Economic Impact

The benefits of the industry to jobs and our economy extend far beyond the cameramen, producers, actors and crew. To function, motion picture development and production requires the services of a host of small businesses – including caterers, hotels, lumber yards, hardware stores, dry cleaners, retailers, animators and much more.

From 2003 to 2010, the industry was responsible for $1.1 billion dollars in direct spending from 141 major productions, leading to an estimated financial impact of as much as $3.3 billion. A growing entertainment industry not only benefits small businesses that create jobs, but also broadens the New Mexico tax base.

The productions spending money in New Mexico provided approximately 3,000 direct film-related jobs and another 10,000 indirect jobs from the 250 small businesses who serve the film industry and its productions.
New Mexico is fortunate to now have a growing share of the revenue from the entertainment industry.

Variety Magazine lists New Mexico as the 3rd best place to film in North America, after New York and California.

Significant NM productions include the TV shows Breaking Bad and In Plain Sight, and feature films like Terminator 3, Book of Eli, Crazy Heart, The Spirit, and the upcoming Steven Spielberg-produced Cowboys and Aliens.