SANTA FE — New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the Universal Cable Productions television event series “Dig” premiering on USA Network this fall, starring Jason Isaacs (“Awake”) and Anne Heche (“Save Me”) will be partially filmed in New Mexico.

“Albuquerque welcomes USA Network’s upcoming event series ‘Dig’ to our city,” said Gary Oppedahl, Director of the City’s Economic Development Department.  "We're thrilled to be part of the next setting that continues telling the story of this high action adventure drama."

“Dig” stars Isaacs as Peter Connelly, an FBI agent stationed in Jerusalem, who, while investigating a murder uncovers a conspiracy 2,000 years in-the-making. 
 
The series filmed its pilot on location in Jerusalem and given current events has relocated part of its production to Albuquerque to film first unit interiors while it continues to explore international shooting locations for on-location exteriors.

Created and executive produced by Kring and Raff, “Dig” is from Universal Cable Productions and was developed by Keshet, in association with Gail Berman (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) of Tecumseh Productions and Gene Stein (“Deception”).  Keshet’s Avi Nir (“Homeland”), Alon Shtruzman and Karni Ziv also serve as executive producers. 

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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the feature “Captain Fantastic”, produced by Electric City Entertainment and ShivHans Pictures, will begin principal photography in New Mexico.  Production will take place in Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Mesilla mid-August through the end of August.

“We are pleased to welcome ‘Captain Fantastic’ to New Mexico and even more pleased that they will be spending time in the southern part of our state where I know they'll find excellent crew and a film friendly community waiting to welcome them as well,” said New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis.
The production will employ at least 75 New Mexico crew members, 1 New Mexico actor and approximately 220 local background talent. 

Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima stated, “It’s wonderful to have a film like ‘Captain Fantastic’ choose Las Cruces as a film location. Film production is a great way to promote Las Cruces, create jobs and bring outside dollars to the region, and the City will be stepping up its efforts to recruit more film production to the Las Cruces region.”

Directed by Matt Ross (28 Hotel Rooms) along with Producers Lynette Howell and Jamie Patricof (Big Eyes, The Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine), Shivani Rawat and Nimitt Mankad (Imagine, Trumbo).

Starring Viggo Mortensen (A History of Violence, The Road, Lord of the Rings, Eastern Promises) and Frank Langella (Frost Nixon, Robot & Frank, Superman Returns), “Captain Fantastic” is about a passionate father who is so devoted to teaching his six children how to live, be free, and survive in the world that he has moved them deep into the forests of the Pacific Northwest. He spends his days teaching them combat skills, training them like professional athletes, homeschooling them in a rigorous classical education, and introducing them to the beauty of the natural world.  However, when he is forced to leave their self-created paradise and confront the real world, he begins a journey that challenges his unorthodox parenting. 

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SANTA FE — New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the feature “Bare”, will being principal photography in New Mexico.  Production will take place in Albuquerque and Moriarty at the end of July through mid-August.

The production will employ at least thirty five (35) New Mexico crew members and fifteen (15) resident actors and background talent.

“Bare” is produced by Chad Burris (Drunktown’s Finest) and Aleandra Roxo (Mary Marie) and is directed by Natalia Leite (Serrano Shoots Cuba).  

Starring Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later, Need for Speed), Riley Keough (The Runaways, Magic Mike), Chris Zylka (The Amazing Spider-Man, Piranha 3DD) and Rachel Korine (Spring Breakers, Mister Lonely), “Bare” is the story of a young girl living in Nevada who starts a complicated relationship with a female drifter who introduces her to a darker world and forces her to grow.

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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the feature “Burning Bodhi”, will begin principal photography in New Mexico.  Production will take place in and around Albuquerque and Bernalillo County mid July through the beginning of August.  

Produced by Albuquerque resident Marshall Bear, and written and directed by University of New Mexico Professor in Practice (Screenwriting) and Albuquerque resident Matthew McDuffie, the production will employ at least thirty (30) New Mexico crew members and three (3) New Mexico actors.  

