Albuquerque Studios

Albuquerque Studios is going to the "auction block." Having defaulted on a $21.4 million loan, their creditor, Chicago Investment Trust, is calling in the chips, and The Studios (including their debt) is scheduled to auction on May 14th, in Albuquerque.

So, if this does happen, what does it mean for the New Mexico film industry?

It depends, but I think it will work out just fine.

Firstly, there was film in New Mexico before Albuquerque Studios, and there would be film after Albuquerque Studios, whether it was shuttered totally (unlikely) or if it was taken over by another studio entity. The notion that this spells the "demise" of anything (other than the careers of some studio executives and, perhaps, the name "Albuquerque Studios") is unfounded.

Secondly, Albuquerque Studios was built during an intense spike in production business in New Mexico, when our state was well out in the forefront of the "film incentive" game. At that time it made a lot of sense to build the world's largest studio for $100 million dollars. But that was before the economic downturn. And before dozens of other states launched their own film incentive programs. That being said, its possible that the current state of Albuquerque Studios as as much a result of management as economy. It's hard to tell.

Either way, under any circumstances, it's never easy to recoup $100 million sheckles.

Much of filming in New Mexico is location based, and not every picture or TV show is going to be mega-budget. Garson Studios in Santa Fe has been around since 1989, and have hosted major productions including No Country for Old Men, Legion, Brothers, Appaloosa and more. While they don't garner much press, they've been here for a long time, and will likely continue to be so. That all being said, there's much clout and function added to a film industry when we have the scope and scale of a facility such as ABQ Studios. So, to lessen its impact would be an oversimplification. And it would, in fact, be more difficult to draw in major, studio-based productions without it.

Yet a lot of film in New Mexico is also sustained by low to mid-budget pictures. While we do see mega-budget shoots that could require a mega-studio, it's the exception more than the rule. So, again, there's no shortage of productions not in need of a major studio, and I don't forsee much of a difference in the number of productions that will be landing in the State. However, without big-spending films, you could see overall expenditures drop. But everything is just conjecture at this point.

Many also felt that the studios were priced high. One of the benefits of filming in New Mexico is the lower cost of doing business, and, of course, our 25% cash rebate for productions. Charging high rates, however, can offset much of that benefit. Twenty-five percent back means little if you're already overpaying. My hope would be that new management would handle the equation differently, and to work with the incentives to make New Mexico an even more affordable destination. So, again, depending on how the cards play out, this could turn out to be a positive development.

Also, the former chief of ABQ Studios, Nick Smerigan, is accused in a lawsuit filed by Pacifica Ventures to have funneled film business to new studios in Mississippi, in which he has an interest (ie, his company Nick Smerigan is the founder of RoadTown Enterprises, the Los Angeles-based firm that is managing the studio.) These are lean times, and every production counts. I have no idea, but let's just say that for conversation sake it is true (its a much more interesting story this way, anway). I'd have to assume any future management would be under much more stringent oversight, and we'd be unlikely to have that happen again. So, perhaps, another plus. I also think there's quite a few parties interested in picking up a film studio for cents on the dollar, and I'd expect they're not a bunch of hacks.

Also, Santa Fe Studios is still firmly in the pipeline. While not nearly as large as ABQ, it would provide New Mexico with an incredible studio space that I feel is in alignment with more sustainable planning; smaller in scope with graduated improvements and expansions. The current situation in ABQ could also help foster a more streamlined process to getting SF Studios up and running - another plus.
It's always easy to hit the panic button, especially in such a tepid market and uneasy times. The real challenge comes in trying to find the good in any situation, because that's part of what helps open the way for new ideas and positive developments. Film professionals are by nature a resilient and inventive lot, and are able to weather a lot of ups and downs. After all, if you can't handle chaos, you shouldn't be involved in film.

Thus far, I'm not seeing anything that's making me reach for the life preserver, and I'd be one of the first to know if the ship is going down. Far from it. In fact, I'm interested to see how things unfold from here and believe that there are some great possibilities in store.

