Movies

Aformer sports producer and a gaggle of documentarians walk into a film studio ... No, it's not a joke, but perhaps an inside look into the future of the North Texas film industry.

This Saturday, the Studios at Las Colinas will host Black & White Night with celebs on hand, including actress Janine Turner as honorary host, some as-yet-announced stars of Prison Break and Friday Night Lights, and lots and lots of film industry pros. Tickets are $35 at the door and benefit the Texas Motion Picture Alliance, a lobbying group aiming to increase the scope of film incentives offered by the state in hopes of luring more Hollywood productions. You can find more information about the event at txmpa.org.

Just as important, the TXMPA's goal is to build on an already vibrant and storied North Texas film scene. Need some examples of who's doing what? How about Lisa Jenkins, a former television producer at WFAA-TV (Channel 8) and Fox Sports Net, who hopes to film Serenity Falls, a noirish Western, in Dallas this fall.

Ms. Jenkins says the key to getting the project off the ground was attracting director of photography Jim Denault (Boys Don't Cry). Mark Millhone is the writer and director, and the cast includes Omar Epps, Sam Shephard and Edward James Olmos. Ms. Jenkins' goal is to put together a group of private Texas investors with the goal of making films in Texas. "We have the infrastructure," she says. "We can do it here."

If all goes as planned, she's ready to follow it in December with the romantic comedy The Other Jennifer, also based on a script from Mr. Millhone. Attached to the project is actress Mamie Gummer, Meryl Streep's daughter.

Also on the horizon is new work from husband and wife filmmakers Allen Mondell and Cynthia Salzman Mondell. They are following their recent documentary, The Monster Among Us, about the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe, with A Reason to Live, a look at the link between depression in the 15-to-24 age group and suicide. Mr. Mondell says the goal is to alert people to the seriousness of the issue.

The Mondells are longtime documentary pros who are being joined in the industry by newcomers such as Joshua Butler, who helped form Texas Filmmakers while attending the University of North Texas. The group's mission is to support the regional video community by providing access to education, equipment, experience and exhibition. Mr. Butler was also at the start of the Thin Line Film Festival, a documentary fest that runs Sept. 24-28.

Now Mr. Butler is celebrating the release of the Hurricane Katrina documentary One-Eyed Girl, which he produced and Matthew Crawford directed. The film debuts Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Studio Movie Grill at Royal Lane and Central Expressway.

It's all a testament to the potential of the North Texas film scene.

Bonus footage: Ivett Stone died last month, but her legacy as a North Texas talent agent remains. She helped start KD Studio in Dallas, directed theater in North Texas, did casting for films such as RoboCop and Baja Oklahoma, and spent 10 years as an actress in New York. ... The Austin Film Society is setting aside $10,000 annually to be awarded as travel stipends to Texas filmmakers taking their works to festivals around the world. More at austinfilm.org.