“This film is about your first dead friend. It’s about grief and laughter and celebrating life, about growing up; whatever that means”, says Matthew McDuffie.

This character-driven film stars an ensemble cast including Kaley Cuoco (Big Bang Theory), Cody Horn (Magic Mike), Landon Liboiron (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars), Meghann Fahy (One Life to Live), Eli Vargas (You, Me and Dupree) and Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Sideways) Virginia Madsen. 
  
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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the feature SICARIO, produced by Black Label Media and Thunder Road Pictures, will begin principal photography in New Mexico.  Production will take place in Albuquerque, Las Lunas, Corrales, Laguna Pueblo, Bernalillo County and Sandoval County at the end of June through the end of August.

“We are thrilled that Albuquerque will be one of the principal shooting locations for SICARIO.  This production represents jobs for hundreds of hard working New Mexicans, and will also benefit local film-friendly businesses,” said Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry.  

“The locations in New Mexico are everything I imagined when I read the script of SICARIO,” states Director Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Enemy, Incendies). Produced by Basil Iwanyk, Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, Thad Luckinbill and Ed McDonnell, SICARIO will employ approximately 200 New Mexico crew members as well as more than 2,000 resident actors and background talent.

Starring Benicio Del Toro (Snatch, Traffic), Emily Blunt (Looper, The Devil Wears Prada) and Josh Brolin (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, No Country for Old Men), SICARIO is the story of a by-the-book female FBI agent who is assigned to work with two Delta-force operators to take down a Mexican cartel boss, but when they cross the border to Mexico she discovers things are a lot more depraved than she’d expected.  The corruption and violence she witnesses challenges her morality, forcing her to play by a different set of rules.   

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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the feature IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE, produced by Blumhouse Productions, will begin principal photography in New Mexico.  Production will take place in Santa Fe at the end of June through the end of July.

“Santa Fe is very excited to welcome IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE.  More than one-hundred people will be employed on this production which is more good news for this film friendly state,” said City of Santa Fe Mayor Javier M. Gonzales. 

Directed by Ti West (The House of the Devil, V/H/S, The Innkeepers) and produced by Jason Blum (The Purge, Insidious, Paranormal Activity), Jacob Jaffke (Sleepwalk with Me, The Sacrament) and Peter Phok (The House of the Devil, Stake Land), IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE, will employ approximately 96 New Mexico crew members as well as 20 resident actors and background talent.

Starring Ethan Hawke (Good Kill, Gattaca, Training Day) and John Travolta (Pulp Fiction, Grease, Face/Off), IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE is a story of a drifter with nothing to lose who seeks revenge on the thugs who killed his best friend.
 
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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the feature film JOHNNY, based on the true story of five-time boxing world champion and Albuquerque resident, Johnny Tapia, will be filmed in Albuquerque.  Principal photography will begin late July through August.
 
The production will employ at least fifty (50) New Mexico crew members, approximately one-hundred and fifty (150) New Mexico background talent and thirty (30) New Mexico actors.

“We enthusiastically welcome the production JOHNNY to Albuquerque this summer. We also welcome back an Albuquerque local, Director Eddie Alcazar,” said Mayor Richard J. Berry. “As someone who personally knew and cared about Johnny Tapia, I look forward to seeing this iconic figure remembered through this film. The setting of Albuquerque brings authenticity to the film, and we’re honored that this successful director chose to return and film his move here in our city.”

JOHNNY is directed and produced by Eddie Alcazar (TAPIA), along with producers Olga Segura (THE TRUTH ABOUT EMANUEL), Andrea Monier (TAPIA,), Guillermo Lozano, associate producers Grant Willsea, Javier Lovato and local line producer Brent Morris (BLAZE YOU OUT).
  
Starring Shiloh Fernandez (EVIL DEAD, WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD), JOHNNY is the story of a twenty-three (23) year old bantamweight boxer on a trailblazing rise.  Undefeated and a serious contender to be the world champion, his career is cut short when he tests positive for cocaine.  Haunted by the death of his mother, Johnny turned to drugs and is plagued by his addiction as things spiral out of control.

