{"id":91193,"date":"2019-12-13T01:12:35","date_gmt":"2019-12-13T01:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/could-farmington-be-the-next-hollywood\/"},"modified":"2019-12-13T01:12:35","modified_gmt":"2019-12-13T01:12:35","slug":"could-farmington-be-the-next-hollywood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/could-farmington-be-the-next-hollywood\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Farmington be the next Hollywood?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Farmington
Farmington and San Juan County can offer stunning natural landscapes to shoot in, according to supporters of a plan to increase the film industry in northern New Mexico.<\/span>Courtesy of Film Four Corners<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

FARMINGTON \u2013 The trailer flashes between wisecracks from stars Dwayne \u201cThe Rock\u201d Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart amidst jungle and desert settings. But Four Corners residents might notice something familiar between shots of dunes and The Rock\u2019s biceps.<\/p>\n

Shiprock peak, or Ts\u00e9 Bit\u2019 a\u2019\u00ed, south of Farmington on the Navajo Nation, has a cameo appearance in \u201cJumanji: The Next Level.\u201d<\/p>\n

And if a plan to promote Farmington\u2019s film industry is successful, spotting TV and movie stars around town could become a regular occurrence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a good 10-year window to positions ourselves to create a new industry here,\u201d said Brent Garcia, an area producer and organizer of the Four Corners Film Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The film industry is one of New Mexico\u2019s fastest growing industries, but it wasn\u2019t on anyone\u2019s radar in the region when Garcia began advocating to develop the movie industry four years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody up here knew that or nobody cared. It wasn\u2019t something anyone was talking about,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Now, the timing is perfect for the region to develop a larger presence in the film industry, according to Garcia.<\/p>\n

An economic need<\/div>\n

Northwestern New Mexico faces the prospect of the 2022 closure of the San Juan Generating Station \u2013 and the job and economic loss it would entail \u2013 and the region is searching for strategies to diversify and grow its economy. The city of Farmington and San Juan County hope a production industry can be part of the potential growth.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo say that San Juan County is concerned with our economic status is an understatement,\u201d said Jack Fortner, the county commission chairman. \u201cWith the stacks closing and the power plant closing, as elected officials, it\u2019s part of our duty to develop economic opportunities for San Juan County.\u201d<\/p>\n

To jump-start the area\u2019s production possibilities, the county secured a $1 million grant from the state this year to build a studio and a possible backlot, and is currently searching for a site, according to County Manager Mike Stark.<\/p>\n

The city government also has begun promoting the film industry. The promotional effort began by hosting the inaugural Four Corners Film Festival in September, according to Mayor Nate Duckett. \u201cThe five-day event showcased a diverse range of filmmaking talents and hosted nationally renowned actors, designers and musicians,\u201d Duckett said in a written statement.<\/p>\n

\"San
San Juan County received a $1 million grant from New Mexico to build a studio and further entice Hollywood productions to film in the area.<\/span>Courtesy of Film Four Corners<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The festival, the first of its kind in Farmington and San Juan County, was spearheaded by Garcia and the nonprofit Film Four Corners in part to promote what Farmington and San Juan County can offer production companies and filmmakers.<\/p>\n

However, Garcia said one of the biggest challenges is spreading the word locally that the film industry is a viable economic strategy. To involve the community, Garcia encourages residents to list possible film locations on the New Mexico Film Office\u2019s website<\/a>, a tool production companies use for scouting.<\/p>\n

Garcia and Film Four Corners also plan to continue hosting film industry education and training workshops next year, partnering with San Juan College to create certificate training programs and developing plans for the second annual film festival.<\/p>\n

\"The
The nonprofit Film Four Corners plans to offer film industry training workshops to expand the workforce available to production crews looking to film in the area.<\/span>Courtesy of Film Four Corners<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Both Garcia and local government officials said the success of expanding the film industry relies on regional cooperation. Although the \u201cJumanji: The Next Level\u201d crew of about 200 people stayed in Farmington, it filmed in the Navajo Nation. And while the city of Farmington is in talks to get commercial direct flights to and from Los Angeles by next summer, a production company currently would fly through the Durango-La Plata County Airport, Garcia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they\u2019re here for a couple weeks, we expect them to go up to Durango for a few days,\u201d Fortner said. While it\u2019s too early in the county\u2019s plan for official partner agreements, Fortner said it\u2019s important to think of Durango and the Navajo Nation as partners throughout the process.<\/p>\n

New Mexico as a Hollywood haven<\/div>\n

Starting in 2008, Albuquerque and New Mexico were synonymous with the hit television series \u201cBreaking Bad.\u201d But in the past few years, the state has expanded that identity beyond one television series. From July 2018 to June 2019, New Mexico\u2019s film and television sector generated roughly $525.5 million in direct spending, according to the New Mexico Film Office.<\/a><\/p>\n

In March, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a law that raised the film tax credit cap from $50 million annually to $110 million. Currently, film companies receive 25% rebate on goods and services for most projects in the state, and television shows are eligible for up to 30%. Additional tax credits are designed to benefit communities such as Farmington, with an added incentive of 5% for productions based 60 miles outside Albuquerque and Santa Fe.<\/p>\n

Hollywood is already making moves to expand its presence in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, in part because of tax incentives. Earlier this year, Netflix announced it purchased a production studio complex in Albuquerque, bringing an estimated 1,000 jobs<\/a> to New Mexico. About the same time, NBCUniversal announced it was building a studio in Albuquerque. Part of NBCUniversal\u2019s $1.1 billion deal with the state<\/a> included a goal of spending $500 million on productions in New Mexico during the next 10 years.<\/p>\n

\"Production
Production companies filming at least 60 miles outside of Albuquerque and Santa Fe are eligible for an additional 5% tax credit.<\/span>Courtesy of Film Four Corners<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Supporters of Garcia\u2019s vision say this creates a perfect opportunity for areas like Farmington to see a similar growth in the film industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot everything can be shot in Albuquerque and Santa Fe,\u201d Stark said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had success before, and now we have all of these things lined up to continue growing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ideally, Garcia and others would like to attract a long-running series to shoot in the area. While big Hollywood productions like \u201cJumanji\u201d elevate the name recognition of a place, a television show brings opportunities for sustained economic growth and opportunities to train a larger workforce to continue drawing productions to the region, Garcia said.<\/p>\n

Albuquerque had its defining role with \u201cBreaking Bad.\u201d Farmington \u2013 with its Four Corners location, access to stunning natural scenery, a studio in the works and lucrative tax incentives \u2013 has the potential to create a thriving film industry, supporters argue.<\/p>\n

Hollywood, take notice, Farmington is getting ready for the big screen.<\/p>\n

lweber@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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