LMGI COMPASS
|
Spring 2020
•
21 LMGI COMPASS
|
Spring 2020
•
21
It's hard to pick just one favorite location but Bonanza
Creek Movie Ranch is a "go to" favorite. It has the most
diverse structures: Western town set, two forts, lone
cabins. Imogene Hughes that runs it is a wonderful
person. She understands how we work. I have shot
Hostiles, Godless, Cowboys & Aliens, Only the Brave,
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and 3:10 to Yuma there.
I am so lucky to be allowed access to this rich land,
from the sprawling ranches (we have a few in excess
of 100,000 acres) to the pueblos, all have much to
offer. Occasionally while scouting on a forgotten road or
hiking along a distant trail, I'll fi nd an old stone wall or
rock covered in petroglyphs, artifacts that are hundreds
or thousands of years old.
The Santa Fe Film Offi ce, as well as the county, are
great to work with. The permitting process is easy and
super effi cient.
Stevie: WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTIONS FILM IN SANTA FE?
CP:
Western features and miniseries lead the group. There
are the occasional contemporary features that base out of
Santa Fe in order to utilize the varied landscapes nearby.
No Country for Old Men, Hell or High Water, Brothers,
Crazy Heart to name a few. Santa Fe has also been home
to a handful of television series, most notably Longmire,
Manhattan and Roswell.
Stevie: WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE IN YOUR JOB?
CP:
The biggest challenge is the weather. New Mexico
has all four seasons, and each has its challenges.
During the winter, a bone-dry landscape can be buried
in 12 inches of snow overnight. Best to have a cover set,
along with heavy equipment and operators to remove
snow from the set. The temperature can sometimes get
into the negatives, so being prepared with a small army
of different-sized heaters is key. On one Western, we
had a dedicated heater team with three location staff,
an electrician, a 30-foot trailer full of heaters and
banded cable, and two massive generators. It was a
brutal winter so the producer going the extra mile made
a huge difference to the crew's comfort.
Spring brings the winds. They can consistently blow 30
miles an hour with gusts up to 50-plus. It is the season
of the pop-up tent killer. At one ranch, I watched a 40-
foot by 60-foot catering tent fold in half. Luckily, no one
was hurt.
Summer brings the monsoons. On a glorious day,
towering storm clouds build on the horizon. Most of the
