NM Media Industry News

Becoming Eduardo Premieres in Las Cruces

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:07:00 +0000

Las Cruces-Made Movie, 'Becoming Eduardo" Premiers at Rio Grande
June 25, 2009

Jun. 25--LAS CRUCES --Catch the debut of hometown stars and filmmakers with local roots at a special screening today. The final cut of "Becoming Eduardo," a locally-produced independent film, will be screened at 7 p.m. today at the Rio Grande Theatre on the Downtown Mall.

Among filmmakers on hand for a question and answer session will be Rod McCall, the director and writer of the movie, which is based on the novella "Alternative Ed" by LouAnne Johnson, a former Las Cruces High School teacher who wrote "My Posse Don't Do Homework," which became the hit 1995 film "Dangerous Minds."

McCall also co-produced the film with Bradley Littlefield and executive producer Garland Bills.

The film was shot last summer in southern New Mexico with primary locations in Hillsboro and Truth or Consequences.

"Becoming Eduardo" features newcomers Julian Alcaraz, Elizabeth Blanco and Mike Dunay as well as film and television veterans A. Martinez, Holly Riddle, Josh Cruze, Gary Perez and Elizabeth Pena.

Filmed in association with The Creative Media Institute at New Mexico State University, where McCall is an instructor, "Becoming Eduardo" also features actors Mariah Talent and Adrien Gloria from Las Cruces' Alma d'Arte charter high school for the arts, as well as the school's executive artistic producer and founder, Irene Oliver-Lewis. Several of McCall's students acted as production assistants on the film.

According to a synopsis provided by McCall, "Eddie Coraz n (Alcaraz), a

16-year-old juvenile delinquent and secret reader, who attends an alternative high school in rural New Mexico, now walks a thin line between tragedy and glory as he searches for his place in the world. Torn between the violent macho world of his best friend T.J. (Dunay) and the academic world inhabited by understanding teachers and a bewitching college-bound beauty named Lupe (Blanco), Eddie finds himself pulled in opposite directions, but realizes that the course of his life is, indeed, up to him. Making the right decision, however, is much harder than it seems."

Tickets, at $6, can be purchased online through www.RioGrandeTheatre.com or www.BrownPaperTickets.com. For information, call the Dona Ana Arts Council (DAAC) at (575) 523-6403. Proceeds from the screening will benefit DAAC programs.

S. Derrickson Moore can be reached at dmoore@lcsun-news.com

If you go

What: "Becoming Eduardo" screening

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Rio Grande Theatre, Downtown Mall

How much: $6

Info & tickets: (575) 523-6403. www.RioGrandeTheatre.com or www.BrownPaperTickets.com

WhatisPaul Production Blog Launched

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:08:00 +0000

Production blogs for movies have become a more and more popular way to build some buzz and get info out about the productions (Observe and Report had some good crew blogs last year, and McG's blog for Terminator Salvation had good clips and info on that production, often before any other source). The latest I've seen for a NM shoot is on WhatisPaul. It looks pretty cool.

From Empire Movie News Online:

Paul Production Blog Goes Live
Find out latest on Pegg/Frost comedy
Source: What Is Paul?

What is Paul?

Well, Paul is Greg Mottola’s new sci-fi comedy written by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, about two British slackers travelling across America who bump into a fugitive alien, voiced by Seth Rogen. It’s currently being shot on location in New Mexico – or Mexico Zero – as we speak.

What is whatisPaul?

Well, whatisPaul? is the new production blog for the movie that’s just gone live on the internets, featuring a whole lot of video content – shot by Lance Bangs, who directed R.E.M.’s excellent tour film, Road Movie – photos taken by Simon, and much, much more...

More at Paul Production Blog Goes Live

Visit the actual blog at: http://www.whatispaul.com/

NM in Variety

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:01:00 +0000

They've done it again: Variety has another set of articles focused on work being done here in New Mexico. Plenty of good information -- be sure to share them with your friends and potential business contacts.

Select films shot in New Mexico
Projects that show the state's production depth

Includes breakdowns/overviews of: "The Book of Eli", "Crash", "The Men Who Stare at Goats", "Paul", Terminator Salvation", Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", and "Year One".

New Mexico backs new film workshop
Program to develop Hispanic, Native American talent

New Mexico can now add Sundance cred to its filmmaker-friendly resume. The state is backing a workshop-style program for Native American and Hispanic helmers, initiated by Gov. Bill Richardson and Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford, to encourage new talent and develop media projects as well as provide technical training.

Despite the success of the state's film incentive program (125 features shot in six years), a key element was under-realized.

"We still lack above-the-line personnel, such as producers and writers," Richardson contends, "and there is a scarcity of upper-echelon Hispanic and Native American filmmakers." Citing the state's population demographics -- 43% Hispanic and 12% Native American -- he adds, "Everybody in the state realizes film initiatives have created a new industry, and a lot of our Native American and Hispanic population want to be part of it; it's our obligation to include them."...

Reelz sets up shop in Albuquerque
Entertainment cabler moves to cut costs, unify

Six months ago, ReelzChannel said it was leaving its offices in Los Angeles, the center of the entertainment world, for Albuquerque, the center of New Mexico.

It seemed like an odd choice for the showbiz-focused cabler, but chairman-CEO Stan E. Hubbard says the decision to put the channel's L.A.- and Minneapolis/ St. Paul-based programming, production, Web, marketing and communications departments into a 30,000-square-foot facility under one roof was a no-brainer.

"We are a startup, 100% advertiser-supported business, and L.A. is an expensive place," Hubbard says of the company that launched in September 2006. "Once we learned about the opportunities in New Mexico, it really was shame-on-us if we didn't pursue them."...

New Mexico set apart by cheap loans
No-interest plan directly invests in visiting films

...What has turned New Mexico into a major film center is its bountiful package of tax incentives. There is a 25% rebate available for all taxable expenditures in the state. New Mexico also subsidizes 50% of wages paid to local crew trainees. Finally -- and most unusually -- the state offers productions interest-free loans for up to $15 million.

Other states hand out bigger tax breaks (the highest in the nation is Michigan's 42% tax credit). But New Mexico's no-interest loan provision is unique among the 40 states that now offer some sort of financial filming incentive.

"It used to be the part of our incentive that was viewed with the most skepticism," explains Eric Witt, deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Richardson, who calls the state's aggressive attempts to attract the film industry "the biggest bonanza we've had." In fact, discussions are under way to raise the ceiling to $30 million...

Up Next? Transformers

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:13:00 +0000

Big movies tend to have big media promotion campaigns -- which have been great for New Mexico. The latest media blitz we're seeing is for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" which did much of its production in and around Alamogordo.

The El Paso Times has this...

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_12656176?source=most_emailed

White Sands Missile range goes Hollywood in new 'Transformers' sequel
By Doug Pullen / El Paso Times
Posted: 06/20/2009 06:28:42 PM MDT
EL PASO -- Talk about a military operation.
When director Michael Bay and his army of filmmakers wanted to shoot a climactic desert battle sequence for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," they turned to the real Army (and Air Force) for help -- and hardware.
The cast, including stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, and crew of more than 250 people holed up in Alamogordo last summer to work on what's sure to be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. LaBeouf returns as Sam Witwicky, now a college student who gets in the middle, again, of a battle between the good robots, known as Autobots, and the bad ones, Decepticons. Much mechanical mayhem ensues. The movie will open Wednesday.
The filmmakers shot for a month in southeastern New Mexico -- about 20 minutes worth of on-screen footage -- at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, both of which also were featured in the first "Transformers" movie two years ago. Other scenes were shot in Tularosa and the Lincoln National Forest on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

More at White Sands Missile range goes Hollywood in new 'Transformers' sequel

Cinnafilm Teams w/ ARRI

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 12:49:00 +0000

We've already posted the good news to the MISP lists, but it's great to see the buzz around ARRI's relativity product bundle (including Cinnafilm tech) continuing to grow...