We're fine. Everything changes. There's usually some bumps and bruises along the way, often, in retrospect, just to keep us on the edges of our seats. And those of us in film should be used to that. After all, if we're the one's who create dramas, we should also be the best at navigating them.

Feel free to email us your thoughts and opinions on this issue. Email to info@crewnewmexico.com

Grant Hangs in Balance for Santa Fe Studios

. . . from the Santa Fe New Mexican.

State officials say they are still reviewing plans for a film studio complex south of Santa Fe to determine if the project qualifies for a $10 million economic development grant.

Santa Fe County has already agreed to lend the private developers $6 million to build the complex, and provide another $3.6 million worth of infrastructure and water rights free of charge.

But the state departments of Finance and Administration and Economic Development haven't yet approved the project to receive the $10 million Local Economic Development grant.

"We have not certified this project," Toni Balzano, deputy cabinet secretary of the state Economic Development Department said Monday. Balzano said the department had come up with several amendments to the project agreement related to the number of jobs created and the financial guarantees in place to protect the city and county investments being made in to the project.

Those amendments were supposed to be considered during the County Commission meeting today — though they were listed on the consent calendar, which means they likely would not be discussed before the vote. But County Attorney Stephen Ross said Monday the amendments are "not ready for prime time yet," and the issue probably will have to be tabled at today's meeting.

Neither Santa Fe County nor the Economic Development Department could provide copies of the proposed resolutions.

Ross said the documents were not completed yet. Balzano said the amendments were not yet public record.

Santa Fe Film and Media Studios father-and-son partners Lance Hool and Jason Hool have been negotiating the film studios project with Santa Fe County for years.

The most recent version of the plan calls for. . .

To read the full article, click here!

Let incentives take state film industry to maturity

- Editorial submission by Lance Hool, CEO Santa Fe Studios and Hal Katersky, chairman and CEO of Albuquerque Studios.

The near-term success of our film industry in New Mexico depends on film incentives; in the long term it will depend on developing the local infrastructure, talent and crews.

We are on a solid ground, but we must keep growing. New Mexico is the most desired place to make movies, outside of Hollywood and New York. The crew base is growing and infrastructure is being established, but there is still a long road ahead. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, only 2 percent of the films shot in North America in 2009 were shot in New Mexico. We need to grow that number.

We've seen the growth of the film industries in Australia and Canada, and the demise of the Mexican and South African film industries. Each of these industries was launched with the help of incentives from governments.

The Australian and Canadian film industries are both thriving. They began to flourish in the 1970s with the help of tax incentives. Today they have reached a mature stage, and their indigenous industries are self-sustaining. This is proven by the fact that, although their currencies have surged against the U.S. dollar, both industries continue to thrive. Films can now be produced with 100 percent local talent. If Hollywood wants an Australian- or Canadian-made film, they need not import Hollywood crews and talent. Each of these two industries has excellent local talent and crews to, not only shoot the movie, but handle all post-production as well.

The South African film industry grew quickly with favorable tax incentives in the 1980s. Unfortunately, the South African government pulled the incentives too early and abruptly. Unlike Canada and Australia, the industry had not matured. There was no infrastructure, and the industry literally evaporated. The country is grappling with how to grow back their industry and has enlisted the help of New Mexicans, among others, to emulate our successful program of incentives.

To read the full article, click here!

Board greenlights Santa Fe Studios

Construction on project off N.M. 14 could begin as early as April

by Robert Nott The New Mexican

The state Board of Finance on Tuesday approved restructuring of a Santa Fe County land sale that gives Santa Fe Studios the right to start building.

The board voted 2-1 for the move after reviewing an updated study on the economic feasibility of the film studio, which will be off N.M. 14 near the Penitentiary of New Mexico at the Santa Fe County Media Park.

Construction could start as soon as April, according to Lance Hool, chief executive officer of Santa Fe Studios. Hool said he'd like to see the studio ready and open for business by October.

Questions about the financial viability of the project arose almost immediately after Santa Fe County announced last autumn that it would lend $6 million to Santa Fe Studios to encourage economic development and job growth. The county will generate the $6 million through bond sales and gross-receipts tax revenues. In addition, the state will provide $10 million in grant monies to support the enterprise.

