WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The Waco Independent Film Festival hosted a locations tour on Saturday, giving filmmakers a glimpse of potential movie-making spots around the city.
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"Every year I feel like there's more happening, which is always fun," said Baylor alumni Shaler Keenum.
Many local filmmakers, including Keenum, have already utilized these locations for their projects.
"I've shot some stuff in Cameron Park before, which is always fun, noise there can be chaotic and make it difficult to get good audio. And then more recently for the last film that I made, we shot at Lighthouse Coffee, which is where we are right now, and then at Clay Pot and then another apartment around Waco," Keenum said.
The tour included stops at Show and Tell Antiques, the Earle-Harrison House and Pape Gardens, and the Cameron Park area, though these represent just a fraction of the filming locations available in the area.
New York-based filmmaker Chen Drachman brought her new short film "But I'm A Shoe" to the festival this weekend. The film was shot entirely in Waco.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's a bit of a love letter to Waco," Drachman said.
Drachman attended the film locations tour a couple of years ago and says it encouraged her to explore unexpected filming locations, including Waco Regional Airport.
"We needed an airport and we're like, I don't think it's gonna work in the New York tri-state area. I don't think it's gonna work logistically, I don't think it's gonna work financially. And thanks to the festival directors, we were put in touch with the people of the Waco Regional Airport," Drachman said.
The City of Waco has been certified by the Texas Film Commission as a film-friendly community since 2017, as part of efforts to grow the film industry in the area.
"I think that the festival helps people build the sort of foundation. That helps you think, hey, I can come here. I have people who will support me here," Drachman said.
Events for the Waco Independent Film Festival will continue through Sunday with an online encore until July 26.
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