Santa Fe Film and Digital Media Council

FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA COUNCIL AUGUST 5, 2025 10:00 AM MEETING VIRTUALLY 1. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Film and Digital Media Council was called to order by Chair Dillingham, at 10:01 am, on August 5, 2025 and was held virtually. 2. ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT Gay Dillingham, Chair Anna Darrah Robert Dennis Dezbaa Harvey Kahn Jason Ordaz Dyanna Taylor Allessandra Dobrin Jaydin Martinez Siena Bergt (1 vacancy) Alternate Members: Lisette Bailey Barbara Bentree Talia Pura Max Walukas James Cressanthis MEMBERS NOT PRESENT Dr. James Wysong, excused Dr. Elizabeth Stahmer, excused Jacqueline Frank, excused Tara Tovarek, excused OTHERS PRESENT Casey Dalbor, Economic Development Department Jennifer LaBar-Tapia, Santa Fe Film Office Director Curt Doty, Creative Consultant Sam Tischler, Governor’s Film and Media Council Film and Digital Media Council August 5, 2025 Page 1  Kristin Pulatie, Managing Director, CCA Andrew Griego, Santa Fe Film Office Fawn Zimmerman, Managing Director, Advisory Services, CDFA 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION A motion was made by Ms. Pura, seconded by Ms. Taylor, to approve the agenda as presented. VOTE The motion passed on a roll call vote as follows: Ms. Darrah, yes; Mr. Dennis, yes; Dezbaa, yes; Ms. Taylor, yes; Mr. Kahn, yes; Mr. Martinez, yes; Mr. Ordaz, yes; Ms. Bergt, yes; Mr. Glaser, yes; Ms. Dobrin, yes; Ms. Bailey, yes; Ms. Bentree, yes; Ms. Pura, yes; Mr. Walukas, yes; Mr. Cressanthis, yes; Chair Dillingham, yes. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM JUNE 3, 2025, FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA COUNCIL MEETING Chair Dillingham noted corrections on item 6 A changing “invasive” to “immersive”, changing “upstart” to “uplift” and removing “she” from her statement “she and Robert Dennis.” MOTION A motion was made by Ms. Baily, seconded by Ms. Pura, to approve the minutes as amended. VOTE The motion passed on a roll call vote as follows: Ms. Darrah, yes; Mr. Dennis, yes; Dezbaa, yes; Ms. Taylor, yes; Mr. Kahn, yes; Mr. Martinez, yes; Mr. Ordaz, yes; Ms. Bergt, yes; Mr. Glaser, yes; Ms. Dobrin, yes; Ms. Bailey, yes; Ms. Bentree, yes; Ms. Pura, yes; Mr. Walukas, yes; Mr. Cressanthis, yes; Chair Dillingham, yes. 5. UPDATES A. SANTA FE FILM OFFICE Ms. LaBar-Tapia reported that The Location Guild International has nominated Santa Fe for two best location awards - Dark Winds and American Primeval. Congratulations to the locations teams. She and Andrew are going to attend the award presentation to represent Santa Fe. Tish is still here. This is their second summer with us. There are a great group of fellows here ranging in age from their 20s to 50s. Milton Film and Digital Media Council August 5, 2025 Page 2 and Andrew deserve a shout out for all their work with the group as well as IAIA for the use of their dorms and filming. A shout out to Lynette and Jacque for allowing the fellows to premier their shorts at the Film Festival in October. Ms. LaBar-Tapia said our locations directory is heading to launch in August. Anyone who wants to be added to our lists, help us to help you to be found. Andrew put his email in the chat. Please reach out to him. She met with Jen Rudin, a new casting agent in Santa Fe. She comes to us from the New York area and is settling into the Santa Fe lifestyle. Her business is Casting By Jen. 6. PRESENTATIONS A. AI TRENDS Mr. Doty gave a PowerPoint presentation as to AI in film and the latest things happening, focusing on post production and real world examples. There was discussion around the replacement of film crew and others with the use of AI, environmental concerns over the use of technology and electricity, the legal implications of using AI to use a location as a background, governing language and adding more education about those issues in Mr. Doty’s presentation. B. CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS SANTA FE Ms. Pulatie gave a PowerPoint presentation on what the Center is up to right now and contacts for more information on events, film programming and how it supports their mission. The mission is to highlight local artist’s creativity. We are still developing our educational piece. Our contacts are in the chat. C. FILM LOAN FUND UPDATE Mr. Tischler said he wanted to give the Council an update on what the Governor’s Council is doing. We are making recommendations to revitalize the old Film Loan Program started under Governor Richardson. Under Governor Martinez, it did not close down, but was made non-viable. We are working on a framework. We met with the SIC and the New Mexico Finance Authority and were asked to give recommendations including how often we thought the program would be utilized. We recommended that the New Mexico Finance Authority be in charge of the loan program. The SIC and the Finance Authority are on board with that. We also recommended that they work with a consultant who will made the decision as to what gets funded. The interest rate will be 8 1/4%. The SIC is going to require a letter of guarantee from a Grade A bank. They are flexible on getting rid of the distribution requirement. They will allow from %500,000 up to $15 million per each loan. We ball parked our estimate at ten loans of $15 million. We just want to get this open again. There are lots of Film and Digital Media Council August 5, 2025 Page 3 opportunities to expand it. Chair Dillingham asked how this will actually happen. Will there be Legislation required. Mr. Tischler said no, there will be no Legislative changes. It will be done through internal policy between the SIC and the Authority. Chair Dillingham said she believes if we don’t coordinate all our efforts, it will not be as effective as it could be. She asked that Robert Dennis, from our Council, be involved. He has been working on this for several months. She would like to see us work productively together, which would be helpful to you as well. Mr. Walukas asked for more information about the removal of the distribution requirement. Mr. Tischler said that will be a policy change between the SIC and the Authority. It does not require a Legislative change. The SIC is more concerned about risk. There was a film that defaulted several years ago. That is still in their minds. They take their investment