By Daniella De Luca / For My Las Cruces

With 350 days of sunshine every year, grandiose mountains, magnificent sunsets, and Southwestern culture, flair and architecture, it’s a wonder more movies aren’t filmed in Las Cruces. One local organization, Film Las Cruces is examining the reasons that might keep major motion pictures from being filmed in the city.In essence, the group is comprised of “anyone who has anything to do with film in Las Cruces or the surrounding area,” said group member Mark Vasconcellos. They meet the second Wednesday of each month.

During each meeting, trailers for locally made films are screened, alongside short films by student filmmakers and digital media artists — and interested members of the community are invited with the purpose of showcasing local talent, and in turn, drawing film and television productions to the city, according to the group.

Initiated in the summer 2011, Film Las Cruces meets in a forum setting at 7 p.m. at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main St. At most meetings, there is a presentation or seminar, followed by a networking opportunity, and anyone with an interest in film is encouraged to attend. The group was set up by city film liaison Bill McCamey and Rio Grande Theatre manager David Salcido, two advocates for driving films and television to Las Cruces.

High school students, experienced business people and filmmakers working on short projects or full-length feature films all collaborate at these meetings, and this month showcases the work of a local

production company as well as a presentation by Vasconcellos.Attendees will witness highlights from the works of People’s Recording Company (PRC) Productions, a full-service production company that has been in existence since July 2010 and has created several high-profile documentaries and features for clients such as the Air Force Culture and Language Center, The Green Beret Foundation and Spirit Ranch.

PRC will present examples of their short documentaries, trailers and upcoming projects, said Salcido.

“There will be a sneak preview of their next feature film, ‘Desert Demonz,’ which begins production in June. In addition to all this, there will also be trailers for the new short films ‘Quimera’ and ‘Anti-Minute’ and also music videos by local musicians,” he said.

Film Las Cruces have their ideas about why filmmakers choose Santa Fe, Albuquerque or other locations for their Southwest backdrops.

“We lose a lot of the bigger films for lack of a soundstage and a back lot,” Vasconcellos said. A soundstage is a soundproof building or room used for movie production, like you’d find at a Los Angeles movie studio property, while a back lot is an area used for set design or to host set structures for outdoor filming. With these two things in place in the next year or two, Vasconcellos believes that Las Cruces could accommodate a big feature film comparable to “The Lone Ranger,” which is currently filming in northern New Mexico.

Vasconcellos has more than 25 years experience in filmmaking and will present his business plan to establish these two missing pieces to the Las Cruces film industry at the meeting. His ideas include locating potential investors and enlisting help from New Mexico State University and Doña Ana Community College film students and staff as well as the College of Engineering potentially helping with building design.

Vasconcellos admits that students tend to graduate from NMSU or DACC then become starstruck and head off to Los Angeles or other cities. “There are people here making movies and doing things,” said Vasconcellos, also a creative media technology instructor at DACC. In his presentation, he’ll share his plan, stating that his vision will cost less than a typical Hollywood one with a $50 or $100 million price tag.

PRC Productions came into being with a similar agenda in 2010 with the mindset that people in southern New Mexico shouldn’t have to go to Albuquerque or a bigger city to pursue their filming careers. The crew has put several local crews and acting talent to work producing several shorts and documentaries and even feature films. At the start of the year, PRC expanded their services offering full editing, green screen and sound-recording capabilities, in addition to full-service production equipment rentals.

For more information about Film Las Cruces, attend the monthly meetings or visit Las-Cruces-Film.org.

Daniella De Luca is a freelance writer and can be reached at daniella.deluca@gmail.com.

If you go

What: Film Las Cruces Monthly Meeting

When: 7 p.m. March 14

Where: Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main St.

How much: Free

Info: Las-Cruces-Film.org

By S. Derrickson Moore / dmoore@lcsun-news.com

It’s a chance to show off the diverse and evolving talents of dancers and musicians.

