Auditions in New Mexico: How to Find Casting Calls in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Beyond

Where are New Mexico casting calls posted?

The platforms work here as everywhere. Our Los Angeles guide explains breakdowns and submissions, and Actors Access vs. Backstage vs. Casting Networks compares them. Good Faith Casting, for example, says it posts its breakdowns on Actors Access, Casting Networks and Facebook. Add these local sources:

• New Mexico Film Office: its public Casting Calls page lists calls that productions submit. When we checked, it included a paid educational film series casting three young leads, which said New Mexico locals were strongly preferred and asked for a headshot, a short self-tape and availability. The Film Office says it does not endorse the listings or vouch for the companies, so vet every call.
• City film offices: the Albuquerque Film Office publishes Resources for Actors, a list of local talent agencies, casting directors and background companies. The Santa Fe Film Office has a similar page. The Albuquerque office says it cannot certify, endorse or recommend any entry.
• Midthunder Casting: Midthunder Casting is led by Angelique Midthunder, who splits her time between Los Angeles and Santa Fe and specializes in Indigenous talent. Its actors page sends you to its Facebook and Instagram for open calls and says the office does not cast background talent.
• Casting by Jen: Jennifer Schwalenberg’s Santa Fe office has an actors page with self-tape instruction videos and a way for unrepresented New Mexico actors to join her “real people” files.
• Good Faith Casting: Good Faith Casting has a regional office in Albuquerque. It says it never charges actors, does not take cold calls and does not confirm receipt of submissions.

There is also a push to put local actors first. In September 2026 the Film Office launched CAST NEW MEXICO, an actor reel that casting directors Jo Edna Boldin and Jennifer Schwalenberg proposed so that directors and producers look at New Mexico actors early instead of automatically bringing in actors from Los Angeles (Film Office). The Film Office itself does not hire or accept resumes, so use the channels above.

A subscription pays for a platform’s service, never for an audition. If a call asks you for money, read how to spot a fake casting call.

Can you work as a background actor in New Mexico?

Yes. The Santa Fe Film Office says most local background casting directors let you register online, post calls on their websites or Facebook pages and charge nothing to be listed (Want To Get Into Film?). It also warns that a typical day runs 10 to 14 hours. Three companies from the city lists, each with its own site:

• Latham Casting says it hires people for non-speaking roles in New Mexico and asks for an email address and a current color photo to create a profile.
• White Turtle Casting takes registrations for background and stand-in work by email or through a form on its site.
• Alessi Hartigan Casting runs its talent portal on the CastingFlow platform.

The Albuquerque Film Office says never to pay to be listed with an extras casting company or a talent agency. Our guide on how to become a background actor covers vouchers and what to expect on set.

Do you need to live in New Mexico to be cast there?

Living in the state helps. The Film Office’s industry FAQ says the incentives encourage productions to hire New Mexico residents, although the choice is up to each production. For the credit, a resident is someone domiciled in the state or physically present there for 185 days or more during the tax year. Many auditions start as self-tapes, so you can submit from elsewhere, and our guide on how to record a self-tape covers the setup. Still, plan on being available locally if you book.

How do you find a legitimate agent and handle the union in New Mexico?

The Association of Talent Agents’ state-by-state guide (May 2024) says no specific professional license is required for agents and managers in New Mexico, although an employment agency license may be required. So do your own checks:

• Franchise: the SAG-AFTRA New Mexico Local serves New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. Members must use agents franchised by the union, and SAG-AFTRA posted an update in August 2025 saying it had removed and added agencies on its New Mexico roster, so check the Franchised Agents List before you sign.
• Track record: the Federal Trade Commission advises you to ask for a list of the actors an agency has placed, contact references, search the company’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint” and get every promise in writing (FTC).
• Fees: the FTC says legitimate agencies are paid when you are paid, so never pay an agency up front.

You can start without joining the union (see how to join SAG-AFTRA for the trade-offs). The Film Office describes New Mexico as an employment-at-will state that recognizes the right to collectively bargain, and it notes that a casting director who asks whether you are union usually means SAG-AFTRA. Under Global Rule One, members generally may not work for employers that have not signed a SAG-AFTRA agreement. Our guide on how to get a talent agent has the full plan, and our guide to auditions in Texas covers neighboring El Paso.

Where can you train in New Mexico?

Training is optional, but classes are where you meet scene partners and directors. Three places whose sites we checked:

• Story Quest Studios, in Albuquerque, offers acting, voiceover and film production training and posts casting calls for local short films on its site.
• The Playhouse Studio at the Santa Fe Playhouse lists a six-week adult course whose weeks cover scene breakdown, acting for theater versus TV and film and the audition process. The Playhouse offers scholarships and sliding scale pricing.
• The Film Office’s Class, Workshop, or Training page lists classes that local providers submit. As with the casting calls, it does not endorse them.

Tip: Audit or take a single workshop before you commit to a longer course, and walk away from any class that promises you an agent or a role.

What does a realistic first 90 days look like?

Budget a few hours every week: time to read calls and submit, time to record self-tapes when invitations arrive and one class or workshop session.

Keep going after day 90: auditioning is a habit you build.

Frequently asked questions

Does the New Mexico Film Office cast actors or accept headshots?

The Film Office is a state agency that does not hire and does not accept resumes. It runs a public casting calls page where productions post their own calls, and it points actors to the casting directors and agents in its directory. The Santa Fe Film Office adds that it does not help actors secure representation or advocate for particular casting. Send your materials to the production or casting office named in each listing.

Do I need to live in New Mexico to get auditions there?

You can begin from anywhere, because many auditions start as self-tapes. Some calls, though, say local actors are strongly preferred, and the state’s film credit encourages productions to hire residents. You also need legal authorization to work in the United States. Move when you have materials, momentum and a plan.

Is Albuquerque or Santa Fe better for actors?

Both work, and the offices overlap. Midthunder Casting and Casting by Jen are based in Santa Fe and Good Faith Casting has an Albuquerque office. The film offices of both cities also publish actor resources. The Film Office describes Albuquerque as having massive studio infrastructure and a deep crew base, while Santa Fe has hosted productions such as The Four Seasons, so choose the one you can afford to live in.

Do I need an agent to get auditions in New Mexico?

You can start without one. The Film Office’s casting calls page, Actors Access and local casting offices let you submit yourself, and Casting by Jen takes unrepresented New Mexico actors into her files. A franchised agent can open more doors later, so run the checks above first.

Do I have to pay to audition or to be listed in New Mexico?

Going to an audition does not cost anything. The Santa Fe Film Office says it costs nothing to be listed with a background casting company and Good Faith Casting says it never charges actors. The FTC adds that paying to get a job is always a sign of a scam.

Reviewed in October 2026.