responsibility very seriously. The return on investment is important to them. The letter of guarantee means that the bank will be responsible. They are more interested in that aspect. Chair Dillingham asked if Mr. Tischler had met with any banks willing to do this. Mr. Tischler said he has not, but he thinks it is an opportunity for New Mexico banks to step up. He heard that Century Bank may be interested. The finance fees should quality for tax credits. Mr. Kahn asked why wouldn’t the bank just do the loan if they are willing to give a guarantee. That rule is a real stickler. It makes the State money less valuable. Mr. Tischler said that is a good question. It makes it harder to get. Ms. Darrah said the interest rate makes her think of the potential of working with the City to offset the interest. She is not sure this is a great option for local film makers. Mr. Tischler said this is separate from the tax credit. The loan has to be paid back. You are not getting a partner in the film. As interest rates come down, you may have to look at this. Right now, we are trying to get the Loan Fund activated, have a few successes and then start to move the goal posts. Mr. Kahn said he thinks we need to push them to go with prime. They are saying prime plus plus. That makes this non competitive. Film and Digital Media Council August 5, 2025 Page 4  There was discussion about interest rates, interest free loans, priority New Mexico projects, more favorable loans for local film makers and incentives. Chair Dillingham said we want to help you. She understands the strategy. Mr. Dennis asked about the time line. Mr. Tischler said we have sent in our recommendations and projections and have not heard back from the SIC yet. He will follow up with them. Mr. Dennis asked about the selection process. Mr. Tischler said the New Mexico Finance Authority is responsible for that. They would have to do an RFP for someone to handle that process who is conflict of interest free. This position is very important and the qualifications are critical. Chair Dillingham said Fawn Zimmerman sent us a questionnaire that we all need to review and respond to by email. The final draft from Fawn is the next step. Mr. Tischler said you guys did a lot of work on this before the Governor’s Council began to look at it. Thank you for your hard work. Chair Dillingham said she recommends that your working group and our working group work together on this. 7. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. STRATEGIC PLAN WORKING GROUP UPDATES GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND FILM LOAN FUND Mr. Dennis said he sent his notes and updated report to everyone. The report includes the Loan Fund activity as stated by Mr. Tischler, the Legislative Interim Economic Rural Development and Policy Committee notice that they will be dealing with the rural expansion of film and TV at a future meeting and an update on Senator Pinto’s efforts to push revisions to the Legislation. Chair Dillingham asked Mr. Tischler is he would contact Senator Pinto’s office. Mr. Tischler said he would do that. Mr. Dennis said he did get an update on the funding for the Railyard Project in Albuquerque. It is a $73 million project. $40 million from the State, $5 million from the Feds and the rest from CNM. He will put the link to that information in the chat. Film and Digital Media Council August 5, 2025 Page 5  PRE PRODUCTION Ms. Dobrin said we had a wonderful meeting including participation from a gaming company and the creators of a post production facility at the Railyard in Albuquerque. Some of the things that came out of the meeting were that we need to have more community togetherness and a more active presence in Santa Fe and New Mexico; attracting people here to do post production, challenges, tracking productions that are doing post production here and having a social media presence. EDUCATION Mr. Ordaz said he cannot speak for the Education Working Group. IAIA has been going through the Federal budget cuts. Right now we have gone from zero to level funding. We are still working on it. Dr. Martin just retired. Dr. Shelley C. Low started last Friday. We feel she is the right move for us and are excited to have her. Ms. Bailey congratulated Mr. Ordaz on his Mayor’s Arts Award. ABOVE THE LINE Ms. Darrah thanked everyone who attended the Los Golondrinas event. It was great. We are working with Vince Rose, who is moving his facility to Aspect Studios, on focusing the next Above The Line event on post production. 8. MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC Chair Dillingham said we have 54 people on this call. Ms. Darrah said Andy is on the call. He has High Fidelity Mastering in Albuquerque. It is an extraordinary studio. Please put your contact information in the chat, Andy. Jen Rudin introduced herself saying her LLC, Jen Rudin Casting, is now official in Santa Fe. She works in all genres. Adam Parrish King introduced himself as in post production and sound. His wife is a documentary editor. We just moved here from LA. He will put their contact information in the chat. Ziad Serafi introduced himself as the owner of Cosmic Forces, a video game development company. He is here now and working here and in San Francisco on game technology. Film and Digital Media Council August 5, 2025 Page 6 9. MATTERS FROM STAFF Mr. Dalbor said Santa Fe has been voted Best City to Visit in 2025 by Travel and Leisure Magazine. We have made an offer to an individual for the position of Affordable Housing Director. We are one step closer and are very excited. The Homewise Livability Series is up and running. He will put the information in the chat. Our Small Business Navigator Program with Arrowhead is up and running at the Santa Fe Business Incubator. Native Threads has kicked off. Our Native round table has begun. The office hours at the Incubator and Del Norte Credit Union continue. Please sign up for our newsletter for this information and more. 10. MATTERS FROM THE COMMITTEE A. MATTERS FROM THE CHAIR None. 11. NEXT MEETING A. SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 12. ADJOURN There being no further business before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 12:02 pm. Gay Dillingham, Chair Elizabeth Martin ___ __ ____ Elizabeth Martin (Nov 21, 2025 15:44:31 MST) Elizabeth Martin, Stenographer Film and Digital Media Council August 5, 2025 Page 7