Night of the Cooters

Production Announcement

The New Mexico Film Office Announces

Night of the Cooters

Has Wrapped Production in New Mexico

SANTA FE, NM - The New Mexico Film Office announces Night of the Cooters, produced by Lumenscapes Illumination Media LLC and Trioscope Studios, has completed production in Santa Fe, New Mexico in August 2021.

Night of the Cooters is a science fiction comedy western where aliens land in small Texas town and residents must get creative in how they survive the attack.

The production employed approximately 35 New Mexico crew members, 3 New Mexico principal cast members, over 10 New Mexico background and extras, and 2 local abovethe-line team members.

“New Mexico has a unique ability to double for so many places across the world. In the case of this featurette, Night of the Cooters, New Mexico has been selected to play the role of ‘Texas’, which we can do with flying colors,” said Amber Dodson, Director, New Mexico Film Office.

The pilot was directed by Vincent D'onofrio (The Kid, Full Metal Jacket, Men in Black, DareDevil, Magnificent Seven) and produced by Lumenscapes (Dichos, Friends Forever, Dawn Patrol, Horsepower) and Trioscope Studios (The Liberator). Principal cast includes Vincent D'nofrio, Hopper Penn (Puppy Love), Harrison Page (Lionheart, Bad Ass), Martin Sensmeier (The Magnificent Seven, The Liberator), Cristin McCleary, and Jazzy Kim Obrien.

New Mexico principal cast includes Elias Gallegos (Graves, In Plain Site, The Last Stand, The Marksman), Luce Rains (The Marksman), and Darius Eteeyan. The show’s screenwriter is Joe Lansdale who wrote Bubba Ho-Te.

“The City of Santa Fe rented us an amazing production facility that was perfect for our film and centrally located. We received great support from both the public and private sector. We look forward to our next project in Santa Fe that is scheduled for early next year,” said, Justin Duval, producer and cinematographer.

“The show’s EP and driving force for this film is none other than local resident of Santa Fe, George RR Martin (Game of Thrones), who has been passionate about this project for many years and is dear friends with the author of the original story, Howard Waldrop. Howard will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award this coming November from the World Fantasy Convention.”

Lumenscapes is a New Mexico-based micro-business with producers Justin Duval and Amy Duval residing in California and producers Elias Gallegos and Joe Dean, who are multi-generational Santa Feans.

For more information on the production, contactcannoneersllc@gmail.com.

All film and television productions in New Mexico are required to adhere to the state’s operative emergency public health order, associated public health restrictions and COVIDSafe Practices.

The New Mexico Film Office has released Back2One, a catchall set of principles, general recommendations, and resources for film and television productions operating during COVID-19. Back2One recommendations and other COVID-Safe Practices can be found at nmfilm.com.