“We Are One — Dance and Drum!,” a show highlighting student dance troupes from southern New Mexico, West Texas and Chihuahua, will fill the stage Saturday at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 7 p.m., as regional dance troupes showcase dance styles and rhythms from the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa as well as American Tribal belly dance forms.

Drum groups performing in the show are The New World Drummers and the Desert Heartbeats. Dance groups include Hipshum, Anthurium Dark Fusion, World Dance Las Cruces, Eve of Byzantium, Wu of the Silk Road, Jewells of the Desert, Gypsy Fire, New World Dancers, Sovereigns of Silkiness, Golden Dancers, Habibi Masnuni, Banat Al Shahra, Tech Tonic Hips, Eternal Dancers, Basseema Belly Dance and Insidious Belly Dance.

“We Are One — Dance and Drum!” is a non-profit production supporting dance students and their teachers. Dancers and dance troupes include a wide range of ages, experience levels and dance styles, said Susan Jewell, who is a coproducer of the show with Terry Alvarez and Karuna Warren.

“It’s a celebration of dancing drumming and joy,” Alvarez said.

“It was a dream of mine to have a show that would encompass students and give them a showcase,” said Jewell, adding that the show, now in its sixth year, is an all-volunteer event open

to all, which attracts participants from Albuquerque to Mexico.

Tickets, at $8 are available at My Place, 140 #A Wyatt Drive, from dance troupe members, by calling (575) 639-1616 or, if still available, at the door.

S. Derrickson Moore can be reached at (575) 541-5450. Follow her on Twitter @DerricksonMoore.

If you go

What: “We Are One — Dance and Drum!”

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main St.

How much: $8

Info & Tickets: My Place, 140 #A Wyatt Drive

By Minerva Baumann mbauma46@nmsu.edu

“MADE IN NEW MEXICO,” an hour-long documentary that takes an inside-look at the state’s film and media industry, premiered this week in Santa Fe. On Wednesday when the film comes to Las Cruces, Creative Media Institute Director Phil Lewis hopes to fill the Rio Grande Theatre with students from New Mexico State University.

Lewis and Lamaia Vaughn from Dona Ana Community College’s Creative Media Technology program were both interviewed for the documentary, which included local film students.

“We discussed the impact that our programs have on the film industry in general in New Mexico,” said Lewis, “But also how we are a major economic stimulus for the less developed southern part of New Mexico. Between our programs at DACC and CMI we have over 600 currently enrolled students studying film.”

The group “Film Las Cruces” is organizing the showing 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Rio Grande Theatre. Shot and edited over a two-year period and financed largely through crowd funding, “MADE IN NEW MEXICO” includes interviews with union leaders, industry veterans, educators and students. It is produced and directed by New Mexico filmmakers David Jean Schweitzer and Brent Morris.

“It’s been a long-standing goal to give back to this vital, artistic community in our state,” co-director Brent Morris said.

“Making this film connected us with so many talented and wise people,” said David Schweitzer. “By interviewing experts in the economics of the field, we’ve tried to create an honest portrayal of the industry’s impact on New Mexicans.”

The Las Cruces showing will allow NMSU students to interact with members of local film companies and talk about their projects with film industry professionals. Lewis says the film reinforces to students and the community that this region is fast becoming a Mecca for independent films.

“Our industry is just now growing in Las Cruces and the region, but it is talented, hard-working, and is a force to be reckoned with,” said Lewis. “Brent Morris’ film will prove what we in southern New Mexico already know: THIS is the business to get into.”

With literally hundreds of graduates over the next few years, Lewis says NMSU is expected to generate a talent pool of small businesses that will help support the economy of the region through its connection with the $78 billion film industry.

Minerva Baumann is director of media relations at NMSU and can be reached at ( 575) 646-7566.

By Adrian Gomez / Asst. Arts Editor, Reel NM on Sun, Jan 29, 2012

Six years ago, filmmaking in Los Angeles started lagging. So filmmaker Brent Morris followed the film industry to the Land of Enchantment.

This was a move that he doesn’t regret.

“I think New Mexico has some of the best film crews here, and it’s a pleasure to work with them,” he said during a recent interview. “The film community here is so strong, and I moved here for the film incentives.”