To read the full article, click here!

A Tale of Two Studios

by Dan Mayfield, ABQ Journal

Mom always said life's not fair. The state is chipping in $10
million toward the construction of Santa Fe Studios, while Santa Fe
County stepped in with a $6 million loan for the studios and a $3
million loan for the eight-acre site.

In total, more than $19 million in public money is going toward the
$28 million project just south of Santa Fe.

In contrast, Albuquerque Studios spent $74 million (and $20 million
later) in private money to build stateof-the-art studios at Mesa del Sol
in Albuquerque four years ago.

"Everything is private. No state, federal or city investments," said
Nick Smerigan, chief operating officer of Albuquerque Studios.

Albuquerque Studios is part of the Pacifica Ventures family of
studios, which also has studios in Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Santa Fe Studios is being built by the Hool family of movie
producers who have made films like "Flipper" and "Crocodile Dundee in
Los Angeles."

Questions about the fairness of the Santa Fe deal have popped up, in
part, because the Hools are longtime friends of the governor. The
Governor's Office and the Hools have said their relationship had nothing
to do with the deal.

Eric Witt, Gov. Bill Richardson's deputy chief of staff, insists
comparing the two studio projects isn't fair.

Witt said the state did a lot for the Albuquerque project located at
Mesa del Sol, including providing a road to Albuquerque Studios.

"That road was a big dang deal," he said, at a cost of $6.25million.
He also mentioned tax breaks and other improvements to Mesa del Sol that
benefited Albuquerque Studios. "I know it's not quite the same thing."

Smerigan has a different view.

"We paid for our own power, water lines. I didn't receive any
benefit with the possible exception of the road," he said. "I have not
gotten one break on anything. I thought that was going to be a benefit
that everyone would appreciate. Every piece of infrastructure on this
lot we paid for ourselves."

Jason Hool, president of Santa Fe Studios, points out that the
public money for his project comes with plenty of strings attached,
which guarantee the project benefits the state. So far, he said, the
Hool family has invested $1million and has raised more capital to finish
the construction.

So how did a California company end up with a project in which
taxpayer money covers more than two-thirds the cost?

Funds allocated

Long before Albuquerque Studios was planned and when the state was
flush with money in 2002, the state started looking at a need for
studios.

The film incentive program was picking up steam, Witt said, and the
Legislature appropriated $10 million for a studio in Santa Fe County,
which was the hub of the film business then.

"The allocation ... was the first one. At that time nobody was in a
position to actually build a soundstage facility," Witt said.

After the Legislature approved the $10 million grant for Santa Fe
County, the Governor's Office removed "Santa Fe" from the bill so the
money could be used statewide in case a project elsewhere was proposed,
Witt said. It never was.

The money was added to Richardson's Media Fund, which has money set
aside for film and media projects like training programs.

At the same time, Santa Fe was working on a media park in an unused
65-acre parcel of land just south of Santa Fe and about a half-mile from
the Bonanza Creek Movie Ranch, where "3:10 to Yuma" and "Young Guns"
were filmed, said Robert Griego, the Santa Fe County planning director.

"It began as an economic development project," he said. "We did an
economic development plan and in our plan we had targeted industries and
one of them was film and media."

Santa Fe County zoned the park a media district and set out to look
for an owner-operator for a studio, Griego said.

About three years ago, the Hools showed up.

"The county says, 'We're ready to move on this thing. Where's our
$10 million?'" Witt said.

By then, two proposals had already come and gone for soundstages.
The Hools had an ambitious project, a green studio designed by a
superstar architect, and came with a heavy-hitting board of directors
who represent Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures
Entertainment and Universal Pictures. It just happened, Witt said, that
Conrad Hool and Gov. Richardson were old friends.

The state at the time had the money in two piles, Witt said. The
state used $3.5million in Local Economic Development Act funds, which
are earmarked for projects that create jobs. The rest, $6.5million, came
from the media fund.

The money was given to the county, which is passing it on to Santa
Fe Studios.

