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
El Raton Media Work’s Executive Director, Ann Theis
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
Grow Raton hired ERMW through funds from a grant to film drone footage and create videos of ten Colfax County locations to promote regional locations to filmmakers and studios.
We have hired a small crew of contractors that are already hard at work and will complete the project at the end of April. Once completed, the videos will be the first in an interactive online portfolio of Colfax County Locations and Businesses used to attract film productions into choosing our area as their next location.
Our goal is to give local businesses and residents a platform to showcase the charm of Colfax County and bring economic opportunity in kind. We are working to obtain additional grants to film more locations. If you have a location fit for filming, make sure you’re signed up on our Film Location Directory or Business Directory.
Two local youth, Jesus and Reyna, stepped up to represent Raton in the 2023 Film Prize Junior NM competition by creating short films with assistance from ERWM.
Making a film is no small feat and we are so proud of them for following through to completion.
The Virtual Red Carpet event took place April 1st and was covered by the local media in Albuquerque. Check out the press highlights: KOB, KRQE and ABQ Journal. We are working to host a local Film Premiere for the projects this fall with our friends at Zia Youth, so stay tuned!
Help Raton Youth win the Audience Choice Award
This is awarded by the festival audience to the finalists whose short film is believed to represent the best of the submissions to this year’s festival. This award is based on popular vote and the finalists’ ability to successfully promote their short film.
Show our youth some love by watching and casting your vote for their videos.
Watch and VOTE on My Journey Pa El Otro Lado here.
Watch and VOTE on Hometown Roots here.
If you or another local youth are interested in competing in next year’s Film Prize Junior NM event, please reach out to us. We are happy to provide the training, support, and equipment required to help bring student’s ideas to fruition.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR NM FILMMAKERS: THE STAGECOACH FOUNDATION
The Stagecoach Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to creating career pathways for New Mexicans in the film and television industry through free training and workforce development facilitated by film and television professionals.
They are an incredible resource available to all New Mexico residents and we highly recommend every filmmaker in the area be tapped into their network. Go to their website www.stagecoachfdn.org and sign up for their mailing list as they often have new opportunites come up.
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!