Robert Walker
“Brewster McCracken has been a strong, consistent supporter of Austin’s film community. He has demonstrated vision, creativity and an openness to new ideas. Most of all, he is a proactive, results-oriented leader who quietly stepped forward to rescue Austin’s most important film project in years.
On January 30, 2009, Austin Studios celebrated its grand re-opening. Austin now has a world-class film studio with advanced digital media infrastructure for independent filmmaking. This day almost didn’t happen. It wouldn’t have happened without Brewster’s steady leadership.
Prior to these improvements, Austin Studios was a collection of old aircraft hangars that lacked bathrooms, air conditioning, soundproofing and digital media infrastructure. Austin’s immensely talented creative community had done amazing things in the studios even under these conditions. But by 2005, we were starting to lose productions. In fact, the conditions had become so difficult that in 2006, the filmmakers of the Truman Capote biography, “Infamous,” shut down production and moved elsewhere.
All of us on the board of the Austin Film Society knew we needed to upgrade Austin Studios. Making these improvements was critical to securing the future of Austin’s film and digital media sectors and remaining competitive with production facilities in other states. Without these improvements, Austin faced the prospect of losing its ability to produce films, videos and gaming productions.
In 2005, after years of work, we were informed that our federal economic development application to pay for studio upgrades was poised to be funded.
Then Hurricane Katrina hit.
In early 2006, we learned that nearly all federal economic development funding for this region was being re-directed to Louisiana. Our project was now sidetracked so paying for these improvements became virtually impossible.
Then Brewster McCracken called us. He invited us to City Hall to discuss how we might include the upgrades in the upcoming bond election. Over the next two months, he personally helped us prepare our studio upgrade proposal.
Thanks to his efforts, the City Council included the upgrades to Austin Studios in the 2006 bond election. And after the election, he continued to work with us to make sure Austin Studios received accelerated review and expedited funding so we could be ready for production before the summer of 2009.
Now Austin Studios is back in business. We have a world-class facility that rises to the standards of our world-class creative community.
It’s an important moment for Austin’s creative economy. Our filmmakers and digital media creators will have opportunities that would have been impossible before. And I know from first-hand experience that this would not have happened without Brewster’s leadership.
That’s why I am supporting Brewster McCracken for Mayor.”
-Robert Walker
Film Community Leader and Past Board Member, Austin Film Society
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