From Studio Daily:

ARRI Unveils Cinnafilm Software at Fotokem

By Debra Kaufman

June 7, 2009 – 2:54 pm

...At the Burbank-based Fotokem, which has been beta-testing Cinnafilm’s suite of image processing software tools, a technology launch event celebrated the availability of the software via ARRI worldwide sales channels. Cinnafilm signed a multi-year, multi-million dollar global reseller agreement with ARRI, giving that company the worldwide rights to market and resell Cinnafilm’s software, newly christened ARRI Relativity, dubbed “a space/time converter.” As part of

DPs Amy Vincent and Daryn Okada flank ARRI's An Tranh

the agreement, Cinnafilm will provide ARRI with ongoing technical support and feature upgrades.

“From the first demonstration, we understood the power of Cinnafilm’s Pixel Strings platform, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring a family of technically advanced new software products to our post production customers,” said Glenn Kennel, CTO, ARRI, Inc.

Cinnafilm’s software suite provides professional-grade format conversion, retiming, film simulation, degraining and texture control—innovative technology co-developed with Digital Film Central — all on a single workstatioadvance its own independent R&D.

The event at Fotokem drew numerous Hollywood cinematographers, including ASC President Daryn Okada, ASC; Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC; Nancy Schreiber, ASC; Amy Vincent, ASC and many others. In demonstration rooms, ARRI CTO Glenn Kennel and demo artist Sarah Priestnall, showed off the features of the Cinnafilm software. Priestnall showed how quick and easy it was to up-rez material to 4K or slow down the action 10 percent. She also showed 60i wildlife footage that, on the fly, she de-interlaced and transformed to 24P. She also showed adding grain, to better integrate digital footage with film footage.”With enough andwidth, these conversions can happen in real-time,” reported Cinnafilm founder/CEO Lance Maurer. “You’ll need a lot of disc bandwidth to do that, obviously, but it can be done.”

Maurer came from a mechanical engineering background and worked in aerospace. But he also had a yen to make movies and shot two proejcts in 16mm. “As I gbot better at my expensive hobby, I looked into digital cameras, but the result didn’t look as good as film,” he said. The engineer in him saw a problem that needed to be solved, and what started as a short research project turned into a five year R&D effort. “I had to find the programmers to do what I was trying to create,” he said. To keep going, he sold stock in the nascent company, and first showed a pre-release–which was just a video-to-film look–at NAB 2008. But he got enough attention to get Fotokem interested; that post facility became a beta-test site for the software. Later, with Vancouver-based Digital Film Central, which had a previous relationship with ARRI, Cinnafilm worked on texture control...

More at ARRI Unveils Cinnafilm Software at Fotokem

Relativity release in High Definition Magazine: http://www.definitionmagazine.com/post/arri_disoft.htm

From the Cinematography boards:
http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=39398

Albuquerque #2 for Business for Technology, Film

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:34:00 +0000

Kiplinger.com chose Albuquerque as the US second best city, looking for "places that have stable employment plus the talent to create new, well-paying positions. A robust job market makes these cities safe havens during the recession and will give them a head start toward growth when the recovery takes off."

Of particular note for Albuquerque was its success in encouraging both tech and film business growth.

Read the Albuquerque write-up (with a few other perks) at: #2 Albuquerque, New Mexico

And the full article at Best Cities: It's All About Jobs

Cinnafilm Signs With Arri!

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:30:00 +0000

Absolutely great news from our friends at Cinnafilm:

from the NM Business Weekly:
Cinnafilm lands deal with film-equipment giant

Engineering software firm Cinnafilm Inc. has signed a deal giving film-equipment giant ARRI worldwide rights to resell Cinnafilm’s image processing software.

Albuquerque-based Cinnafilm develops film and video post-production tools. The software ARRI will resell uses Cinnafilm’s video processing engine, called Pixel Strings.

The software suite has been renamed ARRI Relativity. The companies have set an invitation-only product launch event for June 2 in the Los Angeles area.

In a news release, privately held Cinnafilm described the deal as a “multiyear, multimillion-dollar” agreement. The company will provide ARRI with technical support and upgrades to the suite, while continuing to pursue independent research and development.

“Our agreement with ARRI is the culmination of over six years of hard work and dedication by a small group of exceptional people, and we’re honored to partner with an industry leader,” said Cinnafilm CEO Lance Maurer.

Germany-based ARRI’s history dates back to 1917. The company is involved in all aspects of the film industry, from manufacturing, production and visual effects to post-production, equipment rental and film and sound laboratory services. Its products include camera systems, studio lighting fixtures and digital imaging systems.

More coverage over on Studio Daily.

Sundance in New Mexico!

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:16:00 +0000

For immediate release Contact: Pahl Shipley

May 14, 2009 (505) 476-2282

Governor Bill Richardson and Robert Redford Announce "Sundance in New Mexico"

Unique collaboration will offer world class programs for local Native American and Hispanic Filmmakers

SANTA FE-New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced a new collaboration between Robert Redford and the State of New Mexico that is currently referred to as "Sundance in New Mexico." The initiative will partner with the Department of Cultural Affairs and the New Mexico Film Office to create and expand upon training programs in film, arts, and the environment. These programs will be designed specifically for New Mexico's Native American and Hispanic filmmakers. The Governor was joined by Mr. Redford at a news conference today at the State Capitol in Santa Fe.

"This marks a new level of commitment on the part of Bob Redford and my administration in supporting the underrepresented voices in our culture, to job creation through the arts, and to the power of partnerships built on mutual goals and aspirations," said Governor Richardson. "The Redford and Sundance names are held in high esteem around the globe, and are synonymous in most people's minds with innovation in the arts, advocacy of the environment, and public policy reflecting both. This is a tremendous opportunity for New Mexico's Native American and Hispanic filmmakers, and for the state as a whole."

"My love of New Mexico goes back many, many years," said Robert Redford. "My commitment to this state began with The Milagro Beanfield War."

Sundance in New Mexico will be based at historic Los Luceros in Northern New Mexico, a cultural treasure located along the Rio Grande that is owned and operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. In use as early as 1350 by the Tewa people of Pfioge Pueblo, Los Luceros ultimately was pivotal in the development of commerce and government in New Mexico.

"We are pleased that this collaboration will allow the Department to fulfill its dual mission of protecting the state's cultural heritage, while providing educational programs that will benefit the people of New Mexico," said Stuart Ashman, Secretary of the Department of Cultural Affairs

Robert Redford has a long history with New Mexico, dating back to the 1988 movie The Milagro Beanfield War. The actor-filmmaker is also well known for his environmental activism.

Mr. Redford founded the Sundance Institute in 1981, a not-for-profit organization that fosters the development of original storytelling in film and theatre. It is internationally recognized for its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, film composers, playwrights and theatre artists. Sundance – the place – in the mountains of Utah, also reflects Mr. Redford's lifetime commitment of bringing together the arts and the environment.

"During these tough economic times, it is imperative to create partnerships which allow film and arts initiatives to not just survive, but to flourish," said Lisa Strout, Director of the New Mexico Film Office. "This opportunity is an honor and a gift to the State of New Mexico."

