In the summer of 2007, Sony Pictures Imageworks broke ground for a new building at Mesa Del Sol.

It was a big deal. We were promised a new, fancy, stateof-the art building with 250 computer animators turning out hit after hit right next door to Albuquerque Studios.

Then the economy tanked. A new building wasn't in the cards after all. But there was one nice building available Downtown, recently empty, and cheap. The digital clocks still say US West, and there are still Qwest signs at 400 Tijeras SW, but everything else is all Imageworks.

Jim Berney, visual effects supervisor and general manager, is proud of the facility, as about 50 employees have been quietly working, making some of the biggest films of the past year.

From "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," which is in theaters now, to the coming "2012" disaster film and next spring's Tim Burton remake of "Alice in Wonderland," they've been busy. Berney has to talk to Burton often to ensure that what the crew here makes is what he wants.

"All of us are digging it," Berney said.

Before Berney came to Albuquerque, he worked on several high-profile projects for Sony, and he proudly displays his models, sculpted flat-gray models that animators use to make their films.

From the creatures in "I Am Legend," to a small "Stuart Little," the three-headed dog from the "Harry Potter" films, the anaconda from "Anaconda" and even the talking beaver from "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," he keeps them at his desk. They're all from films Berney worked on, and he's hoping to add to the collection.

The plan, Berney said, is still to ramp up to almost 200 employees, but he said the company needs the right project first.

"We're tethered to L.A.," Berney said. "The bulk of the movies are in L.A., and a small percentage of the artists are here, India, Bristol (England) and California."

Coming to Albuquerque, though, was a choice. If employees wanted to come here, they had to volunteer and their names were thrown in a hat. The hat was full.

"We had to throw our names in the hat and about 12 of us moved here right away," said Jennifer Rojo, Imageworks' Albuquerque office manager. "Many of us had never thought of it before."

But, she said, she likes it. So does the rest of the crew. "I love Albuquerque," said Stephen Lunn, an animator, who's originally from Australia. "I used to fish the San Juan (River) all the time. I went this summer and got 20-plus-inch fish. New Mexico is a stunning place."

Others, though, are so excited to be here, they're making their own movie about Albuquerque.

Josh Riley and Philippe Zeronian realized there was a lot to do here, but they didn't know that when they signed up for the move.

"I thought desert, cactus and no city. I'd never heard of it," Zeronian said.

"We wanted the job. You assume L.A., but that's not where you want to end up. Albuquerque is a nice surprise," Riley said.

So, the two are in the midst of making a 15-minute documentary that shows Albuquerque through their eyes for other employees from Imageworks who might be considering the move.

"We've seen a hell of a lot. Everything along the river blew my mind," Riley said, while making the film.

"Los Poblanos. Casa Rondeña. Cruising blew my mind, and girls, cars filled with girls cruising, that just blew my mind," said Zeronian, who's from Canada.

The pair still has shooting to do, but Berney said he hopes the film will encourage other young, and talented, animators to consider Albuquerque because, after all, the move here was a cost-cutting measure.

"Each year it gets harder and harder," he said, as other countries bid against Imageworks for animation work.

"We're trying to keep the work in the U.S.," he said. "I'm working on some big ones, and if I get them, we'll need 100 more people."

And if it's going to be in the United States, he said, he wants his workers to have the best lifestyles they can. Albuquerque, he said, is good because of the low (compared to L.A.) cost of living and the ease of getting around.

"In L.A., you work all day. Work is all you do because of the commute. I haven't missed anybody's soccer game this year," he said. "These guys are happy. People are working like their career depends on it."

And, for those saying there aren't any good men in town, as a general rule, the staff is young, single, educated men who make between $100,000 and $200,000 a year.