New Mexico, Film & Entertainment in ©Sindication

Happy Game Day: Unsolicited Relationship Advice Edition

GAME OF FOOLS – ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACK SAYS:

What do you bring to the table? Do you come to the table for sustenance or to battle?

You can either bring what you have to give freely or else you’re just playing checkers (or chess, I don’t actually know how to play checkers, but I do play chess badly, and I know it is a very adversarial game – wherein you are out for yourself, playing against your opponent, strategizing to defend your armory and take out the other side’s, to accomplish a very personal and singular victory).

Conversely in a true partnership, you bring what you have, not only to sustain yourself, but moreover what you have in abundance for the benefit of another. All the while maintaining the balance of preserving and nurturing your own needs, for the more you make of yourself the more you’ll bring and have to give to the partnership.

You’ll have to ask yourself what you truly need, whether those needs are absolute and finite requirements (also flippantly known as “deal breakers”). For example in most cases, fidelity is an absolute requirement and less often adhered to as a “deal breaker”. That is just one obvious example of something one might absolutely “require” out of a partnership.

Of course there is an endless minutia of varying needs between partners, and at various points throughout our partnerships, our needs change and our partners needs change. I’ve learned quite concretely that if both partners don’t acknowledge that and tend to it, a partnership quickly devolves into the aforementioned adversarial battle, instead of a firm base from which two people can grow and thrive.

Ask yourself, “Does my partner adhere to my must-haves (fidelity)? Do I?” Are you appreciative of that to one another? Do you demonstrate that appreciation? How? Then look at your “nice to haves”. What is it that would be, or is a bonus to your concrete needs? Those are usually the mutual and private courtesies you lend each other, quirks that are met, understood and maybe even nurtured. Your contributions to that may be in the recognition and care of those traits in your partner, but it can also be the recognition and care of those traits for yourself.

Personally, I know that there are always up times and down times, usually based around purely emotional needs, for whatever external or internal reasons that need to be addressed. I may be at an insecure place where I need pretty constant affirmation or reassurance (now that takes on many varying and very personal terms, for everyone – see The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman).

In those varying and often trying times of greater need, in whatever particular issue you or your partner may be dealing with, you don’t have the right to demand that the need be met, nor do you have the obligation to meet it for the other person. HOWEVER – you do have the supreme, absolute (and rarely utilized) power to ask yourself what you can do about it, whether for yourself –or- for the good of the partnership (which are essentially one in the same).

If your particular trial is currently affecting your ability to function, you may need pretty immediate assistance. You can usually recognize this because of either underlying or completely overwhelming frustration. Identify for yourself what is causing YOUR frustration. Identify for yourself what you might need to help you cope with it. Ask yourself what you can do to address your own issues. Do you need your partner’s help? What do you need your partner to do for you? Take some of your workload, leave you alone, talk it through, hold your hand, or provide distraction for you? Only you know the answer as to what you really need.

If you both come to table with an abundance of what makes you great on your own, plus a bounty to lend, you’ll have a true partnership. On the other hand if you want to play games, wage internal and external wars – prepare for a long and fruitless battle.

When you are seated at “the table” together you should both see it as a living and constantly changing landscape. Are you tending to that landscape together, both on your own accord and at the behest of your partner? Are you both being reasonable in your evaluation of what you each have to offer and what you both need?

At the end of every day (sometimes every moment) you’ve got to be accountable for meeting your own needs as best you can before you can blame your partner for not meeting your unreasonable, often unidentified and certainly not well communicated needs. In case of emergency, you’ve first got to place the oxygen mask over your own face to survive and most definitely before you can be of any assistance to anyone else.

Once your oxygen levels are met, and if there are no hard stops or “deal breakers” in this moment of your relationship, the next step, the next moment is again up to you. If you need it ask for it. If you can get it or give it to yourself, do that and save adding an additional task to your already hard working partner – who should be doing the same for themselves so that you can independently breathe easy for as long as possible, so that in those moments of true crisis or need between you, you’re both rested and ready to work to support each other through whatever may come, as those heightened needs arise.

In summation, I’d advise anyone, at even a momentary crossroads in their relationship (usually self induced and not nearly as critical as you are likely making it out to be #guilty), to remember one thing and then to do another; number one is unfortunately a Dr. Philism, and that is, the only person you can control is you. #truth

Second is the coolest exercise I ever read in any book or magazine (this one happened to come from O Magazine) and it goes like this:

Fill in the blank – To feel ____________________________, I need my partner to ____________________________.

Turn the page – Now cross out “I need my partner to”, and just feel that.

GENIUS!

NM Lands Another Shot at Dramatic Television

New Mexico loses its biggest success in television in just months as Breaking Bad will wrap this winter.

There have been many pilot episodes produced here over the past several years including, The Rabbit Factory, Gateway, Reconstruction, and The Odds, none of which were picked-up for a network season schedule.

The ABC Family series The Lying Game, and CBS hit Vegas completed their NM pilots and achieved network season orders, but went elsewhere to film.