The producers will be reaching out to the community for support and participation in large crowd scenes in Albuquerque, where Johnny is remembered as a hometown hero.

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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the television series “BETTER CALL SAUL”, produced by Sony Pictures Television and starring Bob Odenkirk (BREAKING BAD, FARGO) will be filmed in Albuquerque, NM.  

"We welcome this incredible production team back to the State,” said Director Nick Maniatis. “They have proven to be excellent partners with the City of Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico.”

The production will employ at least 75-90 New Mexico crewmembers. 
 
“Given the tremendous acclaim associated with Vince Gilligan’s productions, we are thrilled to learn that BETTER CALL SAUL will be filmed in Albuquerque,” said Mayor Richard Berry.   “We enthusiastically welcome back Sony and AMC and are proud to add this production to the long list of creative and original shows filmed in our city.”
  
Produced by Vince Gilligan (BREAKING BAD) and Peter Gould (BREAKING BAD), BETTER CALL SAUL, is a BREAKING BAD prequel, focusing on the evolution of the popular Saul Goodman character before he became Walter White’s lawyer.

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Santa Fe - Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announces the State Film Office will host its second annual New Mexico Film & Media Industry Conference. This two-day networking event will offer New Mexico's local film community unique panels, presentations and interviews not readily available to industry professionals within the State.  Topics vary from Transmedia: Marketing & Content Strategies Across Multiple Platforms to Project Development & The Pitch with a cutting edge lineup of speakers and panelists from both in and out of state. The audience includes established industry professionals, such as filmmakers, producers, crew, digital artists and post production professionals as well as vendors, city and county officials and other government officials.
 
"This is a great event for businesses that haven't traditionally serviced the film, television and media industry as well as for those who have," Maniatis said. "Industry members, business owners and the general public are invited to join us to look inside this multi-faceted industry and see what opportunities are available. This exciting event offers cutting edge and informative perspectives on today's industry and its future."
 
Panels and presentations are free to attend; however, registration is required for all attendees. A luncheon and networking reception are available to registrants for a nominal fee. This is an opportunity that the local film community should not miss, as it provides avenues for networking and communication with professionals that share their passion.
 
In addition, local vendors are also welcome to attend and participate as a conference exhibitor. This is a great way for vendors to showcase their services to the local industry.
  
To register and for a detailed list of events visit, http://nmfilm.com/film-media-industry-conference.aspx. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.
 
Date
Friday, May 30, 2014 (Check-In at 9:00 am)
Saturday, May 31, 2014 (Check-In at 9:00 am)
 
Location
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town
800 Rio Grande Blvd NW Albuquerque NM 87104
  
Contact Lindsey Valdez, Outreach Programs Manager, at 505-476-5671 or lindsey@nmfilm.com for additional information.
 
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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced today that the thriller “BLOOD FATHER”, produced by Why Not Productions and starring Mel Gibson (BRAVEHEART) and Erin Moriarty (TRUE DETECTIVE) will be filmed in and around Albuquerque, NM.  Principal photography will begin mid May through the end of June.

The production will employ at least one hundred and fifty (150) New Mexico crewmembers, five hundred (500) New Mexico background talent and ten (10) New Mexico principal actors.  

Directed by Jean-François Richet (MESRINE PART 1 &2, ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13) and Produced by Pascal Caucheteux (RUST & BONE, A PROPHET), Chris Briggs (HOSTEL) and Sebastian LeMercier (ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, THE PURGE).  Scripted by Peter Craig (THE TOWN), BLOOD FATHER is the story about a drug kingpin boyfriend who frames his girlfriend, 18 year old LYDIA, for stealing a fortune in cartel cash.  LYDIA goes on the run with her only ally, her perennial screw-up of a dad, JOHN LINK, who's been a drunk, a drug addict, a motorcycle outlaw, and a convict in his time, and is now determined to keep his little girl from harm and, for once in his life, do the right thing.

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