SANTA FE— The New Mexico Film Office announced the schedule for the 2015 NM Filmmakers Showcase featuring 43 independently produced statewide works including Albuquerque, Sandia Park, Santa Fe, Portales, Farmington, Capitan, Clovis, Las Cruces and Roswell. The Showcase will take place at The Jean Cocteau Cinema (418 Montezuma Avenue, Santa Fe, NM  87501) and is free and open to the public to attend. For a complete schedule visit www.nmfilm.com.

Saturday, January 24, 2015
4:00 pm: 	Welcome and Announcement of Winners
Best of Category screening (TRT 132 min.)
6:30 pm:	Networking event hosted by the Jean Cocteau Cinema

Sunday, January 25, 2015
10:00 am	Block A: Animation Category (TRT 15 min.)
10:15 am	Block B: Comedy Category (TRT 62 min.)
11:20 am	Block C: Documentary Category (TRT 98 min.)
12:50 pm	Block D: Drama Category (TRT 91 min.)
2:20 pm	Block E: Experimental Category (TRT 98 min.)
3:30 pm	Block F: Horror, Other and Sci-Fi Categories (TRT 68 min.)

Following the showcase, winning films will travel New Mexico throughout the year in collaboration with local film festivals and theaters.  For more information contact the New Mexico Film Office at 505-476-5604 or rochelle@nmfilm.com.

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today a portion of the Knight Takes King Productions, LLC / Media Rights Capital Studios “House of Cards” season three was filmed in New Mexico.  Production took place in Santa Fe, Las Vegas and Espanola.  

The production employed 85 New Mexico crew members, 2 New Mexico actors and approximately 90 local background talent.  

“House of Cards” is directed by James Foley (“House of Cards” Seasons 1 & 2, “Glengarry Glen Ross”, “At Close Range”), executive produced by Beau Willimon, David Fincher, Joshua Donen, Eric Roth, Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti, produced by Karen Moore (“Breaking Bad”), Jay Carson and co-produced by Boris Malden.

 “House of Cards” returns for a third season on February 27, 2015.

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SANTA FE — New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in the title roles and directed by Zack Snyder, successfully completed production in New Mexico.  
 
The production estimates that they spent more than $13 million in the New Mexico economy, on everything from local construction hires to lumber and catering supplies.  The film completed its principal photography in New Mexico, after shooting in Michigan and Illinois.  The production company estimates that it hired approximately 200 New Mexico crew members during the course of the production.  
 
“We are thrilled that the towns of Playas and Taos, New Mexico could play host to such a large-scale production.  In fact, they built one of the largest set pieces in New Mexico film history,” said Maniatis.  “We are pleased with the number of New Mexican residents and suppliers that the show was able to utilize during their stay.”
 
The film stars Henry Cavill, reprising his “Man of Steel” role as Clark Kent/Superman, and Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman.  The film also stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, with Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane returning from “Man of Steel,” Jeremy Irons as Alfred, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, and Holly Hunter in a role created for the film.
 
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” was written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer.  Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.
 
The film will be released worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures on March 25, 2016, and is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, Batman characters created by Bob Kane, and Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment. http://batmanvsupermandawnofjustice.com.

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SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the NBC television series “The Night Shift,” produced by Sony Pictures Television, will begin principal photography on its second season in New Mexico. Production will take place in Albuquerque mid-November through May 2015.  

The production will employ at least 120 New Mexico crew members, 250 New Mexico actors and local background talent. 

“We welcome back ‘The Night Shift’ for its second successful season filming in our city.  One of the reasons Albuquerque is so popular for filming is because we can double for many different location looks. For this television show, Albuquerque is doubling for San Antonio, Texas.  We appreciate that the series utilizes our versatile city as their backdrop and that they employ Albuquerquians on their crew,” said Mayor Richard J. Berry.  

“The Night Shift” is created and executive produced by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah (“Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” “Freaks and Geeks”) and co-executive produced by Stewart A. Lyons (“Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul”).  

“The Night Shift” returns for a second season, bringing viewers back into the fast-paced world of the overnight shift at San Antonio Memorial Hospital, where the toughest and craziest cases always seem to come through the door. The series stars Eoin Macken ( “Merlin”), Jill Flint (“The Good Wife”), Ken Leung (“Lost”), Brendan Fehr (“Roswell”), Robert Bailey Jr. (“Coraline”), Jeananne Goossen (“The Vow”), JR Lemon (“Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas”) and Freddy Rodriguez (“Six Feet Under”).

Airing after “America’s Got Talent” on Tuesday nights this past summer, “The Night Shift” culled consistent ratings for NBC, becoming the #1new scripted series on network and cable this summer in ages 18-49. It also marked the most-watched summer drama for NBC in total viewers in 14 years, averaging 6.9 million viewing per episode.

