Lance Avery Morgan
Media For Texas, Founded By Two Sixth-Generation Texans, Is Rewriting The Script For The State’s Entertainment Industry
Portrait photography courtesy of Marshall Tidrick Photo
In the world of film and media, success often requires a significant amount of star power and a well-planned strategy. Fortunately, Chase Musslewhite and Grant Wood, both sixth-generation Texans, have plenty of both. Raised in Houston and Midland, respectively, they now split their time between Dallas and Austin, with regular road trips back to their roots. “We like to say we’re on a permanent Texas tour,” they joke. But make no mistake: their itinerary has purpose.
Together, they launched Media For Texas, a grassroots-meets-strategic initiative to not only bring more film production to the Lone Star State, but to keep it here for good, according to our entertainment afficionado Lance Avery Morgan, who caught up with these two dynamos on a break from making the state more entertainment-filled.
Act One: Rolling Camera On Reform
When Media For Texas began, the short-term goal was clear: strengthen the state’s film incentive program. That meant pressing pause on their own creative careers and going full tilt into political advocacy. “We dedicated nearly two years of our lives, full-time, to supporting the community and getting a competitive bill across the finish line,” they explain.
It wasn’t just a cause. It was a campaign.
But beneath that immediate goal was a bigger, bolder vision: to help Texas evolve into a true global destination for entertainment, not just a scenic shoot location, but a full-fledged hub for financing, story development, production, and distribution. Think of Texas not just as the backdrop of your favorite shows, but as the creative headquarters behind them.
And it’s working.
Following their success in the Texas legislature in 2025, the duo is now steering Media For Texas into a new, equally ambitious phase: building the workforce infrastructure and creative ecosystem that will make Texas a magnet for film, TV, and digital media for generations to come.
Texas Media, With a Mission
Texas isn’t exactly short on cultural capital. “We believe Texas has the best media community in the world,” they say. But what the state needed was advocacy; unified, consistent, and loud (but polite). Media For Texas filled that gap by engaging directly with legislators and stakeholders, and by listening to the needs of working filmmakers, crew members, and creative businesses.
Now, with legislative winds at their backs, they’re evolving into a workforce accelerator, launching statewide initiatives to connect producers with Texas-based crews, students, veterans, schools, and local vendors. Their goal? To make shooting in Texas as seamless as possible, and keep productions rooted here long after wrap day.
Lights, Camera… Lt. Governor?
A key moment came in August 2024 when Media For Texas partnered with Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to host the Texas premiere of REAGAN, starring Dennis Quaid. The red-carpet event not only drew top-tier industry talent and state leaders, it ended with the Lt. Governor publicly committing to make Texas the “Media Capital of the World.”
“That moment changed everything,” they recall. “From then on, it was game on.”
Advocacy With A Cowboy Hat
One thing Media For Texas is not trying to be? Neutral. “We’re advocates,” they say. “We’re proudly Texas-centric.” Their entire mission is about championing Texas media, Texas talent, and Texas-made productions.
Why? Because Texas stories matter. And because, as they note, if Texas can lead in energy, real estate, tech, and finance; why not entertainment?
“The ROI is there,” they argue, “but beyond that, Texans deserve to have a say in how their stories are told.”
Challenges? Yes. Regrets? Never.
The early days of Media For Texas weren’t without their challenges. “We were the new kids on the block,” they admit. “We had to earn the trust of a deeply rooted creative community, and that meant showing up, listening, and paying our dues.”
The legislative fight was no cakewalk either. “We were wildly naïve,” they laugh. “But that helped us. We just believed we could get it done. And that belief got us through the setbacks.”
A Capitol Film Set (Literally)
One unforgettable moment came during SXSW with The Texas Film Experience, a one-of-a-kind event in which the Capitol walkway was transformed into a full-scale production showcase. Each tent represented a different phase of the production pipeline; from writer’s room to casting, from live stunt performances to prosthetic makeup stations, even a Cinemark tent for the final “premiere.”
The pièce de résistance? A live scene recreation from Friday Night Lights, performed by the actual cast and crew. Legislators and attendees alike got a front-row seat to the sheer magic (and economic power) of Texas-based production. “The spirit of the Texas film community was absolutely electric that day,” they recall.
Awards, Festivals & What’s Next
In 2025, Media For Texas introduced its first-ever “Texas Made” award at the ATX TV Festival, honoring Landman for its commitment to Texas-based production. “That series is more than a show, it’s a milestone,” they explain. “It proves what’s possible when you bet on Texas.”
And speaking of festivals? They consider them essential. From SXSW and Austin Film Festival to the rising star that is Round Top Film Festival, these events aren’t just parties; they’re platforms.
“They keep Texas in the national conversation,” they say. “They attract talent, foster relationships, and give new voices a chance to break through.”
The Road Ahead
What’s next for Media For Texas? As we say in Texas, a helluva lot.
More workforce development. More strategic partnerships. More spotlighting of Texas-made excellence. And most importantly, continuing to build a creative environment where storytellers don’t have to leave the state to chase their dreams.
“Luck favors the bold,” they say. “And Texas is as bold as it gets.”
