Had the opportunity to drive down to Spiderwood Studios Friday night for the Mobile Film School’s Frame X Frame fundraiser. Yes, it’s hard to say no to a good cause, but when it’s paired with free booze? C’mon, resistance is futile. It was also a chance to do a little fact-finding down in Utley. Spiderwood consists of three soundstages—the largest of which is 100′ x 60′—and an assortment of production offices, kitchens, makeup rooms, meeting spaces and a prop shop. In addition, plans are apparently set for breaking ground on a fourth stage three times as large as their current largest, so they’re certainly taking the proverbial bull by the metaphoric horns. I’ll admit I admire their aggressiveness and optimism but with the struggling economic climate and the Texas Legislature’s pending vote on an increased film-incentives program, not to mention the re-opening of Austin Studios in the center of town, it’ll be interesting to chart Spiderwood’s success. Who knows? It is an impressive complex and seeing as I’m creeping toward pre-production on a feature that in all likelihood would require a soundstage, it was an extremely informative tour. Now (or soon, at least) I’ll need to address that quibbling detail of how to come up with the scratch to pay for it.