Fortunately, the A&E MEGA hit series LONGMIRE has stuck with NM from pilot, through its first season and will head back soon for a full second season!

Now OHI can exclusively report that a new dramatic series will land in New Mexico. The NBC pilot centers around the medical field and is currently in pre-production right here in Albuquerque.

Dateline Hollywood Reoports:

Freddy Rodriguez is set as a lead in the hour long NBC pilot After Hours. The Sony TV project, written/executive produced by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah and to be directed by Pierre Morel, revolves around the graveyard shift in the ER at San Antonio Medical Center. Rodriguez will play hospital administrator Michael Ragosa who is the new Comptroller for the Night Shift. A wannabe doctor who had to drop out of med school because of vision problems, Ragosa is a real bureaucrat for whom the bottom line seems to be everything. Rodriguez joins recently cast Eoin Macken.

Rodriguez, repped by UTA and manager Robbie Kass, stars in the Weinstein Co.’s Seal Team 6*, which premieres this Sunday on National Geographic. He recently wrapped a lead role in Randall Miller’s indie CBGB. Rodriguez’s series credits include Ugly Betty and Chaos.

* Seal Team 6 is another NMFilm Production

Enemy of the State

Predictably sour on film, Governor Susana Martinez tells lawmakers at this year’s legislative session that it would be “a waste of time,” to pass a bill along to her proposing lifting the $50M cap on New Mexico Film Incentives, which she worked to impose during the last session.

Martinez says, “I want predictability for the film industry and they have received predictability and I think they really appreciate the fact that there is predictability. It allows us to formulate a budget and balance the budget.”

In the last year alone this now “predictable” stance has led untold numbers of productions, including the likes of Iron Man III – starring Robert Downey Jr., Oblivion – starring Tom Cruise, Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and television series The Lying Game to quit New Mexico for more “receptive” states.

While Alasaka and Colorado shoot to redouble their efforts in bolstering their existing incentive programs, states like North Carolina, New Orleans and Texas nab big budget films, local jobs and the media attention that follows them away from New Mexico.

Perhaps bringing to fruition what was forewarned back in November 2011, when representatives of the Governor’s cabinet appeared at an industry event, tasked with proclaiming the Governor’s support for New Mexico Film. At the NMedia State of Film event the Governor’s Cheif of Staff Keith Garnder stated in his address to the crowed that the Governor, “vows to wield a veto pen” on any proposed changes to the current Film Program.

Representative Al Park (D) of Albuquerque disagrees with Martinez’ decision.

“We don’t have a cap on a single incentive in any other industry. We plant incentives all across the board for things all across New Mexico…this is an industry that we know right now is generating a billion dollars in economic activity,”
- Rep. Al Park to KOB-TV

While New Mexico sends millions of dollars out of state to improve create our image around the world, and this ongoing targeting of the Film Industry is racking up losses in jobs and notoriety for the state, neighboring states stand at the ready to take over.

Right next door Texas is wrangling for the top spot in video game production by extending credits akin to their film tax incentives. After handily procuring the production away from New Mexico, North Carolina rides away with thousands of paid extras casting, crew jobs and the influx of income that the blockbuster Iron Man III will bring to their state.

Given the current administration’s stance on film, and the losses that follow, being the resonating image New Mexico puts forth as a still high profile option for production, industry activists and advocates are set to convene at the Roundhouse to lobby state legislators on February 1st for New Mexico Film & Media Day 2012.

New Mexico on the Outs with Film & TV Productions

UPDATE 11/7/11 QOTD:

Iron Man 3 will use about 1,000 extras during the film and there will be over 550 crew jobs and will be shooting from May 2012 until January 2013 with a Memorial Day weekend release in 2013.
- Premiere Casting, on the Cast & Crew Call for the NORTH CAROLINA production

Despite “The Letter” circulating among film and television execs as drafted from the office of your Governor, New Mexico is watching a short list of productions dwindle as industry insiders name names in this losing game.

Within the last few days everywhere from mainstream media to a palpable buzz on the social net is touting the big win over New Mexico North Carolina scored in landing the third installment of the Iron Man franchise.

“My top priority is creating jobs, and this film production will mean high-quality, well-paying jobs for North Carolinians…I pushed hard to get the revamped film incentive passed, with the help of a number of lawmakers, and now we see that initiative doing exactly what it was designed to do. 2011 has been North Carolina’s busiest year in the film industry with productions having a direct spend of over $200 million. Iron Man 3 will add to this record breaking year and carry over into 2012.” – NC Governor, Beverly Perdue

Tough to win it when you’re not in it. While our vibrant local film community claws and scratches to stay alive and active with a few independent films coming down the pike, original homegrown productions, work on and in government and non-prof. projects, big names name New Mexico as the filming location they will or are looking to pass over (Quentin Tarantino, Jerry Bruckheimer) for more hospitable pastures.

Just as recently as the broadcast of the Iron Man loss, industry bible Variety lists New Mexico as one of the states suffering production losses at the hands of Government unrest.