So, if you’re wondering who’s behind the curtain of Texas’ entertainment renaissance, look for the guy and the gal with a well-worn roadmap, a belief in the power of storytelling, and maybe a camera or two in the back seat.
They’re probably somewhere between Austin and Midland. Still on that permanent Texas tour. However, we spent more time with them to see what influences them today…
The best career advice I’ve received is…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Don’t listen to everyone’s advice. Trust your gut. It speaks loudly if you listen to it. This was a week after someone else gave me the advice just to quit the entertainment industry (I was 19) because so few succeed in it. Cut my losses and get out.
GRANT WOOD: “Anything worth having doesn’t come easy. It takes hard work, dedication, and persistence.”
Three qualities that got me where I am today are…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: I am not afraid to speak my mind or put forth a solution to a problem when maybe others wouldn’t. I think this is why I have consistently found myself in a leadership position since a young age. I just saw a solution, so I stepped up and did it, and suddenly, I was leading the way. Second, I was raised by lawyers. I know how to argue my point and prove the need for whatever it is I’m trying to prove. Forming a cohesive argument, etc. That has proved more helpful than I could have initially imagined. But third and most importantly, I’m an empath. I am known in my friend group as the group therapist, haha. Sometimes this makes my life difficult, being too attuned emotionally or worrying too deeply about how everyone feels. But more than that, I think it’s a great superpower… allowing me to connect with people on a deeper level after just a conversation or two.
GRANT WOOD: Chase and I are still early in our careers, and while I believe certain qualities have helped shape my path so far, I know these traits will continue to evolve over time. That said, three core principles that currently guide me are:
- Question Everything – My engineering mindset compels me to understand how things work and why they are the way they are. This curiosity often leads me to question societal norms and established systems. Simply asking “why?” can uncover areas of life that are overdue for change.
- Don’t Waste Time – I’m constantly driven by an awareness of lost potential. I believe we’re each born with the tools to make a meaningful impact, and it’s our responsibility to use those tools wisely. Time is one of the most valuable resources we have, and I strive not to waste it
- Take Risks – Growth only comes when we’re willing to step outside our comfort zones. By embracing uncertainty and taking smart, calculated risks, we open the door to limitless possibilities.
Easiest career decision I ever made is…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Right before I co-founded Media For Texas, I was trying to get my first feature film off the ground. For context on the film’s premise, I went to St. John’s School in Houston, Tx and I wanted to shoot the film there. (If you have seen Wes Anderson’s RUSHMORE… then you know what the school looks like, it hasn’t changed. And yes, Wes went there too). The school was going to let me shoot there for free as well. I had some crew confirmed and my financing set up… but when push came to shove and the financier became aware of the incentive program in Louisiana, he told me he would only greenlight the production if we fired those we had hired and moved the entire production to Louisiana. This was devastating for a moment. But, at the end of the day, the answer was obvious for me. There was no world in which this film was not shot in Texas, period. So, I walked away from the money. Shortly after that, I met Grant, and we united over a passion and desire to make Texas films… in Texas. We founded Media For Texas shortly thereafter, and the rest is history!
GRANT WOOD: I can’t recall any career decisions in recent years that were easy. Choosing to leave one company for another or to pursue one path within an industry is never simple. However, when it comes to my overall life direction and identifying the industry I wanted to be in…that decision was clear from the start: film and media. While I have a deep appreciation for engineering, my passion for storytelling was evident as early as high school. I spent countless hours immersed in film books, experimenting with cameras, and learning editing software. This industry has always felt like home to me, and I’m excited to see where this path leads.
What inspired you to launch Media for Texas?
GRANT WOOD: Our vision has always been to help Texas become a global destination for the entertainment industry and a self-sustaining media ecosystem.
How I made my first dollar…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Not real dollars… but at Camp Longhorn, we earned “Merits,” little orange tokens you could use to buy things at the gift shop. I decided early on I wanted to be a “Top Ten Merit Holder,” a title usually reserved for kids who inherited them from their parents, earned them by being well-behaved, or just hoarded them obsessively. Around age 10, I spotted an opportunity in the woven bracelet market.
I spent an entire year getting extremely adept at making the kind of woven bracelets with intricate designs that girls often gawked over but rarely knew how to make. I brought a ton of string with me the following summer and set up a mini business. People placed their orders during the day, picked their colors, and my friend and I would get to weaving during “quiet time.” Eventually, the business got too big, word got out, and the camp shut us down. But – the goal was accomplished! I was a top ten Merit holder in the camp and still have most of those merits to pass to my kids.
GRANT WOOD: I’m a huge fan of reading biographies…especially stories of entrepreneurs who discovered their passion for business at a young age. These stories often involve going door-to-door selling who-knows-what, and in my case, the “what” happened to be hand-drawn maps of my hometown. I can’t quite remember what I drew, how detailed the maps were, or why I thought residents of a small West Texas town needed help navigating it, but I was convinced they did! So, I went door to door, and sure enough, I made my first sale for one dollar. The business didn’t last long, but it was my first taste of entrepreneurship, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
First music I bought was…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Backstreet Boys. I was obsessed.