The costs for Sundance in New Mexico will be covered with existing appropriations for the operation of Los Luceros.

In his remarks, Governor Richardson recognized New Mexico Speaker of the House Ben Lujan for his leadership and ongoing dedication and support of Hispanic and Native American filmmakers in New Mexico.

For more information on Sundance in New Mexico contact Kathleen Broyles

(505) 476-5604 or email loslucerosnm@gmail.com.

Invasion of Privacy to Film in NM

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:18:00 +0000

From: Ray-Garcia, Alarie, SPO
Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 1:55 PM
Subject: Governor Richardson Announces "Invasion of Privacy" to Film in New Mexico

For Immediate Release Contact: New Mexico Film Office

April 24, 2009 505-476-5600

Governor Bill Richardson Announces Hammer Films to Shoot “Invasion of Privacy” in New Mexico for Exclusive Media Group (EMG)

SANTA FE—Governor Bill Richardson today announced that the suspense thriller “Invasion of Privacy” (working title- aka “The Resident”), starring two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Boys Don’t Cry”) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen,” “P.S. I Love You”) will shoot in New Mexico. Hammer Films is producing for parent company Exclusive Media Group (EMG), the global filmed entertainment group combining Hammer and Spitfire Pictures, backed by strategic Investment Group Cyrte Investments.

Exclusive Film Distribution is handling worldwide sales and distribution for the film.

“I am pleased that a movie with such enormous talent associated with it has chosen to film in New Mexico,” Governor Richardson said. “In addition, the film will be a boost to the economy by creating work for hundreds of New Mexicans.

“Invasion of Privacy” will film in and around Albuquerque, with the majority of filming at Albuquerque Studios. Shooting will commence May 26 and wrap July 17. The film plans to hire at least 200 local crew members, plus 14 speaking roles and over 200 background talent.

Producing the film for Hammer are Simon Oakes, Nigel Sinclair, Guy East and Cary Brokaw. Hammer’s Tobin Armbrust and Alex Brunner will executive produce along with Tom Lassally of 3 Arts Entertainment. Hilary Swank also serves as an Executive Producer. Vicki Dee Rock is co-producing.

Antti J. Jokinen is directing the film from a script he co-wrote with Robert Orr (“Savior”) and re-written by Erin Cressida Wilson (“Secretary,” “Fur”). As one of the most acclaimed directors in the music video landscape, Jokinen has directed award winning videos for artists such as Will Smith, Beyonce, Eminem, Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Missy Elliott and Korn, among others. Originally from Finland, Jokinen is the co-founder of the production company, Solar Films, which has grown into Finland’s largest TV and film producer, and has produced two of the top ten grossing Finnish films of all time. Jokinen has also directed and co-written several national Television series.

“Invasion of Privacy” is inspired by the fact that every year, millions of single women in America move into apartments for the first time. They do not know who lived in the apartment before them, they do not know their landlords, and they don’t bother to change the locks. This is the story of one such woman.

“We are excited to welcome ‘Invasion of Privacy’ to our city,” said Mayor Marty Chavez. “You won't find a more film friendly town than Albuquerque.”

Since Governor Richardson took office, over 120 major feature films and television series have shot in the state, adding over $2.5 billion dollars to New Mexico’s economy.

ABOUT HAMMER

Hammer is a legendary British film brand, originally launched in 1934, which delivered a hugely successful run of films in the 1950s including Gothic classics DRACULA and THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and Sci-Fi picture THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT. Hammer's reputation became branded worldwide as 'Hammer House of Horror'. In the 1960s Hammer struck distribution deals with Universal, Warner Brothers, Fox and Columbia. Hammer went on to produce a huge volume of films which included such titles as THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES, THE NANNY, QUATERMASS AND THE PIT, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT and ONE MILLION YEARS B.C.

Not in production since the 1980s, the company is now being aggressively reinvigorated by Exclusive Media Group through new investment in the development and production of film, television and digital-platform content.

Hammer’s return to horror was heralded by interactive web serial BEYOND THE RAVE, which was broadcast by MySpace in 12 territories in 2008. Today, Hammer has an active development slate totaling more than 25 projects across diverse genres sourced out of both Europe and the United States. Hammer expects a number of these projects to go into production during 2009, following THE WAKE WOOD, Hammer’s return to theatrical features, which began shooting in September 2008. In addition to “The Wake Wood,” new Hammer film projects include “The Quiet Ones,” to be directed by Jesse Dylan (“Kicking & Screaming,” “American Wedding”) and “Let the Right One In,” a remake of the widely acclaimed Tomas Alfredson directed Swedish film “Lat den ratte komma in,” to be adapted and directed by Matt Reeves (“Cloverfield”).

ABOUT EXCLUSIVE MEDIA GROUP (EMG)

Formed by strategic investment group Cyrte Investments in May 2008, Exclusive Media Group (EMG) is the parent company of Los Angeles based Spitfire Pictures and legendary British Studio, Hammer which now has a combined share holder equity and facility in excess of $100 million. The company is run by Nigel Sinclair, Guy East and Simon Oakes with Sinclair and Oakes serving as Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs (out of Los Angeles and London respectively). East is President of EMG and Chairman of Exclusive Film Distribution.

Under EMG, Spitfire and Hammer operate as two separate production entities. EMG aims to produce 6-8 films per year and to acquire additional pictures for worldwide distribution through its subsidiary Exclusive Film Distribution. The group also develops projects for television and digital platforms.

EMG has over 300 titles in the combined Hammer and Spitfire libraries and pursues an aggressive library acquisition policy. The Hammer library is noted for its remake potential and the company is in discussions with A-list writers and directors to revive and re-imagine some of the highly touted titles.

Cyrte Investments is part of Delta Lloyd Asset Management, one of the Netherlands major asset managers, which in turn is majority-owned by London Stock Exchange listed Aviva plc, one of the world’s largest insurance companies.

ReelzChannel Opens Doors!

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:11:00 +0000

More good news... apparently tomorrow night's show (Secret's Out with Leonard Maltin) will highlight movies made in New Mexico!

WSIFF In the News

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:21:00 +0000

The California Chronicle picks up on the good stuff happening at the White Sands International Film Festival:

Movies on the Move: International Film Festival Moves to Las Cruces

April 19, 2009
By S. Derrickson Moore, Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M.
Apr. 19--LAS CRUCES -- Hollywood on the Rio Grande, or Tamalewood, as some wags are dubbing New Mexico's growing role as a film mecca, may also be vying for a role as the Sundance of the desert.
For its fifth edition, the burgeoning White Sands International Film Festival is moving to Las Cruces. Here the event is expected to attract film fans from throughout the world with an innovative roster that will include films, panels and special events Thursday through April 26.
The indy film fest became so successful that it has outgrown Alamogordo and is expanding to local venues that include the new Allen Theatres Cineport 10, Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces and New Mexico State University.
"This year, WSIFF will screen over 45 independent documentary and narrative films at the new Cineport 10 and will conduct a series of informative and exciting panels led by industry experts. Weekend events will include an opening night bash on Thursday at the St. Clair Winery, 1800 Avenida de Mesilla in Mesilla, and after parties at the Azul Nightclub at Hotel Encanto on Friday and Saturday nights, April 24 and 25," said WSIFF festival director Kierstin Schupack.
The festival is attracting a diverse range of films and talents...

More at http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/128841188

Christopher Productions announces four new productions for release

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Based in Albuquerque, Christopher Productions would like to announce four productions that are due to be released.

