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Commercial filming starts with the city's film permit application (for questions, email Contact-SpecialEvents@McKinneyTexas.org or call 972-547-2651). Shoots in a city park or on a trail should check availability with the Parks Department first.

The most beloved credit is still Benji, the classic family film shot in McKinney from 1973–74 on a $500,000 budget. It was released October 17, 1974, and was a $45 million box-office hit. Benji sits on the Texas Film Commission's Texas Classic Film Trail, and people still come to see the Benji House on S. Tennessee Street. Visit McKinney celebrated the film's 50th anniversary with a 2024 event, which consisted of a walking tour of filming locations, a lookalike contest, and a free screening at the McKinney Performing Arts Center.