Film business in focus at Roundhouse

Denise Lynch of New Mexico Film Resource listens at a news conference in Santa Fe to the announcement of a new film to be shot in Deming. The news conference came during Film and Media Day at the Capitol on Friday. (Marla Brose/Journal)

SANTA FE — New Mexico film industry is open for business. That sentiment filled the Roundhouse during the annual Film & Media Day on Friday.

“It’s about keeping the film industry going strong,” said Jon Hendry, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 480 agent. “We’re making the right steps in keeping it going.”

In addition to the Film & Media Day, there was an open casting call held at the New Mexico State Land Office, which over the course of the day saw more than 500 people show up for a chance to land a part as an extra in film.

The call was for eight projects, including Seth MacFarlane’s “A Million Ways to Die in the West” and Tommy Lee Jones’ film “The Homesman.”

The call was for men with great mustaches and women with natural long hair. Albuquerque residents Randa and Paul Silva answered that call. In fact, the couple has been going to various casting calls in New Mexico since 2007.

“I was the first one to try out for a casting call,” Randa Silva said. “Being an extra was always something that seemed only happened in Los Angeles.”

Randa Silva holds a clapboard during a casting call at the State Land Office in Santa Fe for new films soon to be shot in New Mexico. (Marla Brose/Journal)

Since then, the couple has appeared in TV projects such as “Wildfire,” “Breaking Bad” and “In Plain Sight.”

They’ve also been fortunate enough to land gigs on films “Lone Survivor,” “The Lone Ranger,” “We’re the Millers” and “Bless Me, Ultima.”

“The film industry is full of people who support each other,” Paul said. “When we come out to the casting calls, we’re able to meet different people and just be part of a great club. It’s a great place to be.”

Randa Silva, who is a native New Mexican, said she’s been able to see the state, courtesy of the film industry.

“Growing up here, it’s not too often that you venture out and see the state,” she explained. “I’ve been able to see how truly beautiful the state is.”

Inside the Capitol’s rotunda, Albuquerque actor Steven Michael Quezada — who plays DEA agent Steven Gomez on “Breaking Bad” — took the opportunity to stump for the industry.

“People ask if the jobs are long term,” he said of the film industry. “I’ve been working for six years for the No. 1 show in the world. That’s long term.”

In addition to “Breaking Bad,” Quezada is host of the late-night TV program “The After After Party.” The show uses high school students studying film.

“It’s important to teach kids and train them,” he said. “The crews are the ones keeping the film industry strong and if we train our kids and then allow them to leave, we aren’t doing our job. We want to keep our talent here in the state.”

Local film industry workers are looking forward to seeing House Bill 379 — which has been dubbed the ” ‘Breaking Bad’ bill” — move through the Senate. It was approved by the House on Wednesday on a 64-0 vote.

The bill would allow long-running New Mexico-based TV shows to pocket larger tax incentives from the state. In addition, it would tweak the annual limits on film rebates so that money unspent under the state’s $50 million yearly cap could be used in future budget years, while also enacting new restrictions on giving rebates to nonresidents.