Press Releases

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Press Release: Otero County Film Office- Classes Available

For Immediate Release:

April 26, 2010 -- 12:00 Noon
Contact: Jan Wafful, Film Liaison
City Office 505-439-4353
Film Office 505-434-5882

NM Film Office: ETCP Certification for Rigging Grips

Test Preparation: Emphasis on Math
Workshop Location: Santa Fe
Instructor: Johnny Perri
Dates: May 10, 11, 12
Class cost is $25 for the three days, pre-payment required
For registration and all details, email Phyllis at pdetrich@gmail.com or call 505-986-9512

ALL WORKSHOPS REQUIRE ATTENDEES TO BE NM RESIDENTS, ID REQUIRED.

http://etcp.esta.org/candidateinfo/riggingexams.html

http://www.nmfilm.com/locals/bulletin-board/bulletin-board-post.php?id=2612

http://www.nmfilm.com/locals/workforce-advancement/class-schedule.php

Tobi Elizabeth Ives
Workforce Developmen
Marketing & State Liaison Contact

New Mexico State Film Office
Upstairs @ the Jean Cocteau Theatre
418 Montezuma Ave.
Santa Fe, New Mexico  87501

nmfilm.com

505.476.5612direct - 505.476.5601 fax

 

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For Immediate Release: August 18,2009        Contact: Pahl Shipley, NM Film Office

Governor Bill Richardson Announces Call for Proposals for New Visions/New Mexico 2009 Filmmakers program
 
New Mexico filmmakers are eligible to receive contract awards up to $20,000

 
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson today announced a call for proposals for the New Visions/New Mexico contract award program provided by the NM Filmmakers Program at the NM State Film Office.  Now in its fourth year, the program annually awards a total of $160,000 (up to $20,000 per project) to local filmmakers to help fund their original narrative, documentary, animation and experimental film projects.  The program is open to all filmmakers in the state and awards can be used toward the completion of existing projects or the development of new ones.
 
"Homegrown filmmakers are key to the future of the film industry in New Mexico and I am committed to making sure they have every opportunity to succeed," said Governor Richardson.  "We have world-class talent in our state, and this program is a unique and important way to support worthy individuals working on promising projects."
 
In exchange for funding, applicants are required to provide a service to the state as part of their contract, such as training other New Mexicans in the industry or providing mentorship, public screenings or lectures free of charge to state residents.
 
"The New Visions New Mexico program provides the boost that can help new filmmakers complete their first projects and  help others reach the next level in their growth and experience," said Lisa Strout, director of the New Mexico Film Office.  "Past winners have had their work screened at festivals around the country and some have used it to leverage more funds and discover new opportunities."
 
Panavision, a major supplier of cameras and lenses for the film industry world-wide, is once again partnering with the NM Film Office to provide the use of two motion picture camera packages (HD, 16 mm or 35mm) with no rental charge to two of the filmmakers that receive funding.
 
The deadline for proposals is October 16th, 2009.  A selection panel will review each proposal based on a number of criteria, including the artistic quality of the project, the applicant's demonstrated ability and creativity, managerial and fiscal competence, the quality of service offered to the state and the applicant's effort to reach a broad diverse audience.  Recipients will be announced in late November 2009 and contract work will begin in early 2010. 
 
Trish Lopez, NM Filmmakers Program Director at the NM Film Office, will conduct free informational sessions about preparing a New Visions/New Mexico application and about the NM Filmmakers Program on the following dates:
 
Monday, August 31st - 12:00pm | Albuquerque: UNM Arts Lab
Wednesday, October 7th - 7:00pm | Las Cruces: CMI Theatre in Milton Hall on NMSU Campus
 
Space is limited, so please call (505) 476-5600 to reserve a seat for any of the three sessions or for additional information.  Applications can be printed online at www.nmfilm.com or picked up in person at the NM Film Office at 418 Montezuma Avenue, Santa Fe, NM.

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Click Here to Download PDF of this Press Release

Wednesday, September 09, 2009 3:59 PM

Governor's Council on Film and Media Industries Announces Town Hall Meeting in Las Cruces

SANTA FE - The Governor's Council on Film and Media Industries will host a town hall meeting to gather input on the future of the state's burgeoning film and media industries.  The event is free and open to the public and will be held from 1:00 to 4:30 PM Thursday, October 8th at the Alma d' arte Charter High School in Las Cruces.

"This is an opportunity for the Council to get direct input from the public so that we can help update Governor Richardson's plan of action." said Chairman Michael Kaye.

The event is being held in association with the High Tech Consortium of Southern New Mexico.  The schedule includes a listening session, three break-out strategy sessions and a final wrap-up session. 

