Amber Dodson: Last News

Direct spending into New Mexico’s economy by the film, TV and digital media production industry reached a record $855.4 million in fiscal year 2022, a 36% increase over fiscal 2021, according to New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Todd Gilchrist editor Soundstage facilities, an increasingly in-demand component of film production, are at the heart of New Mexico’s growing reputation as a destination for ambitious studios. Amber Dodson, director of the New Mexico Film Office, says that while locations from “the mountains of Montana in ‘Big Sky’ to the streets of Manila in ‘The Cleaning Lady’” make her state ideal for filming, what’s crucial is filmmakers’ access to interior production space. “We understand that stage space has been a struggle, not only in New Mexico,” she says. In fact, that’s what initially caused Netflix to lead the charge in making New Mexico a Hollywood away from Hollywood; in 2018, they purchased Albuquerque Studios, a 28-acre site where “Better Call Saul” and “Hell or High Water” completed production. In addition to that facility’s eight soundstages, the streamer employs workers at third-party properties outside Albuquerque, says a Netflix spokesperson.

Todd Gilchrist editor The explosive growth of film and television production in New Mexico has broadened perceptions about its eclectic landscape in a short amount of time, but despite increasingly well-documented evidence to the contrary, some misconceptions stubbornly persist. “One of the main comments I hear is ‘I didn’t know New Mexico has trees,’” says Amber Dodson, director of the state’s film office. While the state’s natural elements are undoubtedly beautiful and have stood in as a range of locales for countless film and TV productions, they’re only one factor in the state’s transformation from a short-term production location to a true hotspot for studios looking to put down roots.