The studio will feature nine sound stages ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet and structures to house preproduction, production and postproduction facilities. The studio is conveniently located less than 20 minutes from downtown San Antonio, and is expected to become a local tourist attraction. The first 20,000-square-foot sound stage is scheduled for completion this March, and will be joined by support facilities.
“The new studio complex will be a great economic development opportunity for the San Antonio community and will help expand the local San Antonio economy with thousands of new construction and entertainment related jobs,” said Lennie Turpin, SAF Studios senior vice president and chief financial officer. “The initial phase of the project will cost about $50 million, and the first sound stage will be ready for productions starting in April.”
SAF Studios is solidly connected to Hollywood as the company’s chief operating officer, Sal Ortiz, is located in the very heart of the film business, Los Angeles.
“When any filmmaker is choosing a location for a production, the two primary concerns are locations and crews,” Ortiz said, adding that the large acreage at SAF Studios is desirable for building sets, and there are experienced crews living within an hour of San Antonio.
“Over the next five years SAF Studios will become a massive complex of moviemaking facilities, support facilities and retail sites with a hotel complex. The price tag could go up to $300 million,” Ortiz said.
Al Frakes, president and chief executive officer, pointed out that SAF Studios has attracted the interest of producers, directors and talent from Los Angeles to New York and the excitement is building. The studio will be an asset to the local educational community as SAF Studios plans to make its new state-of-the-art facilities available for educational purposes.
“We want to partner with the community and develop local talent that can produce, write, shoot and perform in the movies filmed at SAF Studios, as well as provide the backstage support,” Frakes said. “Our new studio complex will provide new career opportunities for local San Antonio residents.”
Frakes and Turpin started SAF Studios Inc. five years ago. With the personal support and encouragement from Peter Holt, owner of Holt Cat and the San Antonio Spurs; and Henry Zumwalt, president of H.L. Zumwalt Construction Inc., they have brought their vision to fruition.
SAF Studios has produced the London-based documentary “Women in Rodeo,” and the Glen Beck San Antonio Tea Party. It has also produced the television shows, “The Jason Emanis Show,” “The Christmas Gift” and “Inside the Studio.”
SAF Studios was involved in the production of “From Mexico with Love” which was filmed in San Antonio. The studio hosted the premiere of “From Mexico With Love” at the Palladium Imax in San Antonio, and the picture was released nationally in theaters in October.
