The Santa Fe Community College is offering an online course in beginning screenwriting fundamentals. Filmmaker Scott Milder (Dead Billy) will teach FILM 175 CRN 30712 from January through May of 2016. Class costs begin at $160 for Santa Fe residents and $250 for in-state residents. Santa Fe seniors can take the class for a reduced rate starting at $48. The university is also starting up film crew classes for those interested in learing how to match your skill set to jobs in the film industry. The crew classes will meet in person Mondays, Wednesdays and some Saturdays from January through March. For more info on these and other film-based classes, email filminfo@sfcc.edu or go to sfcc.edu.
Reel World: Ready, Set, Go Ready, Set, Go
The AMC series “Preacher,” based on the supernatural graphic novel by Garth Ennis, is busy shooting its first season here in New Mexico. The show’s art department is looking for a production assistant. Work will take place between January and June of 2016. This is a paid position. Job requirements include specific interest in set design and/or graphics, familiarity understanding floor plans, excellent research and communication skils and computer proficiency including MS Office and Adobe Creative Suite. Resumés can be emailed to alannalevy@gmail.com.
Reel World: Made In New Mexico Made In New Mexico
From the looks of it, 2015 was another decent year for the film industry in New Mexico. Overall, based on data from the New Mexico Film Office, there appears to have been a slight drop in the number of feature films shot here in the Land of Enchantment. However, a recent change to the tax incentive laws bumping up the refund for television shows (known as the “Breaking Bad Bill”) seems to have made the state more attractive to television production. Among the features shot here in the last 12 months were the crime drama Comancheria starring Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges, the teen runaway drama Hellbent, the sci-fi sequel Independence Day: Resurgence, the Mary Steenburgen/Olivia Cooke drama Katie Says Goodbye, Adam Sandler’s Western spoof The Ridiculous Six, the gang drama Shot Caller, the corrupt cop comedy War on Everyone and the Tina Fey war reporter comedy Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (formerly known as American Reporter and Fun House). Television shows that went into production here included the prison documentary “Behind Bars: Rookie Year,” the pilot for AMC’s supernatural drama “Preacher” and the primetime action series “The Player” with Wesley Snipes. Among the returning series were “Better Call Saul, Season 2,” “Gunslingers, Season 2,” “Longmire, Season 4,” “Manhattan, Season 2” and “The Night Shift, Season 2.” Good work, New Mexico. And keep ’em coming, Hollywood.
