Chad Burris ready to bring years of movie experience to the New Mexico Media Academy
Apr. 14—Chad Burris is ready to hit the ground running.
Burris, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, was named the first executive director of the New Mexico Media Academy in late March.
The academy will be located at the Albuquerque Rail Yards and is expected to open in 2024.
Once completed, the facility will offer industry-standard, hands-on and specific workforce training and job competencies for the film, TV and digital media, which includes a focus on virtual and extended reality and volumetric production.
"I'm still trying to wrap my head around this," Burris says. "I think the first step is really sort of outlining for me what the scope is. It's a little bit like making a movie in a way. You've got a project you have to complete and you've got a budget. And you begin to look into all the pieces of it. It's trying to find those different spaces there. I'll be dissecting it all to see where those spaces and needs fit."
Burris is an actor, filmmaker and lawyer and has ties to New Mexico.
Prior to moving to California, he and his wife spent 11 years in the state helping filmmakers thrive.
He's founder of Indion Group of Entertainment Companies.
Through this company, he developed the country's first private film incentive for the state of Oklahoma, which was a complementary program to the Oklahoma's state film incentive program.
That incentive program was instrumental in financing several feature films and bringing major film production into the Oklahoma.
"When I started the incentive program, it was able to bring a bunch of film to Oklahoma," Burris says. "I was working with New Mexico on what could be done here with the incentive program. We were looking to come back and we were always interested in coming back to help be a part of something."
Burris was part of the filmmaking team behind 2014's "Drunktown's Finest."
The film is directed and written by Gallup-born filmmaker Sydney Freeland, and Burris and Mateo Frazier signed on as producers.
Burris says the project is a perfect example of a community coming together to make a film.
"We shot that film for under $20,000," he says. "We were looking for people that didn't have a lot of experience on set. We came across Greg Hammons who was this shy kid, who would play video games. Greg came in on his first set and learned the ropes. Today, he's one of the top location guys out there. Before 'Drunktown's Finest' he had never done a film and didn't know the process. In a decade, he's become one of the best at his job."
Burris is looking forward to leading the academy and knows that the sky is the limit.
He also knows how tough an industry film is and will draw upon his real life experiences in film.
"As an artist, it's about trying to find that balance," Burris says. "For me, being able to support the vision of the filmmakers and get those stories out, that's key for me. Having Indigenous voices at the forefront is also a priority. It's about giving these students the step they need to get to their goals."
SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.