Participants registering online will have an opportunity to help identify breakout sessions from a list including Opportunities in Film; Opportunities in Games, Modeling and Simulation; Building Connections between South and North; Building effective Groups and Organizations; and Developing Education Strategies - or they may suggest their own.

Pre-registration is suggested, as space is limited. To pre-register, visit www.altmedianm.org. Those who cannot attend are encouraged to submit their comments at the online form as well.

 Event schedule is as follows:

12:00 - 1:00 PM	On-site check-in and registration
1:00 - 2:30 PM	Council Introduction and Listening Session
2:45 - 4:00 PM	Break-out Sessions (Topics to be determined)
4:15 - 5:00 PM	Wrap-up Session
5:30 - 7:00 PM	Following the Town Hall, IATSE 480 will host a post-event networking reception.  Location: Meson de Mesilla, 1803 Avenida de Mesilla. Phone number: 575-525-9212; web: www.mesondemesilla.com

The Alma d' arte  Charter High School is located at 402 W. Court Avenue (downtown Las Cruces in the historic Alameda Neighborhood District between Alameda and Court Avenue), in Las Cruces. For more information on the Town Hall event, please contact Governor's Council on Film and Media Industries Executive Director, Rochelle Bussey at rochelle@nmfilm.com or call 505-476-5604

The Governor's Council on Film and Media Industries was created in 2003.  Its mission is to explore new methods to nurture filmmaking, digital and interactive media in New Mexico; serves as an advisory resource for the Governor and the New Mexico State Film Office; provides a network of working professionals to assist emerging filmmakers and interactive media artists; and acts as ambassadors to promote a positive image of film and the economic and cultural contributions of filmmaking and digital media in New Mexico.

The High Tech Consortium of Southern New Mexico provides leadership that fosters the retention and growth of technology in Southern New Mexico.  A 501C (3)  non profit formed in 2003, the Consortium has established itself as an active force in advancing the vision of making Southern New Mexico a regional technology leader and a national center for technical excellence.

The Alma d' arte Charter High School at the Court Youth Center is a pioneering arts-based secondary school serving a diversity of learners through a rigorous academic and integrated arts program. It opened in 2004. Directions can also be found on their website:  www.almadarte.org.

Also, don't miss the free Las Cruces informational session about New Mexico Filmmakers Program and how to prepare a New Visions 2009 application with Program Director, Trish Lopez:
 
Wednesday, October 7th - 7:00pm | Las Cruces: CMI Theatre in Milton Hall on NMSU Campus

Space is limited, so please call (505) 476-5600 to reserve a seat or for additional information.  Applications can be printed online at www.nmfilm.com or picked up in person at the NM Film Office at 418 Montezuma Avenue, Santa Fe, NM. Deadline for applications is October 16, 2009.

A Proud Member of:

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DESERT LIGHT FILM COMPETITION

DESERT LIGHT FILM FESTIVAL brings award winning filmmakers to NMSU Alamogordo

Friday, April 24, 2009 8:30 am - 5:30 pm

A festival for high school and middle school students in New Mexico

Desert Light Film Festival, to be held on Friday, April 24 on the campus of New Mexico State University in Alamogordo, will showcase film in five categories: Drama/Comedy, Documentary, Music Video, Animation, and Tourism

Commercials. The community is invited to view the films and to attend presentations by screenwriter Kirk Ellis, and documentary filmmakers Michael Lennick and Shirley Gulliford.

Award-winning, Santa Fe-based writer/producer Kirk Ellis will speak in the Rohovec Theater about 11:00 AM. "Telling a Good Screen Story - It's Not That Easy" is the title of his presentation. His credits speak for themselves. Mr. Ellis has won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, a Writers Guild of America Award and the Humanitas Prize for his work on "John Adams" starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney. Ellis wrote and co-executive produced the seven-part HBO miniseries, which is based on David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography. The miniseries scored a record 23 nominations; second only to "Roots" in Emmy history, and won a record breaking 13 Emmys in total, as well as four Golden Globe awards.

Fresh from the Thursday night premiere of their documentary "The Land of Space and Time," Michael Lennick and Shirley Gulliford will speak about the making of a documentary at 10:15 AM in the ProTech building on the NMSU Alamogordo campus in room 128. They will talk about their craft, with a focus on this latest documentary. This is their third film on the history of the Space Age in New Mexico, a state (and state of mind) they regularly return to, though never for long enough. In his long career Michael Lennick has worked as a visual effects supervisor, screenwriter, producer and director in films and television. For the past dozen years he and his partner Shirley have focused on science and history documentaries, producing award-winning series and specials for The Discovery Channel, PBS and others through their company, Foolish Earthling Productions.

This year sixty-three films have been submitted for judging from high school and middle school students throughout New Mexico. Winners will be announced during the Awards Ceremony Friday afternoon. Films will be screened throughout the day beginning at 9:00 am in the Rohovec Fine Arts Center.

