SANTA FE, NM: The dusty desert landscape of New Mexico provided the perfect backdrop for Hollywood Westerns, but the state has also been the venue for everything from the drug-dealing drama “Breaking Bad” to the sci-fi mystery “Stranger Things.” Served as a filming location for “
New Mexico’s role in the TV and film business came into limelight last week when cinematographer Halina Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of “Rust,” a western being filmed at Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe. Was. Actor Alec Baldwin fired the prop gun that killed Hutchins after he revealed it was not loaded—2021-10-22, according to officials.
“Rust” was one of several projects being filmed across the state, which has become a major focus for Hollywood by offering producers a 25% to 35% refundable tax credit. Netflix Inc. and Comcast Corp’s NBCUniversal have set up production studios in Albuquerque.
Filmmakers and TV executives say a group of veteran activists has helped attract Hollywood to the state. According to the New Mexico Film Office, about 9,000 people living in New Mexico work in the industry, earning an average salary of $56,000.
Bill Horn, the set decorator who worked on projects for Netflix, Sony Corp. and ViacomCBS Inc.’s Paramount Pictures, has seen expansion in recent years.
When he joined the local 480 chapter of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) union more than a decade ago, it had less than 600 members. Now its membership is over 1,500, he said.
“It’s growing a lot,” said Horn, who is currently working on the Fox drama “The Cleaning Lady.” Local educational options for specialized film work have expanded, and new apprenticeships have been discussed, he said. “We are very desperate to train,” he said.
Other ongoing projects in the state include the Netflix series “Trigger Warning” and “Dead for a Dollar” starring Christoph Waltz, Willem Dafoe and Rachel Brosnahan. State data shows that forty-eight films and TV shows were produced in New Mexico in September.
The film office said spending on film and TV production reached a record $623 million in the state from July 2020 to July 2021. Some politicians have complained about tax breaks for Hollywood corporations.
keep the cameras rolling
Bonanza Creek Ranch, where filming at “Rust” has been suspended, has been used as a Hollywood set for decades since Jimmy Stewart’s “The Man from Laramie” in 1955 and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” in 1968. being done from.
The sprawling venue offers five different sets, including a 24-building town that includes an Old West-style saloon, blacksmith shop, train station and barn, as well as free-roaming cattle.
Recent productions there included last year’s Tom Hanks film “News of the World”.
The day after the “Rust” accident, cameras were underway to capture night scenes on the farm for another project. The site also offers film-related tours and rental options for private parties and corporate retreats.
Apart from the farm, sound stages abound in the area. Netflix operates one of the largest after buying the Albuquerque studio where the AMC network filmed “Breaking Bad” in 2018. Two years later, the streaming giant announced it would expand the facility and promised to spend $1 billion on production in the state.
Since the “Rust” tragedy, media outlets have reported discontent about the working conditions on that set. People working on other projects in New Mexico said the sets always followed strict safety and security protocols and were surprised by how the shooting could have happened.
“Everything is there to not let that happen,” said set creator Jesse Cassius. “There’s no reason for that.”
From costume designers to prop makers and location scouts, nearly 200 industry workers gathered to light a candle for Hutchins on Saturday night https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/director-gutted-by- death-cinematographer-accidental-shooting in albuquerque-2021-10-23. Many talked about the feeling of family that develops during the long hours spent on the sets.
Actor Jon Hamm, who is shooting a film in nearby Belen, said he and his “Mad Men” co-star John Slattery participated in the surveillance “to support our community”. Slattery, who is directing the new film, said his crew members were close friends of Hutchins.
Others said they felt the loss, even though they had no direct connection to Hutchins. “It’s just a sad day for everyone. Heartbroken,” said set decorator Horn.
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