Moving to New Mexico has been a blessing for Morris, who usually works as a line producer for movies. He’s worked on New Mexico-made films such as “Sunshine Cleaning,” “Beer For My Horses,” “Goats,” “Just Like Woman” and “Jackie.” He also directed the documentary “Flamenco School” in 2010.

“This is my bread and butter,” he said. “I’ve been very lucky, and I want to see the industry continue.”

With that in mind, Morris teamed up with David Jean Schweitzer for the documentary “Made in New Mexico.” It sheds light on many factors that make the state one of the premiere places to shoot motion pictures, television series and digital media. The film includes a brief history of filmmaking and a discussion about staying competitive in the industry. It also explores the state’s incentive programs.

“It’s not intended to be a political documentary, but you can’t talk about New Mexico film without mentioning the incentives,” he said. “This is more for educational purposes.”

New Mexico’s film incentive program offers a 25 percent rebate to film companies for most direct, in-state expenditures. Under changes approved last year, those rebates can be paid out over a period of three years, and there is a $50 million cap on yearly rebate spending for film and TV productions.

But with the battle in the Legislature last year over the incentives and Democrats wanting to remove the $50 million cap on yearly rebate spending for film and TV productions in this year’s session, Morris felt it was time to screen the film to a bigger audience.

“The film aims to educate and celebrate a healthy film and media industry,” he said. “It’s a perfect example of how the industry impacts jobs in New Mexico.”

The film was shot and edited over two years and was financed through Kickstarter, an online threshold pledge system for funding projects.

Morris said the film features producers Stewart Lyons from “Breaking Bad”; Tony Mark from “The Hurt Locker”; Kenneth Topolsky from “The Wonder Years” and Alton Walpole from “The Book of Eli.” Studio managers from I-25 Studios, Santa Fe Studios and Albuquerque Studios were also interviewed.

Morris said when it came down to editing the documentary, it was about finding the moments that touch an audience.

“We wanted to craft a complete story that resonated with the audience,” he said. “It was important to tell a captivating story while showcasing the economic impact that the film industry has in the state – especially small towns.”

“Made in New Mexico” will screen at 4 p.m. Wednesday at CCA’s Cinematheque, 1050 Old Pecos Trail in Santa Fe. It will be part of the annual Media Day at the State Capitol.

Additional screenings include:

• 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at Film Las Cruces/Rio Grande Theatre.

•  4 p.m. Feb. 10 at UNM’s Valencia Campus FilmFest in Los Lunas.

•  7 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Taos Community Auditorium.

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter at @agomezART.

By S. Derrickson Moore / dmoore@lcsun-news.com

Hot rods. Ice cream floats. Poodle skirts. White bucks or saddle shoes. Audrey Hepburn’s famous pedal pushers and neck scarves, Marilyn Monroe’s curve-hugging glamour dresses. Gray flannel suits. Frank Sinatra’s fabulous fedoras and Elvis’ iconic black leather jackets.

It’s your chance to strut your favorite 1950s fashions and enjoy other treats of the times. The Doña Ana Arts Council invites you to “flashback to the Nifty Fifties, with hot rods, ice cream floats and good old fashioned Rock ‘n Roll,” from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Rio Grande Theatre.

“We wanted to put the ‘fun’ back in fundraiser with an event for the entire family: a trip down memory lane to a simpler, more wholesome time, when Rock ‘n’ Roll was king, soda shops were the hangout of choice and the quickest way to win a gal’s heart was to take her for a spin in a tricked-out roadster,” said Heather Pollard, a former DAAC executive director and current volunteer who dreamed up the concept with David Salcido, manager of the Rio Grande Theatre, which will benefit from the event.

“We’ll start out with a vintage car show. Hot rods will line Main Street for an automotive blast from the past, courtesy of the People’s Recording Company and the locally-produced feature film ‘Desert Demonz.’ The public is invited to come dressed in their favorite ’50s apparel and join the fashion show and enjoy photo ops with Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Elvis,” Pollard said.