Tied to jobs

In addition, the county has agreed to make a lowinterest, 10-year
loan for $6million to the Hools. And it is allowing the studios to buy the land, valued at about
$3million, with five payments. But rather than a monthly payment on the land, the Santa Fe Studios will pay back the loan after it reaches certain milestones in job
creation.

For every 100,000 hours of work, the studio pays the county
$520,000. The land sale is expected to close soon, said Santa Fe County
Attorney Steve Ross, and the Hools will have six years to pay off the
loan.

"We were struggling to structure something that would work for them
but not expose the county," said Ross.

The $10 million state grant - which was approved last week - will be
used for construction. Then, Ross said, the county will offer the Hools
the $6million loan.

If the Hools don't build the studio, they owe the state $10 million.
If the studio can't pay the $6 million loan, the county can foreclose on
the project, said Santa Fe County Attorney Steve Ross.

"We have to build a studio. It's not money in our pockets. We have
to deliver jobs. It we fail, we have to pay the money back," Hool said,
including the state grant. If business booms, Hool said, the studios
will own the land quickly. If business is slow, it could

take the full six years.

Santa Fe County Commissioner Virginia Vigil said construction job
hours will count toward the total.

"The intent was to link those dollars (the loan) to the ability to
create jobs," Vigil said.

Most film crew and actors work more than 40-hour weeks, usually
about 60, which will accelerate the pace of the studios reaching each
100,000-hour milestone.

Two large films, with about 120 film-crew workers, truck drivers,
caterers and more would provide 100,000 hours of work, said Jon Hendry,
the head of the state's film crew union, the International Association
of Theatrical Stage Employees.

The vast majority of state film work is union work, whether that's
with IATSE, the Screen Actors Guild, the Directors Guild of America or
others. Unlike a regular 40-hour workweek, Hendry said film jobs are
based on a 70-hour workweek.

The county estimates that the studios will pay back the entire loan
within the first five years of operation, Vigil said.

"We like this business model," Hendry said. "We told the county we
want to keep their feet to the fire." More About the Jobs

Pay Scale

The jobs created by Santa Fe Studios are expected to pay more than the
average wage for Santa Fe County, which was $42,000 in 2008, according
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average film crew member makes
$48,000 a year, working on three films. DGA and SAG members and others
on set can make considerably more, said Jon Hendry, the head of the
state's film crew union, the International Association of Theatrical
Stage Employees.

An entry-level IATSE member can make $23 an hour, Hendry said.

Unemployment Benefits

Like any company, film productions must pay into the state unemployment
insurance benefits package, said Jason Lewis, chief of staff for the
Workforce Solutions Department.

Since the average film worker works 45 weeks a year, he or she is
eligible for state unemployment benefits when not working that can last
26 weeks and up to 86 weeks with new federal programs, Lewis said. Film
workers, who work on and off, are treated much the same way seasonal
workers are, Lewis said, and are not an additional strain on the
unemployment insurance program.

Health Care

A union member must be covered by a health plan to be eligible to work
and the health-care plans vary from a simple, highdeductible
$100-permonth plan to an $800-per-month plan that covers an entire
family. So film workers are not a drain on the state Medicaid system,
says Hendry.

New Mexico kicks in $10 million to build Santa Fe movie and TV studio

By Richard Verrier, LA TIMES

December 10, 2009

New Mexico is determined to stay in the Hollywood limelight.

Much to the chagrin of California, New Mexico has emerged as a major draw for movies and TV shows in recent years. Credit a generous 25% film production rebate, favorable climate and an aggressive film office.

Now the state that bills itself as "Hollywood's Newest Home" is ratcheting up the competition. With the support of a $10-million economic development grant from the state, developers are about to break ground on a major production studio just outside Santa Fe, the state's capital.

The $25-million project, called Santa Fe Studios, will include two 18,000-square-foot sound stages and 27,000 square feet of warehouse space. It will be the state's second major sound stage facility after Albuquerque Studios, which has eight sound stages and has helped fuel the state's film growth since opening in 2007. The studio is home to the TV series "Breaking Bad" and the cable channel Reelz, which relocated from Los Angeles last year. It also has hosted production of such movies as "Terminator Salvation."