ABC Family ramps up production on The Lying Game this week after shooting its pilot right here in New Mexico back in 2010. The show was picked-up just as our legislature, under new leadership was batting down about our film incentive program. The show’s regular series production has since moved to Austin, TX.

We were also home to the Longmire television pilot shoot this Spring. Production on that series is eminent, where is the question. OHI’s late August inquiry into that yielded a lengthy “no comment” regarding the filming location for the 10 episode pick-up from an A&E rep.

While we still have Arnie, yet another pilot and the fifth & final seasons of Breaking Bad and In Plain Sight respectively on the horizon, there needs to be more fuel under this fire. ¿Qué no?

Make some noise New Mexico!

New Mexico Film Office | Office of New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez

Filmography

TV

Film

Indie Film

Web Series

New Mexicans Fall Into TV Lineup

Thanks to an anonymous ;) tip this Pretty New Mexican has recently been brought to our attention!

Striking what is rapidly becoming my favorite pose – NM’s Own Nick Wechsler is the male lead in ABC’s new drama series Revenge.

For his Harlequinesque factor alone this native New Mexican’s return to television is causing a buzz, and a blip on the “radar” of tvline.com where he’s been named a highly anticipated “Fresh Face of Fall”!

The Albuquerque born & raised, Highland H.S. graduate will begin heating-up the primetime lineup when Revenge premieres Wednesday September 21.

Another pretty New Mexican is coming-up quick in the 21st century version of Charlie’s Angels, premiering September 22 on ABC.

Iowa raised, Q born Annabeth Gish can be seen in 5 episodes of the ABC Family drama Pretty Little Liars which spawned the spin-off The Lying Game now filming…

Two more natives can be seen on a couple of little shows you may have heard of:

Neil Patrick Harris stars in his seventh season of How I Met Your Mother on CBS and again on ABC Albuquerque’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson returns in the #1 comedy on TV, Modern Family!

Footnote: ABC’s parent company is Disney – WE LOVE YOU MICKEY!

And here’s lookin’ at you Nicky!

Video of te Day: NM Pilot Edition

New Mexico was home to the ABC Family pilot for The Lying Game in 2010 employing many locals – featuring NM’s Own Debrianna Mansini.

For whatever reason Susana when the Disney parented co. picked-up the series for the season the production, set in Arizon-i-a moved to Tejas.

Anyhoo (sorry), the premiere episode of the New Mexico seeded project premieres TONIGHT at 7 p.m. MST on the aforementioned ABC Fam. Channel.

New Mexico Upfront

ABC Family has green lighted their original series The Lying Game, a spin-off of their hit show Pretty Little Liars. Both shows are based on novels by Sara Shepard.

As we told you here the pilot filmed right here in NM! You can thank Susana Martinez for the show up and taking production to Los Angeles – Thank you Susana!

The Lying Game is set to premiere Monday, August 15 on ABC Family.

Also just announced the Longmire television series has been picked by A&E for their upcoming season! Longmire is currently in production in northern NM.

Not fairing so well; CBS jinxed pilot starring Donald Faison, The Odds is never slated to see the light of day. Also not ‘coming soon’ is TNT’s Albuquerque production of The Rabbit Factory – that pilot had teamed DL Hughley with Steven Weber and employed many local cast & crew.

NBC says pass on another newsworthy NM shoot, that of Reconstruction (originally titled The Crossing) which marks strike two in recent TV season up-at-bats for for star Rachelle Lefevre who also led the cast of the highly touted, quickly puttered Off the Map.

Big hitters Breaking Bad and In Plain Sight are currently in production in the Q. The acclaimed A&E and USA network shows are in the midst of their fourth seasons respectively.

If there’s not enough NM on TV for you…because there never is, the revamped Charlie’s Angels series, starring New Mexico’s Own Minka Kelly is on the fall TV schedule where you can still find fellow New Mexicans Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Neil Patrick Harris in their own high falutin, hit TV series’.

On Location NM

Now Filming – ABC Family pilot, The Lying Game

The plot revolves around Emma, a foster kid who follows her heart o’ gold on the search for her long lost identical twin sister. Emma learns her sister Sutton, who’s been adopted by wealthy parents, is missing and commences on this quest of a lifetime…

As the World Turns vet Alexandra Chando stars as Emma, Supergirl herself, Helen Slater will appear and NM’s Own Debrianna Mansini will play, Clarice.

Andy Buckley of The Office also stars.

More deets to follow…

New Hollywood, NM

The John B. Robert Dam in the NE Heights has been in NM Productions from Terminator Salvation to Gamer as of late. Like the 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles of Old Hollywood where the famed Grease finale race scene was shot.

The notoriously papp ridden, star enticing L.A. hang-out The Ivy sits on Robertson Blvd. and serves as the backdrop for many entertainers photo ops and fan ops to sneak a peek at some of their favorite celebs.

Unlike the singularly located Ivy, New Hollywood’s café of choice, Flying Star has multiple sites in our sprawling cityscape and beyond where hipsters, artists, families and even NM’s Own version of a Hem and Fitz may cross paths in their genius.