Scott Szabo

Scott Szabo is the composer for two nationally syndicated TV series; “Judge Alex” (2004-Present) and Texas Justice” (2001-2004); both on FOX. He also produced and arranged the music for “Divorce Court” (2008-Present). In 2009 Scott won a Telly award for music for the short film Saving Evan White. Also, in 2005, he won the Gold Medal for his music score of the feature film “Dancing in Twilight” at the Park City Film Music Festival.

Over the past 24 years, Scott has built a solid career as an accomplished and award-winning music composer for film, television and multimedia. With a broad approach to music, from world music to electronic to symphonic orchestra, he has spent years polishing and developing his style. The musical impulse began early in Scott. Born in Austin Texas, he wrote his first song when he was twelve and began performing in rock bands at fifteen. The next year found him accepted into the prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) in Houston. However, Szabo was accepted to HSPVA on the basis of his talents in the visual arts.

“Of course I took music theory and piano courses,” Szabo says, “but it was art school that taught me to think conceptually and emotionally about a composition, be it on a canvas or a keyboard. I learned there are multiple ways to look at a problem and how to refine a raw idea. This really helps me as a music composer.”

The 1980s and early 1990s saw Scott performing live as a singer and keyboardist through out Texas and the Southwest in bands that he put together while developing his own musical style and technique. Always writing and releasing his original songs, this culminated in Scott being signed to the indie label Fires of August.

In 1988 Scott was asked to compose the music for a series of internationally distributed videos for Dow Chemical. Since then, Scott has composed the music for numerous feature films and TV series, as well as many award-winning short films. Additionally, Scott has placed original songs in five feature films and has also written music for over 200 commercials and marketing videos for such diverse clients as Applebee’s, Continental Airlines, Enron, Joe’s Crab Shack, Shell Oil, and Time Warner.

For more information go to www.szabosoundandmusic.com.

Alfred Cervantes

The Houston area’s long established reputation for diverse locations has been enhanced by numerous revitalization projects, urban and suburban development, and high-rise additions to the skyline. These new components combined with the small towns and farmland to the west, the piney woods to the north and east, and historic Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, make for the perfect filming location.

Houston is proud of our many accomplishments and the people and services that contribute to them. We invite you to take advantage of our expertise.

For more information about filming in Houston, please go to www.houstonfilmcommission.com.

Christopher Bronk

Professor Bronk’s comments remind me, as I am reminded almost daily, that we are truly living in the future. Science and technology continually present us with a new reality and force us to cope with it. This is true on the personal level – mastering the smartphone, online banking, etc. — on the global level, new weapons and communications systems, their strengths and vulnerabilities — and, on the universe level, more than 800 planets discovered so far (some of which have many of the characteristics necessary for life) and, closer to “home,” the reality of tourists posed to vacation in near earth space in the near future.
It is exciting to live in Houston Texas where so much of this exploration of tomorrow is occurring today. The medical center and the space center are twin centers of the future and of the present. High tech and energy industries and research are also expanding the possible and encouraging us daily to find our places in this new reality. It is a world full of wonder and of danger. And, ultimately, it is our responsiblities – whether politicians, academicians, businesspersons, workers, or just plain citizens to entertain the challenges that confront us and will shape our world and our place in it for the years to come.

Nathan Carliner Goldman, J.D., Ph.D., is the author of several books on the politics, business, and law of outer space, which have been used in college courses, including at the US Air Force Academy. Goldman is also a published poet and an award-winning screenwriter, including four Remi Awards at Worldfest. At present, Goldman is adjunct professor of government at San Jacinto College and Alvin College.

Erin Rodgers

Accounting and legal services don’t typically scream, “Party!”, and because of that, we often avoid or overlook them. This can be especially true in the creative and entertainment industry. Artists tend to create without considering copyrighting their work, and when they do, they typically aren’t aware of the processes of registering copyrights. The same holds true for accounting assistance not just at tax time, but throughout the year.

Erin Rodgers, a multi-talented musician in Houston-based band, Glass The Sky, is well suited for her professional gig as Staff Attorney for Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA). TALA was formed in 1979 in an effort to provide Texas artists and arts nonprofits with legal and accounting help. They currently provide over $600,000 a year in pro bono services through volunteer accountants and lawyers, as well as membership and donor funds.

These services are much needed in the entertainment sector. Whether you’re a visual artist, filmmaker, non profit arts organization, musician, dancer, actor, or writer, TALA provides services you need. From nonprofit incorporation to copyright assistance and accounting help to dispute resolution, TALA is able to educate creatives in order to better their business. And let’s face it, being an artist, entertainer or even working in the nonprofit arts realm is business.

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts is a nonprofit 501c3 organization. For further information or assistance, or to make a tax deductible donation, go to talarts.org.

Erin Rodgers is a Lawyer is the Law Office of Al Staehely, Jr. and specializes in entertainment law, copyright, trademark, nonprofit law and corporate formation. For more info on Erin, catch her on LinkedIn.

- Candace Kizer

Candace is currently the Programs Coordinator at Fresh Arts Coalition, a nonprofit arts service organization in Houston, Texas. She also manages social media for Who’s HOU and Arts+Culture Magazine. Follow her on Twitter @CandacitaBonita.

Who’s HOU Welcomes You

Photo credit: Trish Badger

What do you call an idea that involves community collaboration, a website, a trade show stand at SXSW, and a social media campaign that shoots, edits, uploads, and shares content created by top industry professionals? Who’s HOU will reach out to you!

Please join the HOU Crew as we share our love of Houston music, film and tech during SXSW. Please visit us at the Who’s HOU trade show stand #114 March 12th-15th.

Special thanks to the Honorable Mayor Annise Parker for recording our first Who’s HOU video and congratulations to the HOU Crew.

See you at SX!