New Mexico’s burgeoning film industry may not yet have had much of an impact in this corner of the state, but a pair of Grant County men have found themselves to be industry insiders after the filming of a movie in Las Cruces and El Paso.
The film, “Death in Texas,” chronicles the release from prison of Billy Walker, played by Ronnie Gene Blevins, and his temptations as he seeks to earn money to help his ailing mother.
One of the newly minted movie workers is Grant County Assessor Raul Turrieta, who served as the location manager for the shoot.
“My brother-in-law works for the movie industry, in transportation,” Turrieta said. “He called and said they were looking for a location manager. When I told him sure, he asked, ‘Can you start this afternoon?’”
Brandon Menchen, the film’s producer, said he was appreciative of the help that Turrieta provided.
“Raul became involved helping us with location, and a bunch of other things with the film,” Menchen told the Daily Press by phone. “He even had many of our people on his radio show” over community radio station KURU.
“I was the director’s ‘everything he said, I did’ man,” Turrieta said. “I had to relay messages to transportation, camera, grip. I helped set up meals, and scout locations and set up.”
His insight from years of working with the Assessor’s Office made him well suited for the needs of his film industry job, finding locations and knowing who to contact about them. But he’s not ready to give up his day job, he said.
“It was a lot of work,” Turrieta said. “Way too much work for me. I’d come home on weekends just to rest.”
He also said the fact that he doesn’t watch a lot of movies helped the actors be more comfortable working with him.
Another area man involved in the production actually appears on-screen, in scenes near the climax of the movie. Tyrone resident Tony Medran played a henchman of the main protagonist, Reynolds, played by Bruce Dern, in the film.
“It was awesome,” Medran said of the experience. “One of my friends in Las Cruces knew the casting agent lady. They were looking for some tough-looking characters. When they called me back, I told them I’d do it.”
He especially liked working with Dern, who Medran said he found very funny.
Medran was even featured in a screenshot on the back cover of the DVD, standing next to Dern’s character.
He’s also ready to try another film gig, he said, if it works with his work schedule.
“Death in Texas” is available on DVD, or can be purchased for streaming on Apple TV, Hulu or Amazon, with other streaming services coming soon.
—AARON ROGERS
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