Tom Copeland was a dream maker. A great husband, a wonderful storyteller (of course) and a world class freind and human being, but what I see most visibly when I think of him, is a dream-maker. As the Film Commissioner of Texas, he helped thousands of filmmakers realize their dream of coming to Texas and finding the perfect locations, maybe a studio, and a cast and crew that were just the right blend of Texas filmmaking magic. One of his favorites was Tim McCanlies Second Hand Lions. As a retired film commissioner, he was a dream-maker in that he returned to the Univeristy of his youth and started a film program for students looking to follow their dream of breaking in and working in the “glamorous” film industry. As a faculty member at Texas State he was a dream maker for those filmmakers and professionals from his vast network looking to stretch a new muscle and explore teaching in film....and I got to one of those lucky people. And as a friend Tom Copeland was a dream-maker— for me as he became a part of my film,The Strs at Night. When we moved to Fisher,Tx to be closer to my job at Texas State, I had this epiphany that turned into a film idea. I realized that at my tender age, I had never seen the Milky Way. And I was so disappointed to realize I still could’t see it even though I had moved “deep in the heart of Texas”. I was also curious why when I looked at the stars, I felt this wave of awe and emotion? And I wondered if it was connected to stories and storytelling? So I developed and wrote this idea, and partnered with a producer so I could write and direct, and the film included using four young filmmakers from Texas State. And we put all our hopes in a grant we wrote where everyone would get paid and it would be great. And then we down’t get the grant. More than a little disappointed, our only really recourse was to raise money— donations to our non- profit production company. Well, I didn’t know a thing about fundraising, but I did know Tom. And he knew everyone everywhere, maybe we could talk to him. So we met him for Bar-B-Que in Lockhart, and he said.“pitch me”. And, I said, it’s less of a pitch and more of a story and I told him the story I just told you, and about our idea that the Executive Producer could JOIN our merry band of filmmakers and students in the heart of the Big Bend, and experience MAKING the film and LOOKING at the stars and so on. And when I finished my spiel, I said,“do you know anyone who might be interred? “ and he said, “well I would!” So, he went along and was SO INVOLVED in the making g of this film from beginning to the screenings we are doing today— it was great. He was very engaged every step pf the way. In fact, if you look closely in some scenes you can see him in the background. While we were shooting the Big Bend of course, knowing everyone everywhere, when the crew wrapped up our shoot in Terlingua, went to the famous Starlight Cafe for dinner. And there was this very long line out front. And we were a crew of like 14 people. I thought: this will take forever, and we’re hot and tired. And 14. Maybe we should go somewhere else.What are we going to do? But, of course, Tom knew the owner of Terlingua who owned the restaurant, and he comes out, and waves us to go AROUND the line, to this wonderful long table where we were treated to one of the best meals I think any of us ever had. Tom knew everybody and Tom was all about making this film. And he was all about the students. Tom brought me into his office right before he retired and told me that he wanted to hand off his beloved Buisness of Film class —to me. He developed this class to teach students how to do the work of breaking in the industry and what it actually took: which is a lot of hard work sprinkled with a generous portion of humility — starting at the bottom as a PA— with a great attitude. So, when he told me he wanted to hand over this class to me, I was of course very grateful. And he encouraged me to make it my own—which I did. That was 2018.
By 2020, as the University was trying to re-emerge from lockdown,Tom told me he was getting a little bored and wanted to guest lecture. He didn’t care if that meant teaching in a mask. He was all in as we did this fun thing, where my Business of Film students would watch and review a few films of Texas writers, some who’s archives were at the wonderful Wittliff Collection.The Wittliff, if you don’t know it, is a free museum at Texas State dedicated to writers of the Southwest, created by Bill Wittliff who wrote Lonesome Dove. The collection includes amazing writers from Cabeza de Vaca to Carmac McCarthy. Tom would join me when halfway thru the semester, we took a field trip to tour the Wittliff and the Lonesome Dove exhibit, and Tom would tell story after story about how Lonesome Dove almost went to Canada but with his zeal and hard work and the help of Cary White and others he led the charge in roping it into Texas (where it belonged) and the famous Moody Ranch. Amazing stories to listen to, because of course Tom was a WONDERFUL storyteller. And it seemed he knew everyone. And had a story about everyone.
I got to be one of the fortunate ones who in these past three years just got to do the work withTom,not only shooting, editing and screening this film he breathed life into, but in teaching with Tom, as he joined both of “our” Business of Film classes three times a semester, and like a well structured story: at the beginning the middle and the end. Now, after all these years, and under the guidance of our film area head Johnny McAllister (who Tom was so thrilled to find and tap to take over the program) Texas State will soon be announcing our official film degree: A BFA in Cinema Arts. A real dream come true. The University is also proud to announce the official Tom Copeland Memorial Film Student scholarship, which is active and is launching in the Fall of 2024. For those who are interested, the Univeristy is grateful to receive donations to help keep his memory and light alive. I have many stories and memories of Tom Copeland, peopled with and his rich collection of friends and his wonderful wife Ginger that he spoke of so often. Tom Copeland was a dream maker for film makers, musicians, students and artists of all kind who had an idea and decided to shoot for the stars. One story that keeps coming back to me is a story that emerged from makingThe Stars at Night. As we were editing it, it really took shape and a life of its own, I felt inclined to find a native American story about the stars. I researched and found this wonderful and talented Chickasaw storyteller, Amy Bruton Blumel. Serendipitously, her tribe, the Chicaksaw had a story ABOUT The Star People. In it, she talks about how her people believe that we came from the stars, and that it is to the stars that we will return. So, when I think of Tom today, I talk a little comfort in believing that now, he has the very best view of the stars. ✨
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