A FORCE IN FILM
New Mexico remains a force in film and TV
Another record-setting year for the film industry brought $500M into the state.
New Mexico has long been a gold standard in film.
With its 25 percent to 30 percent tax incentive — depending on the type of production — it’s a TV and movie draw.
Over the course of more than a decade, the industry has been built from the ground up, making the infrastructure one to be envied.
In fiscal year 2017, the industry remained a bright spot for the state — hauling in $505.9 million of direct spend into the economy. This in part is due to a rise in film productions that have a budget of $1 million or more. There were 52, up from 30 in fiscal year 2016.
The New Mexico State Film Office is behind the scenes, luring filmmakers to the state.
Nick Maniatis, film office director, has often said that getting a diverse amount of productions is key to the success.
“We have a lot of smaller (productions) and we have TV series that are 10 episodes and some are longer,” he says. “We have big TV studio productions. We’re trying to attract all different types.”
In the past year, the films were of all varying sizes, each capturing the flexibility of the state’s landscape.
There were plenty of independent films, like “The Glass Castle” and “Cowboy Drifter.”
Bigger productions, such as “12 Strong,” “Soldado” and “Logan,” also called the state home for a spell.
New Mexico is front and center in this second golden age of TV.
With no fewer than a dozen TV productions, the state is booming. This is due in part to critics’ darling “Better Call Saul” and “Preacher” on AMC, and NBC’s “The Night Shift,” “Midnight, Texas” and “The Brave.”
The state is also home to special miniseries, such as “Waco,” “Monsters of God” and “Godless” — all of which are creating “must-see TV.”
Each piece is a snippet that helps tell the story of how the film industry is thriving in the state.
Go behind the scenes with us as we explore why the Land of Enchantment has proven so enchanting to filmmakers.
Once again, we are taking it frame by frame.
Enjoy.