by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
Ed Angel said he hopes his new position with Gov. Bill Richardson will help future UNM graduates get fun, well-paid jobs in New Mexico.
"I would like there to be jobs in New Mexico," he said. "We need steady, year-round work."
Angel, who is the director of the Art, Research, Technology and Science Laboratory at UNM, was appointed to the Governor's Council on Film and Media Industries in August.
The council was created to help the governor make decisions that will bring business from film, TV and other media companies to the state.
Eric Witt, spokesman for the state's media arts and industries development, said Angel was a good choice for the council because of his experience with digital graphics.
"He's considered one of the leaders in his field of computer imaging," Witt said. "We felt Ed was a natural - he needs to be on that board."
Angel said he is a good addition to the council because he is not entirely focused on movies and TV.
"Me getting appointed to the board is helping them broaden their horizons," he said.
Eric Whitmore, program coordinator for the Arts Technology Center, said Angel will be an asset because he is good at talking to a lot of different people.
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"He's able to talk with all these people from various walks from life and get them excited about doing something," he said.
Angel said the council's mission is not only to get more movies filmed in the state by offering tax incentives, but also to build an infrastructure for making movies including editing, special effects and sound effects.
He said he wants New Mexico to play a role in the video game industry as well.
Richardson renamed the council last year. It was formerly called the Film Advisory Board.
The council reports directly to Richardson.
There is room in the council for 35 members, but only 20 slots are filled.
Witt said the council will probably stay at its current size and board members do not get paid for their positions.
Angel said New Mexico offers several advantages to filmmakers who want to work in New Mexico.
He said it will not be the next Hollywood, but in some ways that's a good thing.
Angel said he hopes New Mexico can produce movies with a unique style that's influenced by the state's culture.
"It's not going to be exactly the same thing as produced in Hollywood," he said.
Angel said he is working with UNM to help students get educations that will help employ them in the film and media industries.
He said the eventual goal is to offer degrees in media at UNM, but he is not sure when that would happen.
The University will probably first offer minors for students interested in digital arts, which Angel said UNM lacks.
"If you're a student in art, and you want to learn something about digital technology, there's not really an appropriate minor," he said.
Angel said there will be a three-credit course on video game technology in the spring.
He said UNM has to compete with well-funded schools - such as Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Southern California - for the attention of game and movie studios.
He said one advantage New Mexico has over other states is its small population.
"It's got some really good people," he said. "Because the state is small, it's relatively easy to meet the people you want to work with."
