Thanks to a history of turkey farming dating back to the early 1900s, Cuero, Texas boasts the title of the unofficial "turkey capital of the world." The city's next claim to fame may be closer to filming capital of Texas. Situated within a two-hour drive from the Gulf Coast and convenient to four major metropolitan areas - Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Corpus Christi - Cuero is ready to show the film industry that it's an ideal home for productions in Texas.
"When you look around Cuero, you find a variety of filming locations," the city's mayor
Sara Post-Meyer said. "It begins, of course, with our quintessential Texas downtown historic district. There are wonderful buildings from the 1880s and 1890s. Then, within 10 minutes you can get to beautiful countryside locations, ranches and farms, oil drilling sites and the Guadalupe River. Whatever you need to film you can do it here."
She added that the residents of the town are ready to welcome filmmakers as well.
"The most wonderful thing about this city is the people," she said. "We have a community that has always been very willing to help out in any situation. Cuero is very giving and loving."
Post-Meyer knows that film productions often need all the help they can get - and the town is happy to assist.
"I know location scouts are often working to find a number of different locations on very short notice," she said. "We have a lot of volunteers in the community who will step forward to help. They know the properties in the area and the property owners."
Location scout Marissa Lovely recently worked in the area - and praised the city for its resources for filmmakers.
"Cuero was amazing," she said. "The people were willing to help me find what I needed. They would stop their day job to let me jump in their truck or golf cart to show me their cousin or aunt's farm, even if it was in a different town."
For Lovely, the experience was a welcome change of pace.
"I'd come off a long stream of tough jobs, but Cuero was really easy," she said. "Everybody there had a smile on their face and was ready to work with me. I jumped from truck to truck, driving from one landowner to the next. Everywhere we went, people bent over backwards."
She credited the locals and city staff for her success. "How the officials in a town respond sets the vibe for how everyone else reacts," she said. "And the officials in Cuero couldn't have been more helpful."
Director of the Cuero Chamber of Commerce Sherry Esse explained that the city offers a number of amenities for film productions.
"We have caterers for canteen services and ample hotel space," she said. "Not all small towns have that. The city operates its own electric system and utilities, so if there is a need for lines to be moved or whatever, you're working with the city directly."
Post-Meyer said the city is also well versed in the unique needs of a film shoot.
"We are certified as a film-friendly community through the Texas Film Commission," she said. "We have ordinances in place to make it very clear as to what our expectations are and what the city will help with. We also have many people within the city who have been trained to be film-ready."
When asked why the city is so accommodating to filming, Mayor Post-Meyer said the people wanted to share the home they are so proud of for one simple reason.
"Life in Cuero is the way life ought to be," she said.
About Bird House Productions Founded in 2002 by Lynn Birdwell, Bird House Productions is a Houston-based production company partnering with filmmakers, videographers, photographers and globally recognized brands. Bird House Productions is a full-service production company, capable of offering comprehensive services for films at any level of cost or complexity. Bird House staffs a team of experts who can provide immediate solutions to problems large and small.
As a co-producer and productions services company, Bird House Productions is committed to offering cost-effective services to filmmakers interested in shooting in Texas - be it for the portion of a shoot or as a base for an entire production.
Photo courtesy of Bird House Productions
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