Lights, Lanes & Films: Plano Video Production Highlights
The Hollydays Market transforms the Plano video production into a triple-hall bazaar from October 10–12, drawing scores of boutique vendors and an estimated 5,000 shoppers each day—prime for lifestyle B-roll, handheld product takes, and impromptu VO interviews. Exhibitor setup starts 7 a.m. Friday; location managers should snag Lot C for sprinter vans to avoid back-loading delays that plagued last year’s show, according to Visit Plano’s fall guide.
Workshops & Festivals Just Beyond the Window
- DIFF Shorts Film Festival (Angelika Dallas, Oct 17-19) will unspool 70 shorts plus a Saturday tech-expo floor featuring Dallas-based LED-wall vendor Sisu Cinema, useful for crews exploring virtual-production options
- Halloween Movie Workshop (Farmers Branch, Oct 17-18) lets 12- to 18-year-olds shoot and edit a horror short under pros—an untapped intern pipeline for Plano indie houses
- The state’s Film Friendly Texas Workshop (virtual, Oct 16) walks municipalities through certification steps, and Plano Economic Development says staff will attend to speed future permit turnaround times
Permit & Traffic Watch
Plano places all commercial shoots, drone flights and events affecting city property under its Special Event & Filming Permit system; applications are due at least 15 business days before cameras roll, with separate park-use fees and proof of $1 million liability cover required.
Two roadway projects intersect the production corridor this fortnight:
- Custer Road (Westlake→Dolphin)—outside right northbound lane closed 9 a.m.–4 p.m. weekdays, plus rolling center-lane impacts.
- Plano Parkway lane shifts tied to the NTMWD water-main job; city alerts warn of overnight milling noise and narrowed shoulders through early October
Networking & Education
Plano Public Library’s Movie-Maker Camp continues weekly, teaching DaVinci Resolve basics to teen creators—an easy volunteer spot for local DPs building community cred. Meanwhile, Plano International Festival gears up for Oct 18 at Haggard Park; though outside the 14-day target, its culture-stage sound checks on Oct 17 offer free multicam practice for volunteers
Bullet-Point Highlights
Upcoming Screenings & Fests
- Hollydays Market, Oct 10-12, Event Center
- DIFF Shorts, Oct 17-19, Angelika Dallas
- Halloween Movie Workshop, Oct 17-18, Movie Institute
Key Logistics Links
- Plano Special-Event & Filming Permits
- Live Street-Closure Map (Custer Rd., Plano Pkwy)
Final Take
The next two weeks balance festive foot traffic with concrete-lane headaches. Lock special-event permits now, route grip trucks around Custer Road, and earmark Oct 16-19 for DIFF-related workshops—because smart scheduling lets Plano video production crews capture holiday sparkle without getting stuck in the detour maze.
