“Believe” Film Producer Jim Burleson shouts out locations, locals, and a few movie teasers in this exclusive video interview.
BY VIVIAN BARRERAS
A feature film was recently filmed and produced right here in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, bringing a little bit of Hollywood to the 750-person mountain town.
The film was shot entirely in Cloudcroft in just over 2 weeks, with an estimated 25 locals joining the cast after an open casting call. Three of the locals have speaking roles.
Local Set, Hollywood Leads
In early October, the Reader headed to set outside the Summit Inn.
There, Producer Jim Burleson, walkie-talkie on his hip, stayed busy with chatter on the channel.
Actors read their lines in a tent, the film crew unloaded props, and a cameraman moved quickly to capture shots in the cozy mountain inn. Meanwhile, another director called out, “Rolling! Quiet, please,” every couple of minutes.
Burleson insisted on shooting the movie in New Mexico. He and writer-director Eric Corneliuson first scouted several locations. After seeing Cloudcroft, they quickly decided it was the place they wanted, especially because of the towering pines and small-town feel. Burleson said, “Cloudcroft fit the story’s location because the location is kind of a character in the movie, also.”
Details about who plays the lead and supporting actors, the plot, and more are still under wraps.
Why all the secrecy?
The movie has a negative pickup; industry slang for a deal that says, as long as it meets specific requirements, the movie will hopefully get a distribution deal once it is finished.
All the actors have signed NDAs, or non-disclosure agreements. Burleson said the movie’s working title is “Believe,” and it will be an action thriller. He also shared, “We do have several high-profile Hollywood leads.”
Burro Gets Box Office Boost
For the local economy, the film brought steady revenue as the village entered what is typically a slower season for local business owners.
“I don’t know if there’s a store in Cloudcroft that didn’t experience some of our crew and cast, and we’ve actually been overwhelmed by the kindness of these places,” Burleson said.
The crew said local businesses also played an important role in accommodating the cast and crew during the production. Lodging came from hotels in Cloudcroft, like the Lodge, as well as several private Airbnb properties in the village. The production also patronized area restaurants and food services for cast and crew meals and catering. These included Dave’s Cafe, Big Daddy’s Diner, Casa de Sueños, Brown Bag Deli, and the Rollin’ Up food truck.
Production filmed at various locations throughout the Cloudcroft area, including Ski Cloudcroft; the Sacramento Mountains Historic Museum and Pioneer Village; the Summit Inn; locations near The Lodge Hotel Golf Course; and private properties in and around the village.
The crew also received assistance from the local fire and sheriff’s departments, which helped support filming.
“We are absolutely expecting a theatrical release, followed by streaming,” Burleson said.
The final day of shooting was October 6th. After that, the team will have about six months to edit. One thing Burleson is most excited about is “That we’ve all agreed we want to shoot more movies here.”
The production team said, “Without the support of the Cloudcroft community, this film might not have been possible. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who opened their businesses, properties, and community to our cast and crew and helped bring the film to life.”
Digital Media Producer Vivian Barreras, Born and raised in Cloudcroft, owns and operates Ray Media, a social media management and content creation company. An outdoors enthusiast, she and her husband, Aragorn, and daughter, Ray, love to call the Sacramento Mountains home.
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