Based in Albuquerque, Christopher Productions would like to announce four productions they have coming up that may interest you: two national productions (one about paralysis and one about global warming), one about adolescent brain development, and one to help kids lose weight in a healthy way. Also, Chris Schueler will teach a course in Documentary production at CNM this summer beginning May 22. You can find more information about CNM's programs at http://www.cnm.edu/depts/at/programs/film/

CODY: The First Step
Narrated by Glenn Close, this documentary follows the life of Cody Unser who was paralyzed at age 12 and is now graduating from the University of Redlands 10 years later and is fighting to walk again.

We opened the theatrical version of this program in Los Angeles last week and will be opening in NYC beginning May 1 in order to be eligible for Oscar consideration. The show has a one hour version that will be made available to PBS stations around the country beginning in July.

If you are near LA or NYC here are the theatres and times/dates:
Friday, April 17- Thursday, April 23, 2009 Laemmle's Town Center 5, 17200 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA
Friday, May 1- Thursday, May 7th, 2009 IFC Center, 323 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10014

The First Millimeter: HEALING THE EARTH
Filmed around the world, this program explains one of the solutions to global warming and details with the way farmers and ranchers can increase the health of their land, save
money and pull the Carbon out of our atmosphere.

The program premieres in New Mexico on KNME TV 5 Wed. April 22 (Earth Day) at 8pm. It will be made available to PBS stations nationwide beginning in June. The program has a theatrical version that will have showings in select markets this spring.

RISK
This half hour special explains why even “good” kids can make bad decisions as it examines brain development in adolescents. The last part of the brain to develop is the area that controls impulse behavior and it’s not totally “wired” until the mid to late 20’s; thus, kids are not only combating peer pressure, they are not equipped to always make the right choice.

The show will air in New Mexico on KOB 4, KRWG (Las Cruces) and KENW (Portales) in early to mid September. It will also be distributed to school districts statewide through Cooperative Educational Services and New Mexico PTA.

ACTION
In conjunction with the National Institute of Health, we’re developing a DVD tool to help motivated young people make healthy decisions about nutrition and exercise in order to lose weight. This will be completed by July and used in conjunction with the University of New Mexico in a clinical trial at two area high schools.

For more information, go to: http://www.christopherproductions.org/

Media Industries people and companies recognized at NM Tech Excellence Awards

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:15:00 +0000

NMTC Technology Excellence Awards

This year's New Mexico Technology Council's Tech Excellence Awards recognized several key people and companies working in our media industries community for work done in the latter half of 2007 and 2008 at their award ceremony last Thursday night.

Among those recognized were:

Industry Achievement Awards:

UNM ARTS Lab's David Beining was recognized for his work in building and expanding DomeFest, whose juried show now plays at fulldome venues throughout the world. DomeFest returns to Albuquerque this summer (July 16 -18th).

Redfish' Stephen Guerin was recognized for his work in building the Santa Fe Complex, a collaborative project incubator space in Santa Fe that's been hosting many great events.

Technology Excellence Solution Awards:

Game Production Services was honored for its development of a Cognitive Air Defense Training System.

Ideum was recognized for development of its MT2 Multitouch, Multiuser Table

The State of New Mexico and its partners were recognized for development of Encanto, the NM Computing Applications Center.

This year's "Marc Orchant Maximum Impact Award was given to TVC's Sherman McCorkle.

There are quite a few other winners and honorable mentions (visit http://www.nmtechcouncil.org for more info), but as media involves more and more technology, it's important to see that there are world-class people and companies doing ork here in New Mexico.

NM in the News: BBC

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:26:00 +0000

Always nice when we get good coverage outside of New Mexico, but it was especially cool that the folks at the BBC visited us here to see what's going on:

Film-makers desert Hollywood

By Peter Bowes
BBC News in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Los Angeles, the self-proclaimed movie capital of the world, is facing its biggest crisis in the history of film-making.

Hollywood is being snubbed by its own creative talent. There is something of a stampede by the entertainment industry to get out of town.

Long before the global economic downturn kicked in, film-makers were upping sticks and leaving Los Angeles for more cost-effective locations to shoot their movies.
Canada was one of the first countries to benefit from Hollywood's so-called runaway productions, but now the competition is closer to home.

More than 40 US states are offering film-makers tantalising financial incentives, such as rebates and tax-free loans, to make the next blockbuster in their backyard...

...One of the states benefiting from California's loss is New Mexico. With a similar climate to California - plenty of sunny days with wall-to-wall blue skies - it is a perfect place to make movies.

The state enjoys many of the characteristics that attracted the pioneers to Hollywood, decades ago.

"In the old days people used to come here for westerns, if they had a cowboy movie," says Michael Dellheim, a location manager who has worked in the state for 23 years.
Now, with a state-of-the art film-making facility, Albuquerque Studios, the state is well-equipped to make movies of any genre.

"We do it all now - episodic television with cops chasing the bad guys down urban city streets," explains Mr Dellheim.

Star power
He is currently scouting the state for a location that resembles a beach in the San Francisco Bay.

It is for scene for Denzel's Washington's latest movie, The Book of Eli, which is currently filming in New Mexico.

It is a post-apocalyptic thriller in which the Oscar-winner stars as a lone warrior named Eli, who battles to save the future of humanity.

Much of the movie is being filmed in a desolate desert location on the outskirts of Albuquerque - which makes a perfect setting - but the production company chose the venue because it made financial sense...

More at "Film-makers desert Hollywood"

20th Annual NMAMA Marketer of the Year Awards

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:28:00 +0000

20th Annual Marketer of the Year Awards

The New Mexico Chapter of the American Marketing Association (NMAMA) will host the 20th Annual Marketer of the Year (MOY) Awards program on Thursday, April 16th at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The Awards program starts at 6:00pm with an exciting silent auction. Tickets are $45 for members and $55 for non-members. The award recognizes and applauds marketers for achieving outstanding results in multiple categories. The MOY competition is open to any company, agency, not-for-profit or government organization that developed, implemented, and sufficiently completed a marketing program in New Mexico between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008. Within each category, awards of merit will be honored as well as the Marketer of the Year. The Marketer of the Year from each category will compete for the Best of MOY award, the top honor in marketing. The 2009 recipients will receive the MOY award, designed by local artist Wendell Unzicker. This year’s Master of Ceremonies is Bill Sterling. Bill Sterling has an extensive background in music and entertainment, an infectious sense of humor, and a passion for living. He brings an enthusiastic energy to everything he does. Silent auction items include: An Olympic Flag from the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics autographed by the USA men's and women's gymnastic team, a custom-made blanket cedar chest, overnight accommodations, art, jewelry, Popejoy tickets, and golf passes! Proceeds from the awards program will benefit the University of New Mexico’s student marketing organization. Established in 1983, The New Mexico Chapter of the American Marketing Association (NMAMA) represents marketing professionals throughout New Mexico. NMAMA provides a forum for the educational and professional development of its members by hosting numerous events and programs throughout the year.

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Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Update from Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:50:00 +0000

The questions of economic impact from production incentives seem to have subsided for now, with most agreeing the programs are a net gain for New Mexico. For a fairly clear and readable study from another state, Michigan State University has just released a study on their even more aggressive rebate program -- including a look at the impact of Tourism and other difficult-to-measure benefits. Michigan's WXYZ has this story:

MI Movie Business Booming

FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY:
A Michigan State University study has found that the state of Michigan’s law providing tax credits for film production companies that shoot their movies in Michigan is a big-time hit.
The study, conducted by MSU’s Center for Economic Analysis, found that in 2008, 32 film productions were completed, generating more than $65 million in spending and creating more than 2,700 jobs. And this was just in the eight months since the law was enacted in April of 2008.

