Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Hollywood is Taking Albuquerque by Storm

Penelope Poulou

   ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - The first thing one experiences when landing
   in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an elevation of about 1,600 meters, is
   the vastness of open space around the quiet southwestern town.

   The 360-degree vistas extend as far as the eye can see on the arid high
   plateau, interrupted only by the Sandia Mountains to the east. In this
   town, the film industry is thriving and growing by leaps and bounds.
   Locals affectionately call it "Tamalewood" -- melding the name of a
   beloved dish in New Mexico with that of California's better-known
   Hollywood.

   The TV and film industry here has gained ground since garnering tax
   incentives for filming in the state, leading to billion-dollar deals
   between leading production companies and Albuquerque Studios. But what
   started it all was the Albuquerque based Emmy-winning TV series
   "Breaking Bad," about a struggling chemistry teacher turned meth drug
   lord. The show became a hit domestically and internationally.

   Over a beer bet with a friend, Frank Sandoval, an extra on the show,
   came up with the idea of creating a company called "Breaking Bad RV
   tours." He would buy an exact replica of the RV shown in the show and
   drive people around.

   "Part of the deal was, if we got people to ride, he [Frank's friend]
   would actually help us gut the RV and set it up just like the original.
   We did our first tour in May of 2014," Sandoval said. It worked. He now
   drives two tours a day.

   "'Breaking Bad' really did put Albuquerque on the map in terms of the
   film industry," he added.

.