The Reception and Awards Ceremony begins at 4:00 PM. Awards will be presented by Jesse Casto, representing our corporate sponsor JC Penney. Mr. Casto is our local JC Penney store manager and a member of the committee which manages the competition. Desert Light Film Competition is a joint project for the Otero County Film Office and NMSU-Alamogordo. The public is invited to come and join us in supporting the young filmmakers of New Mexico. For more information, contact Joan Griggs, 575-439-3626, or Jan Wafful, Otero County Film Liaison at 575-439-4353.

 

 

Dear NM Filmmakers

If you know anyone ages 14-20 who might be interested in creating a 30-second video to encourage New Mexico teens to use their seat belt, please let them know about this contest sponsored by the NM Department of Transportation. The best submissions will be eligible for great gift card prizes as well as one grand prize opportunity to be a production assistant on the next NMDOT commercial. See attached flyer and visit the site: www.clickdontsplat.com starting Monday, April 20th to see more details!

If you have any questions after reading the info on Monday, please call 476-1791 for more information.

 

New Mexico Film Office
Trish Lopez
NM Filmmakers Program Director
Rochelle Bussey
Phone: 505-476-5600
Fax: 505-476-5601
Email: nm.filmmakers@nmfilm.com
www.nmfilm.com

 

 

 

New Mexico Aims To 'Grow Its Own' Local Filmmakers

 

The state's $1 million dollar grant supporting NMFI's mission to bolster above-the-line talent is the latest step in Governor Richardson's bold film incentive programs," says Jonathan Wacks (Pow Wow Highway, Crossroads/South Africa, producer of cult hit Repo Man), Chair of the college's Moving Image Arts Department which offers NMFI.

State incentives, including a 25 percent state tax rebate on all expenditures made in state, an interest-free New Mexican film loan program and state-sponsored community college crew training programs, have paved the way for New Mexico to become a major player in the film and TV production business.

"The program aims to provide longevity for the state's filmmaking boom by increasing the number of New Mexican filmmakers," adds NMFI Director Diane Schneier Perrin.

While the NMFI is open to all qualified applicants, New Mexican residents receive priority admission and are exclusively eligible for college-sponsored tuition grants, which range from $2,000 to a full scholarship.

"NMFI is set up to increase the number of New Mexican stories being told," Schneier Perrin explains. "We hope to foster films that reflect New Mexican culture, with its rich and unique stories, perspectives, history and landscapes."

In its inaugural year, the program will admit up to 26 students, with plans for future expansion. NMFI provides $10,000 to each producer/director team towards the finance of their approved summer production. Many more New Mexicans will benefit from NMFI, thanks to the program's collaboration with state-sponsored below-the-line training programs at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) and Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). "The NMFI program will link up with the Film Tech Training Programs at SFCC and CNM to help train crew," explains Central New Mexico Community College's Jim "Grubb" Graebner. "In this way, NMFI benefits New Mexicans by generating [local] movies and training crews at the same time."

NMFI faculty includes such industry professionals as celebrated filmmaker Wacks, independent producer Schneier Perrin (Reversal of Fortune, Convict Cowboy, Run For the Dream) and screenwriter Tom Musca (Stand and Deliver, Tortilla Soup.) Visiting Hollywood filmmakers and Moving Image Arts BA program faculty will offer workshops and public events in their field of expertise to support NMFI's comprehensive curriculum. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degrees (in any field of study) or evidence significant film industry experience.

NMFI will be housed in CSF's state-of-the-art Garson Communications Center, adjacent to Garson Studios, the only commercial sound stages owned and run by a higher education facility. North Country, starring Dane Cook and Charlize Theron, Employee of the Month, starring Jessica Simpson and the Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men were all filmed recently on Garson Studios stages. The College of Santa Fe's Moving Image Arts is a nationally recognized undergraduate program founded in 1989. With a faculty of Hollywood professionals hailing from top film schools such as University of California at Los Angles, New York University, American Film Institute, and Cal Arts, both the undergraduate program and NMFI offer an alternative to programs that are located in "the shadow of Hollywood or New York," says Wacks.

"This department is full of filmmakers who wanted to return to the passion of what we do," explains Wacks.

"The NMFI's intensive instructional format is set up to nurture creativity, provide
extensive hands-on practical experience, and deliver professional skills and the business acumen necessary to succeed in the film industry," concludes Schneier Perrin. NMFI application forms can be accessed on-line at www.nmfilmmaker.com or by calling (505) 473-6400.

College of Santa Fe
The College of Santa Fe is a private liberal arts college founded in 1874. CSF is guided by its Lasallian heritage in its mission to provide and promote student centeredness, creativity, character, culture, civic capacity and shared governance. For more information visit www.csf.edu.