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SANTA FE—New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that “The Condemned 2,” produced by WWE Studios, Inc., and Lions Gate Films, Inc., will begin principal photography in New Mexico. Production will take place in and around Albuquerque and Zia Pueblo from mid-November through mid-December.

The production will employ at least 80 New Mexico crew members, 22 New Mexico actors, 10 local stunt players and approximately 200 local background talent.

“The Condemned 2” is directed by Roel Reine (“12 Rounds 2: Reloaded,” “Death Race 2”) and produced by Michael J. Luisi (“See No Evil 2,” “Leprechaun: Origins”).

Starring Randy Orton (“12 Rounds 2: Reloaded”), “The Condemned 2,” follows a former bounty hunter (Orton) who soon finds himself on the run as part of a newly revamped, high-stakes and deadly Condemned tournament.

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SANTA FE—New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that “The Scorch Trials,” produced by The Gotham Group and Temple Hill Entertainment for 20th Century Fox, will begin principal photography in New Mexico. Production on “The Scorch Trials,” which is the sequel to “The Maze Runner,” will take place in and around Albuquerque from late October 2014 through late January 2015.

The production will employ at least 250 New Mexico crew members, 18 New Mexico actors, and approximately 1,800 local background talent.

“We are excited to have ‘The Scorch Trials’ film in our city,” said Mayor Richard J. Berry.  “This sequel to the very popular ‘The Maze Runner’ will have a tremendous economic impact to Albuquerque.  Welcome!”

“The Scorch Trials” is directed by Wes Ball (“The Maze Runner,” “Beginners”) and produced by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein (“The Maze Runner,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles”), Wyck Godfrey (“Twilight,” “The Fault in Our Stars”), Marty Bowen (“Twilight,” “The Fault in Our Stars”), and Lee Stollman (“The Maze Runner,” “Abduction”), with Joe Hartwick Jr. (“The Maze Runner,” “Life as We Know It”) as executive producer.

Written by T.S. Nowlin and based on the second book in the epic young-adult novel series by James Dashner, “The Scorch Trials” continues the saga begun in the current box-office hit “The Maze Runner.” Now, the “Gladers” from the first movie must survive in “The Scorch,” a futuristic wasteland ravaged by solar flares.

“The Scorch Trials” stars Dylan O’Brien (“The Maze Runner,” “Teen Wolf”), Ki Hong Lee (“The Maze Runner,” “She Has a Boyfriend”), Kaya Scodelario (“The Maze Runner,” “Moon”), Thomas Brodie-Sangster (“The Maze Runner,” “Game of Thrones”), Dexter Darden (“The Maze Runner,” “Cadillac Records”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad,” “The Usual Suspects”), Patricia Clarkson (“The Maze Runner,” “Shutter Island”) and Nathalie Emmanuel ("Game of Thrones," "Fast & Furious 7").

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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the television series pilot “Stanistan,” produced by Universal Cable Productions, will begin principal photography in New Mexico.  Production will take place in Santa Fe at the end of September through the middle of October.  

The production will employ at least 100 New Mexico crew members, 15 New Mexico actors and approximately 400 local background talent. 
  
“Stanistan” is directed by Michael Mayer (“Smash,” “Alpha House,” Hatfields & McCoys” and “Flicka”) and produced by Michael Duggan (“Law & Order,” “Miami Vice” and “Earth 2”) and Michael Pendell (“90210,” “Bad Teacher,” “Aliens in America” and “Sons & Daughters”).  

The series, written by Andy Parker, stars Jennifer Carpenter (“Dexter”, “Quarantine”, and “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”), Jonathan Cake (“Desperate Housewives,” “Chuck” and “Law & Order”) and Zack Gilford (“Friday Night Lights,” “Mob Doctor” and “Off The Map”).

Inspired by real-life events, “Stanistan” takes us behind the fortified walls of the US Embassy in an Afghan-like South Asian hotspot—a high-stakes world teetering between recovery and collapse, giving us a riveting close-up of America’s misbegotten foray into nation building.  

As we follow the tragicomic exploits of the men and women who serve inside the diplomatic, aide and military organization of the US government, we’ll also come to know the colorful community of ex-pats and locals whose fates are tied to America’s massive reconstruction operation. 

Just as M*A*S*H skewered the folly of war with its irreverent, tragicomic satire, “Stanistan” revels in the absurdities, follies and unexpected poignancy of life in country.  The show lives in the collision of the absurd and the poignant, allowing both humor and tragedy to stand in stark relief.  


