Tax & Rev cards make it easier to get hired for film, TV projects

If you are looking for work in New Mexico’s bustling film and television industry, it’s about to get easier.

The state Taxation and Revenue Department has begun issuing film residency cards that full-time residents can present to production companies when seeking employment.

The cards aim to expedite the hiring process for New Mexico film and television industry workers because they list all the information needed by production companies.

Nick Maniatis, director of the New Mexico State Film Office, and Ann Lerner, director of the Albuquerque Film Office, known as FilmABQ, discussed the cards at an Economic Forum meeting on Wednesday. The pair highlighted the agencies’ efforts to make New Mexico a more attractive place to film and work.

Maniatis said the state for three consecutive years has broken records for revenue brought in by direct spending from the film and television industry. Last year, that figure was $387 million, a $100 million increase over the year before. Those numbers do not include actors’ salaries, Maniatis said.

He predicted revenue this year would approach $500 million.

“The productions are comfortable with our program and know how it works,” Maniatis said. “They know how good our crew is and how good our facilities are. ”

The residency cards are available from the state Taxation and Revenue Department by filling out an application and presenting proof of residency such as a driver’s license or utility bill through mail, email or in person, according to a news release.

For information on how to apply, go to www.tax.newmexico.gov and search for “NM Film Residency Certification Card.” Lerner said other film employment programs offered through FilmABQ and the State Film Office include veteran hiring efforts and a program that allows New Mexico residents to rent out their homes to productions for up to two weeks without paying state tax on the received income.

Lerner said the Albuquerque Film Commission won the Location Managers Guild International Award in 2014 for best film commission. It secured another nomination in 2017, but lost to the Royal Film Commission of Jordan.