April 2023 Newsletter
EL RATON MEDIA WORKS SET TO LEASE KEARNY
On March 28, 2022 the City of Raton City Council voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 1021 to create an economic development project with El Raton Media Works to implement a workforce development and film production facility at the Kearny School.
This means the next steps towards making Kearny our new home, including releasing a RFP for a General Contractor to begin renovations of the facility! The first stage of the project, renovating Kearny and building a training studio, will begin with $4.1m in initial funds ($1.1M from State Capital Outlay and our Governor, and $3M from Federal Appropriations, spearheaded by Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez). Our hope is to be operational by summer of 2024.
El Raton Media Works has applied for a USDA grant to help launch training while we begin the renovation process and are working on securing dual accreditation with Santa Fe Community College to offer dual credit to Raton High School students in their Film Certificate program. We are also working on fundraising and looking for investors for the second phase of the project, a New Mexico Qualified Production Facility (QPF) - a professional Extended Reality (XR) soundstage that will be built to provide a jobs pipeline to individuals through our workforce program.
As we come closer to making this dream a reality, we want to thank all the wonderful people working with the City of Raton and Colfax County that have been helping us since we pitched the idea to them over two years ago. In addition to Scott Berry and Jolene Greene, US Congress Member Leger Fernandez and Governor Lujan Grisham deserve a huge shout out for their contributions to our project, which could not have happened without their assistance. And of course, we want to thank all Ratonians (and our neighbors) for believing in our idea and helping us bring a new industry to the area. We are energized and very motivated to get on the ground and start creating! If you haven’t yet, sign up on our website to be listed as a location, crew member or business.
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The El Raton Media Works board voted this week to appoint Ex-Officio Board Member, Ann Theis, to take the lead as our official Executive Director.
Ann has 20 years experience in studio management and media education, including creating new programs, curriculum development, and developing and growing youth media programs, formally holding positions at Manhattan Neighborhood Network, Denver Open Media, and Brookline Interactive Group. She has experience in all facets of community television operations and facilities, and studio management, including research and acquisition of related equipment, and managing media and technical staffs and collaborative communication serving effectively as a liaison between departments, agencies, and communities.
She has been at the center of creating El Raton Media Works as a volunteer for over two years, and has graciously accepted the Executive Director position unpaid as well while we work towards raising operational funds. Her determination is unparalleled and very contagious; we couldn’t be happier to have her as our official leader!
DRONE LOCATION PROJECT UNDERWAY
FILM PRIZE JR NM UPDATE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR NM FILMMAKERS: THE STAGECOACH FOUNDATION
GET EVEN MORE INVOLVED
Interested in getting involved as we develop? Sign up on our crew and businesses lists or reach out to us directly at info@elratonmediaworks.org with your ideas.
We are all currently volunteers but as we expand there will be various paid opportunities that come up in addition to volunteer work. Our goals are large and require people with all sorts of various different talents and backgrounds to make possible. We'd love to hear from you!