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Visit the New Mexico Film Office online at nmfilm.com 

The New Mexico State Film Office will host its second Film & Media Education Summit on October 4, 2014, from 9:00am to 5:00pm at the National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) in Albuquerque, 1701 4th Street. The mission of this event is to stimulate communication and coordination between New Mexico’s film and media industry and secondary and higher education institutions, thus, establishing a well-defined educational environment that offers cutting edge training for today’s competitive industry. The Film Office invites administrators, educators, guidance counselors and advisors from the secondary and higher education levels to attend.  

“The Summit is a great opportunity for those involved in film & media education to come together and discuss the future of the industry,” said Nick Maniatis, Director of the New Mexico Film Office. “The film & media programs offered here in New Mexico are flourishing and we want to encourage and assist in their continued growth in any way that we can.”  

Summit discussions will focus on the successes and challenges of film & media education in New Mexico, to include topics such as What are the issues and where do we go from here?, Issues in Ownership & Protection, 21st Century Ways of Distributing Student Films and Raising the Bar on Education in Film & Media. A broad range of speakers are scheduled to attend, to include educators from across the State. For a complete schedule and to register for this event, visit nmfilm.com. 

For questions, please contact NMFO Local Outreach Programs Manager, Lindsey Valdez, at 505-476-5671 or lindsey@nmfilm.com. 

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SANTA FE - The New Mexico Film Office (NMFO) announced a call for entries today for the 2015 NM Filmmakers Showcase to be held in Santa Fe at the Jean Cocteau Cinema January 24-25, 2015. The showcase is an annual event featuring a vast range of creative local talent from around the state. There is no charge to submit an entry, and the event is open to the public and free to attend. 
 
The Film Office will begin accepting entries on Friday, September 26, 2014, and will close on Friday, November 21, 2014, at 5:00pm. Entries postmarked after the due date/time will not be considered.
 
"The Filmaker's Showcase supports and assists in the promotion of New Mexico's local film community," said Nick Maniatis, NMFO director This event not only gives local filmmakers the chance to see their work on the big screen, but also gives the general public the opportunity to experience all of the creative talent within the state." 
 
A panel of industry professionals will judge eight categories from Sci-fi/Fantasy to Comedy and Animation. "Best of Category" winners will be screened on Saturday, January 24 with a reception to follow where attendees will have the opportunity to meet the filmmakers and judges. Other entries will be screened on Sunday, January 25 on a first-come-first-served basis by category. The NMFO does not guarantee that all entries will be screened. 
 
Following the showcase, winning films will travel New Mexico throughout the year in collaboration with local film festivals and theaters. 
 
Entry forms are available at nmfilm.com. For further information, contact the NMFO local outreach programs manager, Lindsey Valdez, at lindsey@nmfilm.com or 505-476-5671.

SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the television series “The Messengers,” produced by CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Entertainment for The CW will begin principal photography in New Mexico.  Production will take place in Albuquerque mid-August through mid-December and will employ at least 300 New Mexico crew members and approximately 3100 local background talent. 

“The Messengers” is executive produced by Trey Callaway (“Revolution,” “CSI: NY”), Basil Iwanyk (“The Town,” “The Expendables” film franchise, “Clash of the Titans” film franchise) and co-executive producers Eoghan O’Donnell (“Teen Wolf”), Kent Kubena (the upcoming “Gods of Egypt,” “Turistas”), Ava Jamshidi and Duane Clark (“CSI:NY”).  

“We are delighted to welcome the TV show ‘The Messengers’ back to Albuquerque,” said Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry.  “Having these 12 episodes filmed here will be incredibly beneficial to our community because of the longer-term, high paying, creative jobs for the crew and the peripheral benefits to local businesses.”

The series stars Shantel VanSanten (“Gang Related,” “One Tree Hill”) as Vera, Jon Fletcher (“City of Dreams”) as Joshua Jr., Sofia Black-D’Elia (“Betrayal,” “Gossip Girl”) as Erin, JD Pardo (“Revolution”) as Raul, Joel Courtney (“Super 8”) as Peter, Anna Diop (“Everybody Hates Chris”) as Rose, Craig Frank (“Mixology”) as Alan, and Diogo Morgado (“Son of God,” “Sol de Inverno”) as The Man.  

In the New Mexico desert, scientist Vera Buckley watches in fascination as a mysterious object plummets to Earth and explodes, sending out a shock wave that briefly stops her heart. But Vera isn't the only one affected: she's instantly connected to six other strangers, who also collapse, only to miraculously come back to life hours later. These strangers will soon discover they have one thing in common; destiny has been thrust upon their shoulders.  And as the Angels of the Apocalypse, with an impressive array of supernatural gifts, they must now work together to rewrite prophecy and prevent the Beginning of the End.

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Visit the New Mexico Film Office online at nmfilm.com