“It’s amazing how much activity we had in such a short period of time,” said Steven Miller, CEA director and director of the study. “Many of these projects had already established they were going somewhere else, but quickly changed gears and moved to Michigan when they learned of the tax incentives.”

Among other things, the Michigan Film Production Incentive Program provides a tax credit of up to 42 percent of the amount a production company spends while producing a motion picture in Michigan.

The MSU study, conducted for the Michigan Film Office by request of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., found that film production companies spent $65.4 million in Michigan in 2008 -- $25.1 million on direct wages and salaries and $40.3 million on Michigan goods and services...

More at: MI Movie Business Booming

For Complete Report Click Here

Film Incentives, Again

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:09:00 +0000

New Mexico is featured prominently in at least a dozen or so articles each week about film and media incentives -- often from producers and legislators in other states who envy the success of our program.

The latest, in today's New York Times, discusses what they're doing in Michigan:

States Underwrite Films, Some in Narrowest Release

By MICHAEL CIEPLY
LOS ANGELES — Andrew van den Houten, a producer and director, made his movie “Offspring,” about a baby-hungry cannibal clan, with a boost from the taxpayers of Michigan.

Now comes the hard part: getting people to watch it.

“We haven’t had one of our films get major theatrical release,” said Mr. van den Houten, whose Modernciné company has produced five movies mostly for horror fans, who can find them on video or at genre festivals like Toronto After Dark. This time around he is happy to have landed “Offspring,” which cost roughly $1 million — 35 percent picked up by the state — with Grindstone Entertainment Group and its Ghost House Underground direct-to-video line.

So it goes with a growing number of subsidy films made in Michigan and elsewhere around the country. They may not be coming to a theater near you.

Under an unusually aggressive program of state film incentives that began in April, nearly two dozen feature-length movies (in addition to short films, documentaries and television shows) were shot in Michigan last year with public support that can reach 42 percent of a movie’s cost, the largest such incentive offered in the United States.

The idea is to create employment in that economically depressed state. The ploy was recently matched by California, which devised a film credit of its own to compete with incentives now offered by three dozen states, including New Mexico, New York and Louisiana.

The first round of Michigan credits cost that state’s taxpayers about $48 million in 2008, while generating about $53.8 million in new employment income, and the equivalent of 1,102 full-time jobs, according to a report last month by the Center for Economic Analysis at Michigan State University.

But only a handful of pictures shot with the subsidy have secured theatrical distribution. The shining stars are Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino,” a Michigan-backed movie that was released by Warner Brothers in December, and “Youth in Revolt,” which was directed by Miguel Arteta, stars Michael Cera, and is scheduled for release by the Dimension Films unit of the Weinstein Company next fall.

The rest, by and large, are pointed toward festivals, video stores and pay-per-view services — if that.

...

Whether government-subsidized films are ever seen by a significant audience may not matter much in the short run.

“What matters is that you maximize employment for residents in the state,” said Eric Witt, chief of staff to the New Mexico governor, Bill Richardson, who began an extensive incentive program in his state shortly after taking office in 2003.

Still, the audience has something to say about the sustainability of incentives. “If you’re making shoes and nobody’s wearing them, it doesn’t create a brand,” said Mr. Witt, whose state has helped underwrite films as prominent as “Terminator Salvation,” a $200 million action epic set for release by Warner Brothers in May.

Each state’s experience with film subsidies has been different, and the mix of movies may change with time. In Michigan the sudden availability of a large incentive in a state with relatively little film infrastructure appears to have drawn a rush of projects that could be started quickly but had uncertain prospects.

There, as elsewhere, officials are largely agnostic about a film’s commercial potential when authorizing a credit.

“We’re not going to say if you’ve got an independent film that isn’t going to be released in a thousand theaters, we’re not going to fund it,” said Ken Droz, manager of the creative and communications department at the Michigan Film Office, which administers the state’s credits.

The state does consider a film’s possible impact on tourism. It helps if Michigan looks attractive, even when it’s doubling for Texas, as it did in “Whip It!,” a roller-derby romp that was directed by Drew Barrymore and does not yet have a distributor...

More at: States Underwrite Films, Some in Narrowest Release

Movie Industry Running Strong; Breaking Bad Updates

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:37:00 +0000

From the LA Times:
Movies with 'legs' keep industry running strong

More hold up beyond debuts, helping box office race past last year.
By Claudia Eller
March 9, 2009
Hollywood is witnessing a phenomenon it hasn't seen in more than a decade -- movies with legs.

Pictures that hang in at the box office over multiple weekends -- known as "having legs" among theater operators and studio executives -- are contributing to a sharp rise in attendance and ticket revenue. The upsurge is a welcome respite for Hollywood, where weak consumer spending has undercut DVD sales, long the backbone of the movie industry.

So far the recession doesn't appear to have dampened trips to the multiplex, where ticket prices in major cities now top $8 and a tub of popcorn can cost more than $5. Attendance at movie theaters in the first nine weeks of 2009, typically one of the slowest periods for ticket sales, is up 14.8% over last year, according to Media by Numbers, a box office tracking firm. Box office revenue is up 16.5%.

Holdover films such as Sony Pictures' comedy "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," 20th Century Fox's thriller "Taken," Focus Features' animated film "Coraline" and Warner Bros.' "Gran Torino" have continued to attract audiences for several weeks, some even months, after they debuted.

Fox Searchlight's low-cost "Slumdog Millionaire," which opened in a handful of theaters more than three months ago and swept the Oscars, continues to be a must-see. In theaters for 17 weeks, the drama about an uneducated teenager from Mumbai who becomes an unlikely winner on India's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" game show, is still the fourth-most-popular movie in America.

Theater operators and movie distributors attribute the upswing to a diversity of offerings that are drawing a wide range of moviegoers.

"Our industry continues to demonstrate that as long as there are appealing films that are connecting with the audience, we are very much recession-resistant," said Mike Campbell, chief executive of Regal Entertainment Group, the largest operator of theaters in the U.S.

Executives say films with staying power are unusual in today's competitive environment, where several movies open each weekend and appear on thousands of screens. Consequently, releases tend to crowd one another out, triggering significant declines in their second and third weekends at the box office.

"There are more films staying around longer," said Ted Mundorff, chief operating officer of Landmark Theatres, which operates the most popular art house multiplex on the Westside of Los Angeles. Mundorff estimates that his circuit's business is up 25% this year, thanks to such pictures as "The Wrestler," "The Reader," "Milk" and "Slumdog."

Although the bump in ticket sales has been good for challenged theater operators, whose business hasn't markedly grown in years and has been propped up by higher ticket prices, it means less for the movie studios because they earn the bulk of their profits from DVD sales, which have fallen sharply.

Jeff Blake, head of worldwide marketing and distribution at Sony Pictures, said he has been surprised at how movies such as "Paul Blart," "Taken" and "Gran Torino" have held on to audiences.

"We haven't seen this since 'Titanic,' where multiple pictures are doing three, four or five times their opening weekend gross," Blake said. James Cameron's 1997 disaster epic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett, remained the top-grossing picture for 15 consecutive weeks largely because of young women making repeated visits to the theater. "Titanic," which played in theaters for nine months, generated $1.8 billion in worldwide ticket sales -- still a record.

