FORT WORTH, Texas — Dozens of energy company executives gathered Sunday in Fort Worth to watch the first two episodes of Taylor Sheridan's new series, 'Landman.'
The American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) hosted the watch party. Miniature pumpjacks decorated the conference room tables where the executives dined before the office building's lights dimmed at 7:45 p.m.
The association is headquartered in Fort Worth, another connection between Sheridan's series and Cowtown.
"It tells our story more in-depth," AAPL board member Jason Maloy said after watching the series debut. "A lot of people don't really know what a landman is."
A landman, short for land manager, negotiates between energy companies, landowners and their communities. In the early 20th century, such workers were often called "scouts."
Landmen dabble in legal issues, research public records, mitigate conflicts and respond to emergencies. The job requires elite communications skills, AAPL president Nancy McCaskell said.
"We're the public face most people see when we start on new energy discoveries," she said. "We negotiate deals on oil and gas leases. We negotiate deals for roads and rights of way and to lay pipelines."
Relationships are currency. Because the work often involves brokering deals between parties at odds, McCaskell said there are plenty of made-for-tv moments in the real-life gig.
"We have a lot of drama," McCaskell said. "I watched a few of the trailers for the Landman series. I don't think I've ever been asked to put out a fire on location, but we're out there. We're out there when the fire is burning and we're out there when accidents are occurring because we're coming to talk to you."
McCaskell said the AAPL is headquartered in Fort Worth for some of the same reasons Sheridan chose to film a chunk of the series in Cowtown. The oil and gas industry helped build the city, the last urban giant before suburbia gives way to the Permian Basin.
Throughout the series, Landman viewers will notice Fort Worth landmarks: the downtown skyline, TCU's Lowdown Track and Field Complex, and the River Crest Country Club. There are also scenes shot inside AAPL's office building.
Sheridan, who created the popular series 'Yellowstone' and its prequels, is a Fort Worth native. He graduated from R.L. Paschal High School.
Two episodes in, Maloy said he sees his town, his business, and his people represented in the show. The series accurately depicts a landman's workload and the pace of each day, he said, though the Hollywood iteration features a few more explosions than in real life.
Maloy and others at AAPL will release a companion podcast each Thursday to help viewers identify what the show embellishes and what it portrays accurately.
"Taylor Sheridan is a fantastic writer," he said. "The cast is just incredible."