"We feel positively about the future of the film business here," said Jason Hool, president of Santa Fe Studios, which is owned by Hool's family. "There is plenty of film work to go around." The new facility is targeted to open next fall.

New Mexico drew almost $267.9 million in direct film spending in the fiscal year that ended June 30, about flat compared with the same period a year earlier, but up from $150.8 million in fiscal 2007, the New Mexico Film Office said.

The new sound stages will draw more business to the state, local film promoters predict. "We have the opportunity to get the stage work that doubles or triples the amount of time that a production is working within our state," said Lisa Strout, director of the New Mexico Film Office.

Santa Fe Studios betting big on new complex

The producers of the nuclear holocaust film Terminator Salvation, released earlier this year, originally planned to crash a helicopter into a lake in Budapest. But they decided instead to take advantage of New Mexico's film incentives program and make the science-fiction movie right here in the state, much of it at the 28-acre, two-year-old campus of Albuquerque Studios.

A shallow tank on a few acres of flat desert outside the facility became the crash site, monster machines soared over the Rio Grande Gorge, and John Connor (Christian Bale), a future Resistance soldier, rode a motorcycle across the vast mesa west of the Duke City.

Tax rebates, interest-free loans and free use of some state property are luring filmmakers to New Mexico, creating jobs and new sources of revenue. The fourth feature film in the Terminator series was the biggest picture shot in the state last year and one of 44 major TV and film productions made in New Mexico since January 2008.

Albuquerque Studios also are home to the Emmy Award-winning television series Breaking Bad, now in its third season.

But six of its top-of-the-line sound stages built in 2007 and two smaller studios added later are not all fully booked, according to chief operating officer Nick Smerigan. And now he might be getting some competition from a new film studio complex that is expected to break ground this winter on county-owned land off N.M. 14 south of Santa Fe.

That raises the question about whether there is enough demand for another major studio facility in New Mexico.

County officials are gambling there is. State and local officials think so. Lisa Strout, director of the state Film Office, said there's no doubt that Albuquerque Studios has changed the landscape of the film business in New Mexico.

To read the full article, click here.

County backs loan for new film studio: Development of complex off N.M. 14 could begin within weeks

Santa Fe County will lend $6 million to a production company to build a film studio complex on N.M. 14 near the Penitentiary of New Mexico.

County Commissioners approved the loan unanimously Friday morning in a special meeting held in a chamber packed with local film union members.

The county will generate the $6 million for the loan through the sale of bonds backed by gross-receipts tax revenues.

Executives of Santa Fe Studios -- the entity that will use the money to build the studio -- will provide a $2 million letter of credit or escrow payment to secure the loan.

If Santa Fe Studios defaults on the loan, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 480 would take over operating the studios on behalf of the county.

Though the general terms were agreed to in Friday's meeting, several specifics of the deal have yet to be finalized.

Chief among the unresolved details is the extent of financial liability the union would assume in the event Santa Fe Studios, owned by Lance Hool, 59, his brother Conrad Hool, 61 and Lance Hool's 34-year-old son Jason Hool, defaults on the loan. The company's board also includes executives from Warner Bros., SONY/Columbia Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox.

"If (Santa Fe Studios owners) default, the filmmakers union would be taking on all of the debt," said Commissioner Liz Stefancis after the vote. "That's what we intended."

But IATSE Local 480 business agent Jon Hendry had a different perception of what had been approved in the meeting.

"We're not getting into guaranteeing any private debt," Hendry said. "We never offered that and we wouldn't be prepared to do that because it would put us in a position where we would have a vested interest in (the Hools') failure and we're not going to do that."

County Attorney Stephen Ross said resolving the terms of the union's involvement is a small but important detail "because the consequences of not having enough security are serious."

Hendry said 525 of the 1,200 IATSE members in New Mexico members are based in Santa Fe County, so there is strong support for the project within the union.

