Austin leaders have approved a $150,000 incentive for the upcoming Apple TV series 'Brothers,' starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. This marks the first award under the city's updated Creative Content Incentive Program, aimed at boosting local film production and economy. The funding supports wages for Austin-area cast and crew.
Overview
The Austin City Council has greenlit a $150,000 incentive for Hermanos Productions LLC, the company producing the Apple TV series 'Brothers.' Starring Austin natives Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, the project is the inaugural recipient under the revised Creative Content Incentive Program (CCIP). This program was updated this fall to enhance hiring of local talent and amplify economic benefits from film and TV productions.
Economic Impact
According to city officials, 'Brothers' is projected to generate over $6 million in local wages and $9 million in spending on goods and services. The production will employ approximately 320 cast and crew members and collaborate with local vendors, including minority- and women-owned businesses. Combined, these efforts are expected to create nearly $160,000 in direct and related economic impact for the Austin area.
Program Context
The CCIP aims to attract television, film, animation, and gaming projects to Austin. Anthony Segura, interim director of Austin Economic Development, emphasized the program's role in a statement: “Austin has always been a place where creativity doesn’t just live - it leads. With the updated Creative Content Incentive Program, we’re doubling down on what makes our city unmistakably Austin: our storytellers, our creatives, our crews and the communities that fuel them. To have a project like Brothers, led by two iconic Austinites, be the first recipient under the new guidelines is more than fitting. When productions choose Austin, they aren’t just filming here. They’re becoming part of our culture, our workforce and our future."
This approval underscores Austin's growing appeal as a hub for entertainment production, building on previous advocacy by McConaughey and Harrelson for expanded state film incentives.