New Mexico vs California: Where Should You Shoot Your Film?

For decades, California—especially Los Angeles—has been the center of the global film industry. Hollywood studios, production companies, and film crews have built an enormous infrastructure there, making it one of the most influential filmmaking hubs in the world.

However, in recent years many productions have started to look beyond California. Rising costs, crowded filming environments, and strong film incentives in other states have encouraged producers to explore alternative locations.

One state that has increasingly attracted film and television productions is New Mexico. With competitive tax incentives, diverse landscapes, and a growing production ecosystem, the state has become one of the most popular filming destinations outside California.

For producers deciding where to shoot their next project, understanding the differences between filming in New Mexico vs California can help determine which location makes the most sense for a particular production.

Production Costs: A Major Difference

One of the most significant differences between California and New Mexico is overall production cost.

Filming in Los Angeles or other parts of California can be extremely expensive due to high demand, union labor costs, location fees, and logistical challenges.

Common cost differences include:

• higher location rental prices

• higher hotel and lodging rates

• more expensive permits

• greater traffic and logistical complexity

By contrast, New Mexico generally offers lower costs across many production categories, which can make a major difference for independent films and mid-budget productions.

Film Tax Incentives

Another major advantage for productions filming in New Mexico is the New Mexico Film Production Tax Credit.

The state offers a refundable tax incentive that typically reaches around 35–38% of qualified in-state spending, depending on the structure of the production.

Qualified expenses can include:

• crew wages

• equipment rentals

• location fees

• set construction

• lodging and transportation

• production services

California also offers film incentives, but the program is more limited and highly competitive, meaning many productions simply do not receive the incentive.

In contrast, New Mexico’s program is more accessible and widely used by productions filming in the state.

Landscapes and Filming Environments

One of California’s greatest strengths is its variety of filming locations, ranging from beaches and cities to mountains and deserts.

However, New Mexico offers an equally impressive range of landscapes.

Filmmakers in New Mexico can access:

• desert landscapes

• mountain ranges

• forests

• grasslands and plains

• canyons and mesas

• historic towns

• modern urban environments

One advantage of New Mexico is that many of these environments are located relatively close to each other, allowing productions to film multiple settings without relocating to another state.

For example:

• southern New Mexico provides desert environments that can double for the Middle East or North Africa

• northern New Mexico offers mountains and forests that resemble Colorado or Montana

• Albuquerque provides urban filming environments

This geographic flexibility is especially useful for productions working with limited budgets or tight schedules.

Desert Environments for War Films

For productions filming war movies or action films, southern New Mexico offers particularly valuable landscapes.

The desert terrain in this region often resembles environments found in:

• Afghanistan

• Iraq

• Syria

• North Africa

Because of this, New Mexico has become a popular war movie filming location in the United States.

Productions can capture the visual atmosphere of Middle Eastern conflict zones without leaving the country.

A Purpose-Built Military Film Set in Southern New Mexico

One example of a specialized filming environment is the Wesely Bros Military Film Set in Deming, New Mexico.

The property sits on approximately five acres of desert terrain, with a central base covering about 1,350 square meters.

The set is designed as a realistic Forward Operating Base (FOB) similar to those used by deployed military units.

The base perimeter includes:

• HESCO barriers

• barbed wire defenses

• defensive perimeter walls

• two secured entrance gates

• two watchtowers

A base of this size would realistically house 70–100 soldiers, making it suitable for a wide range of military scenes.

Because the base already exists, productions can film in a convincing military environment without building expensive sets from scratch.

Interior Military Sets Available

The location also includes four shipping containers converted into interior filming environments, allowing productions to capture multiple scenes in one location.

These include:

Barracks Container

• bunk beds

• two working bathrooms

• functional shower

• captain’s quarters

Armory Container

• military uniforms

• helmets

• tactical vests

• prop weapons

Command Office Container

• mission briefings

• strategy discussions

Medical Container

• field hospital environment

• treatment bed for battlefield scenes

These built-in environments can reduce production setup time and construction costs.

Location Rental Costs

Location rental costs are another area where New Mexico can offer significant savings.

For example, specialized military-style filming environments in Los Angeles can cost roughly:

$5,000 – $8,000 per day

By comparison, the Wesely Bros Military Film Set in Deming typically rents for approximately:

$1,500 – $3,500 per day

For productions filming on location for several weeks, these savings can add up quickly.

A Film-Friendly Environment in Smaller Cities

Another advantage of filming in New Mexico is the supportive environment found in many smaller communities.

Cities such as Deming, New Mexico have developed a reputation for being particularly welcoming toward film productions.

Compared with major metropolitan areas, smaller cities often provide:

• simpler permitting processes

• fewer logistical restrictions

• easier access to locations

Local officials frequently help filmmakers identify filming opportunities and connect productions with local resources.

Access to Unique Locations

Smaller communities can also provide access to filming locations that would normally be difficult or extremely expensive to obtain in major film markets.

In and around Deming, productions may find locations such as:

• aircraft hangars

• small regional airports

• industrial facilities

• desert landscapes

• rural highways and open land

In Los Angeles, renting similar environments can be extremely expensive and involve complex permitting.

In contrast, smaller communities often provide these locations at significantly lower cost, which can greatly benefit independent productions.

Logistics and Filming Flexibility

Another major difference between California and New Mexico is filming flexibility.

Large cities often involve:

• heavy traffic

• noise restrictions

• limited filming space

• crowded environments

In contrast, rural parts of New Mexico provide large open spaces that make filming easier.

This flexibility is especially valuable for scenes involving:

• action sequences

• vehicle scenes

• drone shots

• large equipment setups

Productions often find that filming days run more smoothly in these environments.

Accessibility

Despite its remote landscapes, New Mexico remains relatively accessible for productions.

For example, Deming, New Mexico is located within driving distance of several major cities:

• El Paso – about 1.5 hours (international airport)

• Las Cruces – about 1 hour

• Tucson – about 3 hours

• Albuquerque – about 4 hours

• Phoenix – about 4.5 hours

Major production centers such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Denver can also be reached within a day’s drive.

Which Location Is Right for Your Film?

Both California and New Mexico offer strong advantages for filmmakers.

California remains the center of the entertainment industry, with unmatched studio infrastructure and access to talent.

New Mexico, however, offers a powerful combination of lower costs, strong tax incentives, diverse landscapes, and flexible filming environments.

For many productions—especially independent films, streaming projects, and war films—New Mexico can provide similar cinematic environments at a significantly lower cost.

Conclusion

Choosing between New Mexico and California ultimately depends on the needs of a specific production.

However, the growing number of films and television projects being shot in New Mexico demonstrates that the state has become one of the most competitive filming destinations in the United States.

With strong tax incentives, diverse landscapes located close together, and specialized filming locations such as the Wesely Bros Military Film Set in Deming, the state offers filmmakers a compelling alternative to traditional production hubs.

For filmmakers searching for desert film locations, military base film sets, or cost-effective filming environments, New Mexico continues to stand out as one of the most practical and creative options available.