Blake thinks the recent legs phenomenon is a sign that a broader audience is showing up. In recent years, the box office has been propelled by younger moviegoers, who tend to see a film the weekend it opens. "Now you're also getting an older audience going week two and three," Blake said.
...

Generally, however, theater operators are enjoying the ride.

Tim Warner, president of Dallas-based Cinemark USA, the country's third-largest theater operator, said that although every industry was going through treacherous times, "I don't know if any business has as good news as the movie business."

More at Movies with 'legs' keep industry running strong

Over in the Albuquerque Journal, Dan Mayfield has an update on Breaking Bad -- whose second season premiered this past Sunday (it was pretty intense -- nice cliffhanger too):

Cranston Rides High on 'Breaking Bad,' Directing

By Dan Mayfield
Of the Journal
This is a busy weekend for Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston.

Last night, he had his first feature-film directorial debut on Womens' Entertainment Network (WE TV), and, tonight, the new season of "Breaking Bad" premiers on AMC.
The series' new season has been earning huge amounts of critical acclaim, and rightly so. It stars Cranston as a high school chemistry teacher whose life is in shambles. He's diagnosed with cancer, he has a rough family life and his career is stalled. Using his chemistry chops, he turns to making high-powered meth, and, next thing you know, he's playing drug kingpin — even if it is more in his mind than in reality.
"Breaking Bad" is both filmed and set in Albuquerque.

"Walter is a smart man," Cranston said. "The angst he's dealing with, it's an example of a man making bad decisions. They're not good ones. He could say, 'My God, what have I done,' but he doesn't want to. He's on this quest."

TV critics are getting it. The New York Times ran a flattering story on the show Friday, and, this week in Entertainment Weekly, mystery writer Stephen King said, " 'Breaking Bad' " is "for viewers who like their suspense cocktails a little stronger than the usual 'Law & Order' mojito."

...Cranston has become a New Mexican since the show started filming here at Albuquerque Studios. He has a house near Nob Hill and hangs out at some Nob Hill night spots.

...'Breaking Bad' Contest
If you dig "Breaking Bad," take a shot at being on the show by entering AMC's "Breaking Bad" contest. Simply record a video of yourself performing one of Walter White's monologues and post it. There's a lot more info at www.amctv.com/originals/breakingbad — including text of the monologues. Hey, I'm a fan, so I recorded a video that I'm going to send in. Vote for me, or, send in your own, and I might just vote for you, too. Check out my video at ABQjournal.com.

More at Cranston Rides High on 'Breaking Bad,' Directing

Film Incentives in the News...

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:15:00 +0000

Another report on film-related incentives from AP has been picked up by many papers across the country...

States woo Hollywood with tax breaks

By JULIE CARR SMYTH
The Associated Press

Thursday, February 19, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hungry to prop up their ailing economies, U.S. states are locked in a fierce competition to lure Hollywood filmmakers to their gritty cities and picturesque towns with tax breaks and other incentives.
The movement remains intense despite state budgets facing near crisis, largely because the movie and TV industry has emerged as a tough survivor in hard economic times. California, facing a $42 billion budget deficit, nevertheless approved a film tax credit Thursday.
The film industry's economic health has pushed some states like Ohio to take a second look at tax breaks for filmmakers and TV producers after years of viewing such financial incentives as luxuries the state couldn't afford. The state shuttered its film commission for five years in 2002 because of budget cutbacks.
Ohio lawmakers are poised to approve film industry tax breaks soon, once they work out whether to offer to make the breaks big or bigger.
Gov. Ted Strickland vetoed the bigger tax breaks favored by legislative Republicans in December, saying he wanted to weave the breaks into discussion of his proposed two-year operating budget. Republican lawmakers were eager to continue the recent momentum from "Spider Man 3," parts of which were filmed in Cleveland.
Strickland said Thursday an incentive program capped at $20 million every two years, rather than $100 million each year, is all Ohio can afford.
"I could not and I do not support the larger commitment on the part of the state," he said.
Ohio is one of only a handful of states left that don't already offer a state-level tax break to filmmakers or a giant pot of cash that producers and directors can tap for incentives.
Lawmakers in Indiana overrode a governor's veto of film industry incentives there a year ago.
Vans Stevenson, who oversees state government issues for the Motion Picture Association of America, said the incentives states offer are more than offset by the economic benefits that result from film and TV production.
"The perception that this is a giveaway in inaccurate," he said. "States have recognized that show business is an economic development engine, and they want to get on board."
...
The rush of states to offer movie incentives began about six years ago when U.S. film-making was going increasingly out of the country — to places like Canada, Bosnia, Romania or France that offered low costs and cash rebates or payouts.
For many states, the investment paid off.
A study conducted for New Mexico, where films such as the Oscar-winning "No Country For Old Men," ''The Book of Eli" and "In Plain Sight," showed positive results. The review by Ernst&Young, released earlier this month, found that 30 films produced in 2007 in that state generated about $253 million in spending and directly created 5,989 jobs.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson boasted in his recent State of the State speech that the state had "created a new industry" over the past six years through its film industry incentive program.
An analysis by the nonprofit group Film Wisconsin released in December, for example, found that new breaks and incentives in that state had brought in more than $9.2 million and created at least 850 jobs. That state was home to production of the upcoming film "Public Enemies" starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.
Despite such positives, Wisconsin and some other states are beginning to rethink their incentives amid the national economic meltdown...
More at: States woo Hollywood with tax breaks

Cerelink to use NM Supercomputer (update)

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:53:00 +0000

In an example of how investment in media and tech resources is paying off and moving forward, Governor Richardson announced plans by Cerelink Digital Media Group to use Encanto, New Mexico's Computing Application Center for 3D rendering.

Cerelink DMG has issued a clarification of its relationship with Dreamworks in use of Encanto:

Cerelink® Digital Media Group Clarifying Information
Regarding Partnership With DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.

RIO RANCHO, NM – February 19, 2009 - This information seeks to clarify and outline details regarding the partnership between Cerelink Digital Media Group, the New Mexico Computing Applications Center (NMCAC) and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. Earlier this week Gov. Bill Richardson announced that Cerelink DMG entered into an agreement with the Glendale, California-based company.

While Cerelink Digital Media Group will be using NMCAC’s resources to explore the delivery of on-demand and scalable computing resources as a cloud service, DreamWorks Animation will not be using the NMCAC supercomputer, Encanto, as part of this partnership. While we believe the state’s supercomputer has the potential to be used by digital media companies in the future, Cerelink Digital Media Group will instead be building out compute capacity for this effort using DreamWorks’ standard rendering platform, Intel based c-class HP blades.

The potential for future collaborations involving the use of Encanto remain open, however no part of the agreement announced on February 17, 2009 was intended to associate the collaboration with DreamWorks Animation and the use of this supercomputer.

###
About Cerelink ®
Cerelink, Cerelink Digital Media Group and Cerelink Digital Labs use broadband Internet connections and other advanced technologies to power innovative solutions that deliver economic value for a variety of clients. Cerelink is based in Corrales, NM. http://www.cerelink.com, http://www.cerelinkdmg.com,
http://www.cerelinkdl.com

About NMCAC
The New Mexico Computing Applications Center (NMCAC) was approved by New Mexico’s
Legislature in 2007 and began operations in 2008 as a resource for applications-driven high-speed computer problem solving. Working closely with the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Labs and the State’s three research universities, the NMCAC is dedicated to serving the needs of the people of New Mexico as well as tackling some of the nation's most pressing problems like energy and the environment using high-speed computing. http://www.newmexicosupercomputer.com/

More info at the original story from the NM Business Weekly

And in the Press Release from the Governor's Office: Governor Bill Richardson Announces Partnerships & New Mexico’s Supercomputer to Create New High-Tech Jobs

And in the Cerelink release at PR Newswire

Web App Wednesday makes Google Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Michael Bernstein's Web App Wednesday was recently featured in Google's App Engine Blog -- which, somewhat ironically, I found when I visited Michael's Web App Wednesday site , though it was cool and interesting he was using Google's App Engine and wanted to investigate a little more.

