Downtown Fort Worth transformed for filming of ‘The Madison’
FORT WORTH, Texas - Wednesday night was not a typical night in Downtown Fort Worth, with bright lights, wardrobe racks, big trucks, and swarms of people.
"We are actively promoting the city to bring [film] productions here," said Fort Worth Film Commissioner Taylor Hardy.
Hardy explained that Wednesday’s late-night filming for the "Yellowstone" spin-off, "The Madison," temporarily transformed 7th Street between Taylor and Lamar streets into a bit of New York City.
"So much goes into film production. Often crews of 800 to 1200 people are on set helping with all those logistics from street closures to costumes to hair and makeup, background extras," he said.
FOX 4’s cameras got a glimpse of it all from the lights mounted on buildings to a film camera operator at work, sound equipment, people handling big cables, and more.
"It’s hard to get sleep when you’re shooting a movie, that’s for sure," jokes Fort Worth native, producer, and film director Taylor Sheridan.
"The Madison" is the latest drama series from Sheridan, who is also known for shows like "Landman," "1883" and, of course, "Yellowstone." It reportedly stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Fox.
Paramount called it a "heartfelt study of grief and human connection following a New York City family in the Madison River valley of central Montana."
In 2022, Sheridan, with the support of Mayor Mattie Parker, hit the red carpet in Fort Worth, celebrating "1883."
Mayor Parker recently highlighted Fort Worth’s thriving film industry and its $700 million local economic impact since 2015.
Fort Worth mayor calls for more incentives to boost film industry productions in Texas
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker is leading the charge, saying Texas is being skipped over and left behind by film production companies. She testified before a State Senate finance committee along with A-list actors and industry professionals.
In the meantime, Hardy said the late-night downtown action further underscores the Fort Worth Film Commission’s work in its nine-year existence.
"I think Fort Worth has changed a lot in the last 10 years. We’ve grown to bring major productions here. We’ve shown that we could do that, and we are a great option for film production and producers to consider," he said.