Written by new-contact on Oct 11, 2011. Posted in On Location

Opening beckons for new Santa Fe film studio

A new studio facility in New Mexico is just a few weeks from opening, according to the Associated Press. Santa Fe Studios will offer two 60-foot sound stages, as well as terraced dressing rooms and production offices. There’s capacity for at least nine more sound stages, should there be enough demand.

New Mexico has suffered some PR problems in recent months as the annual fund for its 25% filming incentive was reduced to USD50 million. To give this some perspective, the state paid out more than USD100 million in the last financial year.

We've always said that Santa Fe Studios adds more to the infrastructure here in New Mexico, so we do think that's a good thing.

Wayne Rauschenberger, Albuquerque Studios

Wayne Rauschenberger is Chief Operating Officer of Albuquerque Studios and spoke to the outlet: “We've always said that Santa Fe Studios adds more to the infrastructure here in New Mexico, so we do think that's a good thing. We think it will be helpful for New Mexico. The more people who come here and see what we have to offer, the better.”

The new studio cost USD25 million to develop and at the moment it looks likely that it will open without any bookings for the immediate future. In recent years New Mexico has been a popular filming location, hosting big-budget productions like Thor, the remake of True Grit and, most recently, The Avengers. It remains to be seen whether the state can stay competitive with the reduced film fund.