If you see or know of other people in New Mexico's tech world doing good things and getting a little love, please share.

From Google:

Web App Wednesday, Mashup, Backup, and Decay
Posted by Jeff Scudder, App Engine Team

Michael Bernstein is doing something I find very interesting. Not only is he creating applications on App Engine, he creates a new one every Wednesday. His site, appropriately named Web App Wednesday, is where he is creating a new web application every Wednesday, starting first with the site itself, followed by F/OSS License Info, a single-page site that displays information about the most common Open Source software licenses. Another recent app, LinQR , is a URL shortening service and QR code generator. Good luck to Michael and we look forward to seeing what he comes up with next Wednesday.
If you're doing something cool with App Engine please let us know! We'd love to highlight it here on the blog or even have you write up an article explaining what you've done, like this new article from Omar Abdelwahed on Creating a Facebook App with Google App Engine and Best Buy Remix.
...
And more at: Web App Wednesday, Mashup, Backup, and Decay

Reelz Channel to locate at Albuquerque Studios

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:31:00 +0000

From the NM Business Weekly:

ReelzChannel leases space at Albuquerque Studios

ReelzChannel will locate its new corporate headquarters at Albuquerque Studios.

The company, which announced it was moving its headquarters from Minnesota in January, has signed a lease for 30,000 square feet of office and production space. This makes it the largest long-term tenant in the studio facility, which has hosted a number of productions since opening in 2007, including “Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins,” “Game,” “The Spirit,” and the television show “Breaking Bad.”

Build-out work on the space will begin immediately. Architecture firm Dekker/Perich/Sabatini will do the design. Klinger Construction will be the contractor. The company plans to move in by May.

ReelzChannel is locating its programming, production, Web development, creative services, marketing and communications divisions in the Albuquerque headquarters. Advertising sales will remain in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. ReelzChannel also will establish a Los Angeles bureau and its production studios are in Los Angeles...

More at ReelzChannel leases space at Albuquerque Studios

Incentive Bait Reels in Hollywood Production Bucks

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:33:00 +0000

Guest Columnist Eric Witt (continues to make the case for the importance of incentives in yesterday's Albuquerque Journal:

Incentive Bait Reels in Hollywood Production Bucks

By Eric Witt

A new study that looks at the impact of the film industry on New Mexico's economy, conducted by the respected Ernst & Young company, shows strongly positive results: Hundreds of millions of dollars in direct film production spending, and over 9,000 new jobs attributable to the industry benefitting dozens of communities and hundreds of local businesses across the state.
There is strong evidence of positive effects not only for direct film production, but increasingly for the hospitality, tourism and other support sectors as well as priceless marketing of New Mexico's unmatched beauty and aggressive business environment to the world.
Most pointedly, the film study shows that state coffers directly recover almost every penny paid out in production tax incentives through increased revenues generated by the film industry. This is consistent with Gov. Bill Richardson's long-held position that the state “breaks even” for extending a nominal 25 percent rebate level to the film industry.
Additionally, when county and local governments are factored in, the return is another 56 cents on top of that, making for an overall positive return to combined state and local governments of about $1.50 for every incentive dollar spent.
And note that this is only governmental revenue; it does not take into account the vastly greater increases to private businesses and workers through the $700 plus million in direct production spending and the $2.2 billion in economic activity attributable to this industry since 2003.
What does this mean on the ground?
Well, we can start with the thousands of well-above-average paying jobs that have gone to ordinary New Mexicans across the state, jobs with health care and benefits.
We can point to the hundreds of businesses that have been created, been able to expand or, in some cases, simply survive due to this industry.
We can talk about the positive offset the industry has had in the general economy as other sectors have declined — the most recent and dramatic example being the past week's job fair for ReelzChannel in Albuquerque at which 2,500 applicants showed up for 100 jobs.
As the new study bears out, the advent of the film industry has contributed significantly to New Mexico's economic position of relative strength versus other states and the national and global economies. Essentially we have created a $2.2 billion stimulus package and more than 9,000 new jobs to the great benefit to the private and public sectors, at a critical time.
These Ernst & Young findings stand in stark contrast to those put forward last summer by the Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University, which drastically underestimated the economic impact of the film industry.
To be sure, that earlier NMSU study was, by its authors' own admission, extremely narrow in focus and based wholly on a standardized computer model and not on actual field work; it was never intended to be portrayed as a definitive or even accurate depiction of the overall effects of the industry or its return to the state.
Yet certain interests in the state have wrongly held it out as such, despite being informed in detail of the NMSU study's limitations when it was released last August.
While Ernst & Young's work is itself a broader but still not complete accounting of the industry's overall effects, we can only hope that those same interests will embrace this new report — a rigorous, field-researched study conducted by a globally respected independent party — with the same enthusiasm.
The bottom line is that the new analysis affirms the gut feeling and daily observations of most New Mexicans: The making of movies here is having tremendous positive effects for New Mexico precisely when we need them the most.
Eric Witt is the film and media industries adviser to Gov. Bill Richardson.

Highlighting the Creative Media Institute at NMSU

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:12:00 +0000

One of the highlight areas of our recent NM Media Industries Summit and Conference was the successful working relationship between educational institutions and business in the Las Cruces area. I expect there will be some argument from others about a few items here, but the CMI program at NMSU really is quite impressive, and worth learning more about.

From the Albuquerque Journal:

NMSU Leads Way in Filmmaking
Written by Dan Mayfield
Sunday, 18 January 2009 08:02

LAS CRUCES - Since the state's film industry has taken off, the rallying cry has been for more infrastructure and crew. Infrastructure and crew. Infrastructure and crew.

Of course you need places to make films and people to do the grunt work. But we've been slow to develop people who can direct, write and produce big-budget films. Until now.

The Creative Media Institute for Film and Digital Arts at New Mexico State University is the only state university film school that specializes in turning out students who can make films.

NMSU is teaching 200 students how to write, shoot, edit, sound mix and develop films that are as good as anything at the nation's top schools and studios.

Though the program is just three years old, it's already become one of the most popular majors at State.

"We could offer 10 screen writing courses and they would all fill up," said Jonathan Benson, the program's director and co-founder. "I could offer 10 cinematography classes and they would all fill up. "Nobody likes Business of Filmmaking, but it's full, too," he said. "We've grown faster than we wanted to. There's all this pent-up demand."

No doubt. As the state's incentives have brought in filmmakers, filmmaking has suddenly seemed like a viable career for many high school students.

Creative Media Institute classes have waiting lists and Benson is looking at making entrance requirements more strict.

Though the Film Technology Training Programs at Central New Mexico Community College and other colleges in the state are cranking out belowthe-line crew - gaffers, production assistants and makeup artists - NMSU's program is the only one at a state school to focus on the higher-end skills necessary to make a film.

"We want to bring the copyrights here," Benson said. "We want to make people who are creative generators."

The program is broken into two halves, an animation and computer graphics side and a film directing side. And local film professionals can't wait for the first crop of students to graduate this spring.

