Dreaming about working in the film industry, but aren’t sure where to start? On Thursday, Aug. 8 interested students and working professionals can network with film and media instructors from around the state at the New Mexico Film Office’s open house event at the Hyatt Regency (330 Tijeras Ave. NW). From 2 to 5pm, representatives from Santa Fe Community College, Doña Ana Community College, Central New Mexico Community College, Eastern New Mexico University, University of New Mexico and Taos Digital Media Arts will be on hand to talk about their cinema and media arts programs. Folks from local film trade unions IATSE Local 480, SAG-AFTRA and Teamsters Local 493 will also be there to discuss opportunities in the local film industry. This event is free and open to the public and serves as a “teaser” for this weekend’s annual Film & Media Industry Conference, starting this Friday.
Reel World: Speaking Of Which Speaking Of Which
The 2019 New Mexico Film & Media Industry Conference gets underway this Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9 and 10, at the Hyatt Regency (330 Tijeras Ave. NW). The event, run by the New Mexico Film Office, goes from 9am to 7:30pm on Friday and from 9am to 5pm on Saturday. Each day is packed with dozens of lectures, classes, hands-on trainings and Q&A sessions, covering topics useful to crew members (electric-rigging gaffer, wardrobe-costume design, hair/makeup, location scouting), actors (social media for actors, marketing for actors, working with casting directors) and directors/producers (budget and payroll tips, getting distribution, using social media to gain an audience). Instructors include a wide variety of working industry talents—from producers to casting directors to acting coaches to wardrobe specialists. If you’re a newcomer who wants to learn the ins and outs of the film industry or if you’re a working professional looking to expand your knowledge, the Film & Media Industry Conference is a fantastic educational opportunity. And if you’re just looking to make some valuable film and TV biz contacts, Friday night ends with a big networking mixer from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Two-day tickets are $95 general admission or $75 for students. Lunches are included in the ticket price. To register or to take a look at a complete lineup of events, go to nmfilm.com/nmfo-events/#Conference.
Reel World: Native Cinema Native Cinema
As an introduction to the 98th annual Santa Fe Indian Market (Aug. 17 through 18), the New Mexico History Museum (113 Lincoln Ave. in Santa Fe) presents a Native Cinema Showcase in partnership with Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian. On Wednesday, Aug. 14 the museum screens a trio of native-made films. At 1pm it starts with the Peruvian film Wiñaypacha (Eternity), a drama about an elderly couple living in a remote part of the Andes while carrying the sadness of being forgotten by their long-absent son. At 3pm you can catch the American film The Blessing, a feature-length documentary about a Navajo coal miner raising his daughter while struggling with the destruction of his sacred land. The film fest closes out at 7pm with the Canadian drama Falls Around Her, which focuses on a world-famous Anishinaabe musican (Tantoo Cardinal) who returns home to rest and refresh herself only to find that her fame and the outside world intrude. Admission to these screenings is free, but seating is limited. To learn more go to nmhistorymuseum.org.
