwest Airlines, Charles Schwab, Kinkos, Pennzoil/Quaker State, 7-Eleven, Dial, Krispy Kreme, Land Rover and the U.S. Air Force. See them on the Web at www.gsdm.com.

About the Museum and the Museum Foundation
Authorized in 1997 by the 75th Texas Legislature, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum opened its doors to the public on April 21, 2001, in Austin, Texas. The Museum is a dynamic educational institution that engages visitors in the exciting story of Texas through a variety of program and exhibit experiences. The Texas State History Museum Foundation is a Texas non-profit corporation with a statewide Board of Trustees. The Foundations mission is to support quality programming at the Museum with private donations.