Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The Great 25% off crewnewmexico.com Deal!


crewnewmexico.com is New Mexico’s Premiere Film Industry Resource, and we’re growing fast! We’ve added nearly 125 advertisers to our directory since launching 4 months ago, and we want to celebrate!

Whether you’re already a member and want additional exposure, or joining for the first time - we’re offering 25% off all new listings if you Sign Up Now through October 6th! Rates for a basic membership start at just $79/year, so this is a great time to come onboard. Tell a friend!

Simply Sign Up online (enter WELCOME25 in the promo code area during checkout for your discount), give us a call, or send an email - we’re happy to answer any questions, create your account for you, and explain how listing on crewnewmexico.com puts you quickly and easily on industry radar.

Film and TV is the fastest growing industry in the state. We’re growing with it, and want you to come along for the ride!

Give us a ring at (866) 986-8884, email us at membership@crewnewmexico.com, or click here to learn more about membership.

This offer is only valid till Monday, October 6th, so, like, act fast.

New Mexico Film Expo! This Weekend!


The Santa Fe Film Festival will stage its 3rd Annual New Mexico Film Expo Thursday, October 2 through Sunday, October 5 at the New Mexico Film Museum at the Jean Cocteau, with continued screenings on Monday, October 6 at the Film Center at Cinemacafe. For info, visit their site.

As a presentation of the Santa Fe Film Festival, the New Mexico Film Expo launches the SFFF´s efforts to stage New Mexico films, panels, and workshops year-round, as a companion to our year-round cinema. We are starting a program October 6th, to continue the first Monday of each month, to highlight New Mexico film with screenings of films selected to inspire audience feedback. We also plan, in 2009, to stage panels and workshops for New Mexico filmmakers, in conjunction with the Film Office, the Film Museum, and other organizations which share our mission to promote and support New Mexico Film.

During the NM Film Expo, audience reactions and constructive feedback are encouraged. One of the goals of this expo is to strengthen our sense of a community of New Mexico filmmakers working together to make great films and share them with one another. This Expo offers us all a chance to share our work, get feedback and to network and meet one another and find lifelong working partners and friends.

Tickets are $5 for each screening, available at the door. A ticket stub gets you free admittance to both panels and all parties.

Over 110 films will be shown in total. A panel of esteemed jurors will make recommendations for select films to be shown at the Ninth Annual Santa Fe Film Festival, December 3 to 7. Selections will also be based on Audience Choice culled from a ballot where patrons select top three choices in various genres.

Hollywood on the Huron - from the LA Times

While New Mexico has one of the leading film industries in the States, its not alone in its effort to draw production away from LA. Here's an articleby Richard Verrier from the LA Times about Michigan and their film industry. But don't be plussed - we're in great shape here, and have many more elements that make New Mexico a solid, long-term filming destination. Infrastructure, locations, sustainable incentives, experienced above the line professionals, talented below-the line crew , a strong film union, and the leading film office in the nation. -- crew

By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

October 1, 2008
First it was Louisiana. Then it was New Mexico and New York. Now it's Michigan's turn as the latest hot spot for film production.

Not since Michael Moore's documentary "Roger and Me" has the Great Lakes state garnered so much attention from Hollywood. Once considered a relative backwater as a film destination, Michigan has lured more than 60 features and made-for-TV movies this year, up from just three last year, according to the Michigan Film Office.

The projects include upcoming films as well as recently wrapped movies such as Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino," a drama about at Korean War vet who befriends his young neighbor; "Whip It!," a Drew Barrymore-directed comedy starring Ellen Page of "Juno" fame; and the sci-fi thriller "Butterfly Effect: Revelation." Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures all have films lined up to shoot in Michigan this fall.

Under Michigan's program, producers get 40 cents back for every $1 they spend on filming and qualify for an additional 2% spending rebate if the film is shot in designated "core communities," including Detroit and Flint.

The rebate covers salaries of crew members and above-the-line talent up to $2 million per person (so that wouldn't cover the typical fees commanded by the likes of a Brad Pitt or a George Clooney). Additionally, the law provides a 25% tax credit for companies that invest in new film and digital media studios in the state and would cover 50% of on-the-job training expenses for Michigan residents working as crew members.

Thanks to such incentives, Michigan expects to pull in nearly $400 million in film revenue this year, a welcome boost to a state that has been buffeted by the woes of the Big Three automakers.

"The response has been magnificent," says Anthony Wenson, chief operating officer for the Michigan Film Office. "We've not only brought dollars into the state, but we've created new jobs."

How long Michigan enjoys its moment in the sun -- yes, there's sun in Michigan -- remains to be seen. The state doesn't have the quantity of crews or the production facilities of more established locales such as Vancouver, Canada, and New York. And, of course, there's nothing to stop another state from coming along and cooking up even more generous incentives.

But for now, Michigan's success is a stark reminder of California's continued vulnerability to runaway production.

Much to the lament of unions and industry officials, California does not have an incentive program to keep its signature industry at home. This, despite having a former movie star in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.