"When you go to a film set and you see 100 people standing around, that's 100 classes you need to take," said Rick Clemente, owner of Production Central ABQ, a post-production studio in Albuquerque. "State's school is the only one teaching all of that."

Clemente and Nick Smerigan of Albuquerque Studios say the school's graduates will be integral parts of their business very soon.

Several years ago, Benson said, the state offered several million dollars for schools to create a department dedicated to film studies - not just film appreciation, but production.

Benson jumped at it.

"Nobody else wanted the film school component," he said.

Maybe they knew better, he said. Choosing courses, finding qualified faculty, equipping labs and setting up schedules was a lot more work than anybody expected.

"I thought we'd drink a lot of coffee and talk a lot," said Mark Medoff, a screenwriting professor at NMSU who's famous for writing the film

"Children of a Lesser God."

"We had nobody telling us what to do. We had a hell of a time."

But, Medoff said that, as the program has developed, he's seen student commitment and talent increase 10 fold.

One glance at the animated cartoons that student Thomas DesJardins has made and you can see it, too. His cartoons, of singing fish or jogging women, look as good as anything you'd see on Nickelodeon.

"I'm so happy to come to school here," DesJardins said. "I tried everything. I tried engineering, music, studio art and finally I settled on this. I know I can do this if I wanted to professionally."

The school's equipment is state-of-the art, from its impressive THX-certified theater, to its fully stocked editing room with high-speed connections, to the equipment shop with 10 digital film cameras.

Of course, there are other great film programs in the state, like the College of Santa Fe's film school, and the University of New Mexico offers several classes. The Film Tech Training Programs at CNM and NMSU are also helpful in developing a crew base.

"I just want to shoot, edit, light and make films," said David Barela, a student in Benson's advanced documentary class. "I want the A-to-Z of making movies."

And, he said, he's learning.

"We're trying to develop film renaissance people," Benson said.

NM Film Incentives, Round Two: Ernst & Young Report

noreply@blogger.com (e) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:17:00 +0000

Good news for our community yesterday with the release of the Ernst & Young study on the impact of film on New Mexico. Visit the NM Film Office website to download and read the report. There is coverage in the NM Business Weekly and Santa Fe New Mexican locally -- and hopefully we'll see more. Spread the word!

From the NM Business Weekly:

Ernest & Young: NM film incentives = good ROI

New Mexico Business Weekly - by Megan Kamerick NMBW Staff

The film industry and its supporters in New Mexico are most likely breathing a sigh of relief.
The long-awaited study by Ernst & Young on the economic return by the state's film and media incentives found that for every $1 extended in state tax credits, state and local governments received $1.50.
Gov. Bill Richardson made the announcement Friday and said the state's incentives to attract film and television productions have created high-quality jobs, health coverage and benefits for New Mexico workers.
Ernst & Young found that film production activities created 2,220 direct film and media jobs in 2007. This included about 1,670 below-the-line employees (typically crew jobs) that paid $49,500 annually and 550 actors, directors and producers working in New Mexico.
These 2,220 direct jobs created 1,609 additional jobs in other industries, resulting in a total employment impact of 3,829 jobs.
Film-related capital expenditures and projected film tourism spending attributable to 2007 productions here generated an estimated 3,769 direct jobs.
Combining the 2,220 direct jobs from film productions with the 3,769 jobs from capital expenditures and film tourism results in 5,989 total direct jobs attributable to the state's film production tax credit.
These direct jobs create a total of 3,221 indirect jobs, resulting in a total employment impact of nearly 9,210 jobs, according to Ernst & Young.
About 300 new film-specific businesses have been established in New Mexico since 2003, which is directly attributable to the production tax credit, according to the report, and more than 600 additional New Mexico businesses are benefiting from film activities.
Tax collections are up as a result of the economic activity created by the tax credit. State tax collections from film production activities in 2007 totaled $22.6 million. Additional state tax impacts from capital expenditures in 2007 and film tourism during 2008-2011 are estimated to total $21.5 million, with a total state tax impact of $44.1 million.
The study was conducted by the Quantitative Economics and Statistics division of Ernst & Young. It is available online at the Web site for the New Mexico Film Office.
An earlier study by the Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University, commissioned by the Legislative Finance Committee, found that New Mexico gets about 14.4 cents in tax revenue for every dollar it spends on a tax rebate for film productions. Critics, including Richardson's staff, said the report was not comprehensive enough in reviewing the total economic impact of the industry. His office paid $50,000 for the Ernst & Young study.
Film industry proponents have been on edge as the start of the new legislative session on Jan. 20 draws closer because of the Arrowhead study and the fact that the state is facing a deficit of nearly $500 million. There have been some concerns that the tax rebates, which have grown to $98 million, would come under increased scrutiny in the tight economic environment.
"This is a successful initiative worthy of our continued support, especially in these difficult economic times," Richardson said of the new report.

And at the Santa Fe New Mexican:

New Mexico film incentives' impact, take two

Study for state stresses industry's benefits go beyond financial

Robert Nott | The New Mexican

1/16/2009 -

On the heels of an economic survey stating that New Mexico's film program is reaping less than 15 cents on the dollar in tax returns, a new report suggests the state receives $1.50 in tax revenue for every dollar spent.

The study also says the film business created 2,220 jobs in 2007.

The new report, prepared for the New Mexico State Film Office and State Investment Council by the Ernst & Young accounting firm, was released Friday.

The study noted the 30 films produced in 2007 generated more than $250 million in spending in the state.

Much of this information differs from the results of a Legislative Finance Committee-sponsored report released by New Mexico State University's economic-development branch, Arrowhead Center, last year.

Eric Witt, Gov. Bill Richardson's point man on the movie industry, said at a news conference that the Ernst & Young report — which cost $50,000 — proves the state's film industry has an "impressive economic impact."

"For every dollar put out in taxes, we get back a combined revenue of $1.50," Witt said. He reiterated his criticism of the earlier financial study, suggesting it had a narrow focus and did not take into account such factors as film projects that didn't qualify for the state's tax rebate and income tax paid by out-of-state film artists.

The state's film incentive program, which includes a 25 percent refund for production costs and a zero-percent loan for up to $15 million for qualifying productions, came under scrutiny last year. Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, proposed a $30 million cap on the rebates in an effort to ensure the popular and highly profiled plan pays dividends for the state.

In addition to looking at the rebates, the Legislature also is looking at other state money being spent on the film industry. The Associated Press reported Thursday that the Legislative Finance Committee is considering cutting nearly $17 million for film and media production facilities and training. Some of that money is for a proposed film studio in the Santa Fe area.

The new study stresses that the benefits from the state's tax-credit program reach beyond any direct financial impact. For instance, film companies and studios invest in the economy through building infrastructure and by employing not just technicians and artists, but contracting services including transportation and catering.

To emphasize that point, Witt introduced Victoria Lucero, a single mother who worked in craft services on the New Mexico-based television series Breaking Bad and the recent production of Terminator Salvation: The Future Returns. Lucero said the film business gave her a chance to earn a good wage and qualify for health insurance. "I'm just one of many to say that this industry has had an incredible impact on my life," she said. Lucero later acknowledged she'd been working in the industry for less than a year.

The study also said below-the-line film technicians are earning an average wage of $49,500, and more than 200 new film-related businesses have started in New Mexico since 2003. That's the year in which Richardson led the effort to expand the incentive program, signed into law by then-Gov. Gary Johnson the year before.

More at: New Mexico film incentives' impact, take two