News of the World: A scene from the film and the transformation of El Zaguán

One day in early 2019, I received a phone call at Historic Santa Fe Foundation’s offices from location manager Clay Peres about a film shoot in Santa Fe. They needed a property that was reminiscent of a late 1800s house in Texas. During the scouting, he visited HSFF’s offices and home on Canyon Road, El Zaguán, along with his location assistant. This was the start of the relationship with the production team for the upcoming, and newly released in 2020, film directed by Paul Greengrass and starting Tom Hanks called News of the World. The timing for the event was perfect for HSFF as one of our residents had just moved out of an apartment, and we had an empty space to store all the furniture and contents of the HSFF offices that the crew removed to prepare the space for the one-day of shooting. The photographs that HSFF Preservation Specialist Mara Saxer and I snapped during the installation and filming, do not fully chronicle the many changes made to El Zaguán for the shoot (all changes had to be reversible with no damage to the this historic house). Saxer was the on-site contact for filming and she also maintains the building on Canyon Road. Here she shares a few comments on the transformation during the three weeks that the crew as around our space. – Melanie McWhorter

For two weeks in the fall of 2019, El Zaguán's normally quiet atmosphere was infused with bustling energy. The News of the World crew transformed the office, zaguan, and front facade of the building into an 1870s San Antonio home. It was simultaneously a burst of modernity, with lights and cables everywhere, and a glimpse at what parts of the building may have felt around that time. Over the course of several days, light switches were camouflaged, radiators hidden inside faux furniture, newer style locks were changed out, the paved street and sidewalk became a dirt path. If they're looking for it, those familiar with the place will spot its cameo, which adds a fun little Easter egg in to an already enjoyable film. – Mara Saxer

In November of 2019 I was traveling in Europe, and missed the action at El Zaguán. The movie contains short, on screen appearances, outside and in, of 545 Canyon Road, as well as our former Delgado House, now owned by Victory Contemporary Gallery. It was a thrill watching News of the World, to catch a brief glimpse the buildings. The movie’s narrative is truly the story here, along with the great acting. I recently saw this review in The Guardian upon the UK release of the film and thought we should share it with you, along with photos we can now make public, taken by Melanie and Mara during the production, as well as their comments on the experience. There is no doubt El Zaguán has real presence, architecturally, historically, culturally. It now has screen presence and handles it very well. – Pete Warzel

Enjoy an articel in the Albuquerque Journal and in The Guardian.