By: April Brown
Concept Image by: Don Ivie
When Alan Trevor took over as director of Central New Mexico College’s film and media program in 2020, he arrived with more than two decades of teaching experience and a clear mission: give students not just technical skills, but the practical knowledge they need to survive and grow in a changing film industry. Now Trevor is steering the program into its next chapter — a major expansion at the Albuquerque Rail Yards that he says will transform CNM’s training capacity and deepen ties between the film industry, students, and the local community.
Rooted in Practical, Industry-Driven Teaching
Trevor’s resume starts in Roswell, where he helped build courses in photography, graphic design, 3D animation, and film in the mid-2000s. He played a key role in shaping statewide film-technology training partnerships with the Local 480 and higher-education institutions — an effort aimed at filling fast-growing production jobs during the state’s film boom. He moved to CNM in 2020 and assumed the role of Director shortly before the pandemic upended hands-on instruction.
“I’m a real proponent of making sure that what the students learn in our program is exactly what is going to mimic the real world for them in film,” Trevor says. That ethic shaped a key curricular change he introduced at CNM: a “Business of Film” course that teaches survival skills in addition to the crafts.
“I created a ‘Business of Film’ class to give the survival skills for students to be able to not only get their first job, but also to be able to continue working in this industry,” Trevor explains. The course covers a wide range of skills that include set etiquette, fatigue and conflict management, resumes and interviewing, reading deal memos and pay stubs, and how unions and guilds fit into a film career. It also includes training on harassment prevention and how to protect oneself and fellow crew members on set.
Hands-on training and entrepreneurship are central to the curriculum. The course also guides students through creating a business license, drafting a production services agreement, and setting up an LLC—practical steps that help graduates launch freelance careers or their own companies in New Mexico’s growing media sector.
A Multidisciplinary Educational Hub
The Rail Yards project is the centerpiece of CNM’s plan to expand hands-on learning while fostering relationships with industry and community partners. First discussed in 2018 and delayed by the pandemic, the facility is now being developed with the New Mexico Economic Development Department, City of Albuquerque, and the Media Arts Collective (MAC). Between the collaboration with MAC and public partnerships, the project’s scope has expanded into a shared learning and commercial-production hub — one of CNM’s largest-ever builds.
The facility will unite CNM’s film and digital media programs and include:
- Two teaching sound stages, each just under 5,000 square feet.
- A 100-seat THX Atmos theater for live sound recording, post-production, and color grading.
- Two additional sound recording studios for music and Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) work.
- Makeup and sewing labs for costume, wardrobe, and hair with possible cosmetology collaborations in the future.
- And a large construction and mill makerspace with vacuum formers, laser cutters, and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines for prop and set fabrication.
Trevor emphasizes that while the new facility will provide a powerful teaching environment, it’s also designed to attract commercial productions, allowing students to train on real projects while giving local businesses access to a job-ready workforce. “We’ve had a lot of interest… It will allow us to be able to add new classes, new programs, new degrees,” he says.
Industry Partnerships and Local Impact
CNM’s film program has been training students for nearly two decades. They have forged strong ties with major industry players and local businesses, offering collaborative classes with partners like Netflix and Cinelease and hosting site visits from firms assessing how the new facility can support their needs. The CNM Film Advisory Board helps maintain a strong connection between the college’s programs and the industry, ensuring curriculum and training align with current workforce standards.
Community engagement is fundamental to the Rail Yards project. CNM has consulted neighborhood groups — including residents around the “Borealis” area — to develop community programming and outreach. The facility plans to host school visits, guided tours, and public open houses, offering hands-on learning opportunities and direct pathways to employment for the local community.
“We’ve met with them, we’ve talked with them, we’ve gotten their input on activities that they would like to see us provide out there,” Trevor says. Those conversations shaped programming and helped position the facility as both a community resource and an educational center.
Preparing Students for a Shifting Industry
Trevor is candid about the shifts threatening to reshape film production — from AI developments to questions about runaway productions — but he views those changes as part of the industry’s long-term evolution. “The film industry in its 120 years has seen some ups and downs… we get too wrapped up in thinking the house is on fire — no, it’s not; we’re just adjusting,” he says.
CNM’s strategy is adaptability. Trevor emphasizes the need for proactive curriculum updates and long-range planning to equip graduates for the immediate job market, as well as roles that will emerge over the next five to ten years. He’s also focused on documenting structures and partnerships to leave a strong foundation for the next Director.
Student Success and Local Recognition
CNM students are already making waves on the festival circuit. Trevor reports that several student films were entered in the Albuquerque Film and Music Experience (AFMX) over the past year, and that one student film won “Best Film” at the Madrid Film Festival. The student director was flown to Spain, all expenses paid, to attend in person. “Most of our films that we do shoot… if they so decide to enter them into film festivals, they’ve been winning,” Trevor says. “That kind of recognition is huge,” he adds. Festival success enhances students’ resumes, opens professional doors, and showcases the effectiveness of the program’s practical teaching approach.
Grand Opening and Next Steps
The Rail Yards Project will offer Albuquerque’s next generation of filmmakers a state-of-the-art, community-centered launchpad—equipping students with industry-grade facilities, hands-on training, and direct connections to local employers to jumpstart successful careers in film and media. CNM currently anticipates a grand opening in summer 2026, with classes beginning the following fall (dates subject to change). Viva New Mexico will share updates as the project nears completion—stay tuned for details.
