Lights, camera, accountant: Netflix program trains New Mexicans to run the numbers on set

Film productions are full of actors and directors who work to bring an overarching cinematic vision to life — but that costs money and someone has to keep the budget.

New Mexicans with a knack for numbers are getting a taste of that responsibility, and the film industry, through the Up Level Production Accounting Training Program, a year-long, first-of-its-kind training initiative from Netflix giving New Mexicans hands-on experience working on productions as accountants.

The program launched in September and was inspired by the success of Netflix’s accounting team in Los Angeles, said Chris Tung, the outreach and training manager with the production finance division at Netflix.

“We’ve seen a lot of people work on that team and go to be really successful working on our productions and advancing in their careers, so it kind of sparked this idea of starting something local in Albuquerque,” Tung said.

Jamil Walker, a Netflix spokesperson, added that the program helps New Mexicans tap into the film industry without having to go through major cities like Los Angeles or New York.

“It underscores Netflix’s continued investment in the region,” Walker said.

The program’s first cohort includes trainees Abby Huerta, Lea Donatelli and Jon Tapia. The group is being mentored by Albuquerque-based Netflix accountants Mollie Grace and Jody Higgins.

The program’s participants had some prior experience in the field and heard about the program through existing networks of film accountants in New Mexico. Huerta and Donatelli are training as accountant assistants, a mid-career role, and Tapia is training as an accountant clerk, an entry-level role.

“It was a no-brainer for me because I was going to be able to expand skill sets ... all while getting paid,” said Huerta, 33, originally from California but a New Mexico resident since 2013.

Tapia, 40, a native of Las Vegas, New Mexico, said the entry-level aspect sealed the deal for him.

“It’s exciting that somewhere down the line, Netflix said, ‘We want the newcomer to feel welcomed,’ and I feel very welcomed,” Tapia said.

For Donatelli, 49, originally from Pennsylvania but who’s been in New Mexico since 2011, the program was her way back into the industry after the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike steered her away from the film industry.

“The accounting department really kind of gets a behind-the-scenes view of all the different departments,” Donatelli said. “I ... resonated with that because I like to see how the final product comes together.”

Accountants play an important role in putting a film production together, Tung said, explaining that they help the production stay on track and on budget.

“It’s supporting the financial health of the project as we’re producing these films and series, but also supporting the creative team’s ability to do their exceptional storytelling,” Tung said.

Higgins and Grace, a first assistant accountant and key accountant, respectively, said the role of a production accountant involves collecting spending numbers and data from departments as quickly as possible and reporting to the studio so it can make adjustments.

“That’s vital for the production, so they can know if they can increase spending here or if they need to shorten their film days to stay on track,” Grace said.

The trainees work about 40 hours a week. They do everything from data entry to budgeting to creating cost reports and performing bank reconciliations — and learning the ins and outs of a variety of production accounting software.

The trainees have worked on multiple productions so far, including “Pulse” and “Ransom Canyon,” two Netflix series filmed at Netflix Studios Albuquerque and released this month.

Higgins said the team is working on nine productions currently.

“It really is a popcorn kind of style of tackling every day,” Huerta said. “It never looks the same; there’s always something new we’re learning or doing.”

Donatelli said she plans to continue in the path of production accounting and hopes to dive deeper into the state’s film network. Huerta said connection is a career goal of hers, while Tapia has his eyes set on moving up the ladder and widening New Mexico’s footprint in the film industry.

Tung said Netflix hopes to expand the program with more participants and a formalized application process. He hopes that the program increases awareness of production accounting as a career choice, as well as retains program graduates for future Netflix productions and projects.

“It’s exciting for me to know that Netflix is investing in New Mexico,” Tapia said. “Being from here, it’s an exciting opportunity, not just for me, but for more folks down the line.”

Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Albuquerque Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.