The Hools have been trying for years to realize a film studio project on a 65-acre tract of land off N.M. 14 that has since been designated a media district.

Santa Fe Studios and the county agreed in June 2008 that the film production company would purchase the land and build a four-stage, $40 million eco-friendly film studio. As part of that deal, the county agreed to contribute about $3.5 million worth of water rights and infrastructure improvements to the project. The studio promised to provide 500,000 hours worth of above-minimum wage jobs in return. The studio project also is slated to receive $10 million in economic development subsidies from the state Department of Finance.

But the Hools have had some difficulty securing the balance of funding needed to meet the terms of that agreement.

The version of the project discussed Friday calls for a scaled-back $16 million start -- with reduced square footage and more flexibility regarding the type of facilities that must be produced -- with a gradual phasing in of more development over time.

All five county commissioners spoke in favor of the project Friday, lauding it as a clean industry that would provide a myriad of economic development benefits for the county.

Lance Hool said making the studio complex a reality in current economic conditions has been tough, but he has been encouraged by the strong support shown by local government and union officials.

To read the full article, click here!

What's Up in the Santa Fe Film World

We at crewnewmexico.com wanted to re-post this article from by Peter Debruge in Variety about Santa Fe Studios so that everyone has an idea of what's coming down the pike for the New Mexico Film Industry.

Filmmaking focus shifts to Santa Fe
New studios call for more action in the area
by Peter Debruge

Boasting a major airport, Hollywood-caliber studio facilities and a full third of New Mexico's 2.5 million residents, the Albuquerque area seems like the natural hub for the state's filmmaking operations.

But plans are under way that could shift a significant amount of production to the Santa Fe area, widely recognized as the creative culture center of the Southwest. In addition to the many artists and musicians represented there, the capital (with its relatively modest 80,000 population) is home to nearly half the state's crew base. In the past, those pros have had to commute to Albuquerque (a 45-minute drive) or far-flung outdoor locations like Ghost Ranch or White Sands for work, with gas and lodging eating into production budgets.

That may change thanks to a number of major initiatives in the works. Earlier this month, local government gave the Hool family, established players in the Mexican and independent film scene, the greenlight to proceed with building Santa Fe Studios, their proposed 600,000-square-foot, six-stage facility just south of the city.

In keeping with the style of most Santa Fe architecture, the Hools looked to indigenous traditions as they planned their eco-conscious campus. "It turns out the Anasazi design principles map one-to-one with the lead green principles: orientation of buildings on a north-south axis, take advantage of shade for the summer and passive heating for winter, capture rainwater, things like that," explains Jason Hool, who left a job working with Guy Hands at Terra Firma to assist his father, producer Lance Hool, with the project.

By the time Santa Fe Studios' projected late-2009 completion date rolls around, Angelenos should be able to fly directly into Santa Fe with the same 90-minute terminal-to-terminal convenience currently available between the LAX and ABQ airports.

"American Airlines and Delta are in the process of getting clearance from the FAA," claims Eric Witt, head of Gov. Bill Richardson's media arts development initiative. "They're looking to direct 70- to 100-seat passenger jets from L.A., Denver and Dallas."

To make things even more accessible, construction is already under way on a high-speed "Rail Runner" train between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. At this rate, crews could be commuting effortlessly between the two cities by the end of the year.

Santa Fe Studios Update

We're frequently asked about the progress/plans of Santa Fe Studios, and are happy to report that everything is, at this point, on schedule for a late 2009-early 2010 opening.

For the uninitiated, Santa Fe studios is a massive, 65 acre film complex planned for the south end of Santa Fe, on Highway 14, across from the prison. It will feature several sound stages (two of them, when combined, may be the largest in the world), a large back-lot, on-site mill, and an industry-supporting complex featuring office space, commercial space, as well as a school/training complex, and more. It is planned to be built in stages, with the studio space and critical support to come in first. Even better, it is going to be built with green standards, and in alignment with Anasazi principles of alignment to the landscape and stars. And it will be built in Santa Fe/Adobe style to blend in. There's a lot more amazing things planned, but we don't want to spoil anything. Just know that its planned to be a serious, world-class film destination.