GRANT WOOD: An old Waylon Jennings CD. My love for outlaw country was born.
Whenever I hear a Yacht Rock song, I immediately…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: I don’t really know what that is… what does that say about me???
GRANT WOOD: Think of my father, who constantly listens to this subgenre. Unfortunately, I’m not a fan due to his obsession.
Last thing I binge/marathon watched…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: SEVERANCE.
GRANT WOOD: SEVERANCE.
Book that left a lasting impression on me…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: I’m really a fantasy nerd… Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones. I loved The Odyssey as well as a kid. A different book that left a lasting impression was The Catcher in the Rye. I read it pretty young, and so some stuff went over my head, but the writing and the character and the bluntness of it all stuck with me.
GRANT WOOD: The Big Rich by Bryan Burrough tells the story of four of the most successful oilmen of the 20th century, and ever since reading it, I’ve been fascinated by the world of Texas oil. It sparked an obsession with uncovering more of these incredible stories. Texas is a treasure trove of outsized characters and historic moments that are just waiting to be brought to life on the big screen.
On that note, my favorite fictional character is…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Hermione Granger.
GRANT WOOD: James Bond.
My real-life hero has got to be…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: My parents for different reasons. My mom has always had my back, even when I didn’t deserve it, and my dad has never missed a single big moment in my life, providing comfort in the crowd even to this day. They’ve supported me in different ways throughout my life, and I wouldn’t be who I am without them.
GRANT WOOD: My mother (and my dad, he deserves credit, too) sacrificed so much of her time and energy to give me every opportunity to succeed. I’ll always be grateful to her and forever indebted for the love and support she gave me.
If I lived in a foreign city it would be…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: I lived in Cape Town, South Africa, for three and a half years. But I’d probably check out London.
GRANT WOOD: My love for Texas is too strong, but I’d consider a small mountain town in the Swiss or Italian Alps.
What everyone should try in their lifetime is…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Working in the film industry. Opportunities are about to explode here in Texas.
GRANT WOOD: To take a risk that gets them out of their comfort zone. It’s the best feeling in the world, watching and feeling your body and mind grow.
If I could compete in an Olympic sport, or create one, it would be…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Speed talking. How quickly can you read this story, or how many words per minute can you talk? I think I could win.
GRANT WOOD: Brain teasers…like the physical puzzles people have on their desk that you have to solve (unhook these two metal rings). I could easily podium for silver.
If I weren’t doing what I do, I would be a…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: As mentioned above, sort of, I love talking to people about different issues that they have in their lives. So maybe a therapist or psychologist. But filmmaking in many ways, especially working with actors and creatives, can be that too.
GRANT WOOD: An engineer. Growing up in West Texas, you’re either a petroleum engineer or something else entirely. While I would’ve leaned toward mechanical engineering over petroleum (mostly to avoid ending up back in Midland), I think I would’ve done okay in the field.
If I had a superpower, I’d want it to be…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Teleportation.
GRANT WOOD: When I’m busy and want to be efficient, I wish I could take one pill that would fulfill my calorie intake for the day. Healthy cooking and prepping are exhausting.
A simple way to get people to laugh is easy. Just…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Tell a story with the right pauses. Any story can become funny if you want it to go that direction. Even a hectic story. You let people marinate in it, then bring them back up to air with a funny comment, and we all laugh it off.
GRANT WOOD: Be yourself. If that fails, stand next to Chase and join in on the laughter.
A phrase I might overuse would be…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Hectic. From my time abroad, people said hectic every other word. And it can take many variations on what it means; it can be good or bad depending on the context. I carried that over with me.
GRANT WOOD: “We’ll circle back to this.” Upon reflection, does this mean I put things off, or I keep tabs on most things? Probably the latter.
My motto? Easy. It is…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: The Serenity Prayer: God grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. I don’t know if that’s a motto, though.
GRANT WOOD: Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.
Favorite scent these days is…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Fresh cut grass. Because…Summer.
GRANT WOOD: I’ll go deeper…fresh cut grass at dusk during summer in the Texas Hill Country. Reminds me of summer camp growing up and the warm memories that follow.
My TV style icon is…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: I wanted it to be Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy (the new biopic of her and JFK Jr. is in the works), but from what they’ve released, they completely missed the mark. I’m devastated. Hopefully I can remake the movie later and do her justice. She is a style icon. Besides that, I love Princess Di’s looks in The Crown.
GRANT WOOD: J.R. Ewing.
The last meal in Texas that truly impressed me was…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Grant and I ate a 20-course omakase in Austin called Otoko. It was incredible.
GRANT WOOD: Nuri. The best steak I have ever had in Texas.
In my fridge, you will always find…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: Cheese, specifically a block of Parmesan!
GRANT WOOD: Eggs.The best protein to start the day
My perfect Texas day would end…
CHASE MUSSLEWHITE: On a Texas ranch in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by family and friends watching the sunset.
GRANT WOOD: With family and friends on the back porch of a Texas hill country home overlooking a lake, with the setting sun painting the water orange.