So, what does this mean for the New Mexico Film Industry, or, more specifically, Santa Fe? Currently, Albuquerque Studios provides the state's only full-fledged, large scale, full-time production studio, and they are booked solid. The addition of Santa Fe Studios will dramatically increase the overall production capacity of the state, meaning that more, and more large scale productions will be able to shoot here. Albuquerque Studios has just hosted a massive film - Terminator 4 - and we can expect more of that kind of production as the support infrastructure, and crew and services base expands.

While it is always tricky to give economic impact stats, we can safely say that the addition of Santa Fe Studios will provide a substantial boost to the local - and regional - economy, providing high wage jobs, and offering hundreds of individuals and businesses the opportunity to provide goods and services to the film industry.

We're thrilled at the developments of the New Mexico Film Industry, are are proud to be a part of something so dynamic, and with so much potential. We'll try to keep you posted on all of the most important development on what's going on in the industry. If you've got some news or information, send it our way -- info@crewnewmexico.com.

Santa Fe Studios Gets the Green Light

For those following the growth of the New Mexico Film Industry, you'll be pleased to know that Santa Fe Studios has received the green light from the Santa Fe County Commission -- one of the (if not final) legislative humps to overcome on their path to building a major motion picture studio in Santa Fe. Santa Fe Studios would be built south of Santa Fe on Highway 14, feature up to 10 sound stages, pre and post production facilities, and commercial space for supporting businesses.

Albuquerque Studios is booked to capacity, and the addition of world-class studio space to the New Mexico film industry arsenal would serve to solidify New Mexico as a primary film destination.

crewnewmexico.com got a chance to speak to the County Commissioners to address a common concern: how will all this film work trickle down the the average local person. We explained that now there is a resource (us) dedicated to connecting individuals and businesses to the film industry, and that in just a few short weeks we have grown to nearly 40 members. We're happy to help to facilitate the growth of the industry in ways that support the local economy. And we also work to ensure that visiting productions have all the resources they need to maximize the value of our incentive programs.

Congratulations to the Hool family: Lance Hool, Conrad Hool, and Jason Hool on another positive step towards making Santa Fe Studios a reality.

Support Santa Fe Studios

Another note from the folks at IATSE Local 480: We need your support at the Santa Fe County Commission meeting on Tuesday May 27th for another vote in the approval process for the new Santa Fe Studios proposal. It is important that everyone in the filmmaking community show up and offer their support. This is a public hearing so if you wish to voice your input you may do so, but more than that we need people to simply show up and visibly lend their support. Why is this a big deal for you? This is concrete on the ground and the more infrastructure we have the less likely we are to lose our incentives. Please show up at the Santa Fe County Building, 102 Grant Avenue (the corner of Grant & Palace in Santa Fe), we should come up on the agenda around 2pm. You can park in the city lot on San Francisco St and walk through Burro Alley to get there.

Open House for Santa Fe Studios

This note from the folks at IATSE Local 480: There is an open house tomorrow (Wednesday, May 21st) for Santa Fe Studios and the County Media District beginning at 6pm at the Santa Fe Community College. This would be a great place to network and meet the people behind the new studio. Please join us and show your support of this new facility!

Santa Fe Studio

On Tuesday, Santa Fe county gave the ok for the development of Santa Fe Film Studios, which would bring a full-scale studio environment to Santa Fe, with up to 10 soundstages, post-production facilities, executive offices, and up to 500,000 sq ft of studio space when fully complete. It would be located south of town, on Highway 14, across from the prison. This is excellent news for the industry in Santa Fe, and for residents and businesses for Santa Fe and surrounding areas, and the NM film industry in general. Solid film infrastructure is one of the critical components of why productions would choose New Mexico, in addition to the incentives and crew base. It would be an excellent addition to the local economy, locking in hopefully stable and high-paying jobs to what is typically a service-economy/tourism oriented economy in Santa Fe.

The owners of the Studio say that it will be the first "green" studio in the world, and we're curious to learn more about that.

We'll keep you posted!