TFV first met Bega Metzner last March at AFCI Week in Los Angeles, where she sat down to record a podcast with Eric Mika, President and Publisher of The Film Verdict (now available).
Born and raised in New York City by her director father and photographer mother, Bega Metzner was a child of the industry. Surrounded by the creativity of her parents and many brothers and sisters she was bound to head in a similar direction. She started her formal career on set working as a PA, where she met a costume designer who quickly whisked her away into the world of wardrobe – a world she worked and traveled in for over 20 years. Bega quickly worked her way up from shopper to set costumer to assistant designer, and soon took off on her own as a costume designer and stylist for film, commercials, and print. During this time, she spent her downtime in Moab, Utah, a place she first fell in love with while on a photoshoot in 1989. When Bega decided she wanted to live full-time in Moab, she started working for the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission as the assistant director the Summer of 2015, taking on the role of Director in December of 2016. She continues to be the Film Commissioner for some of the most iconic landscapes in film history.
The Moab to Monument Valley region is a place with a diversity of dynamic landscapes that work for any number of projects. Our iconic red rocks have been attracting film makers since the days of John Ford and John Wayne, and our film commission dates back to 1949, making us the longest-running film commission in the world. In addition to westerns, our arid deserts have made countless appearances as Mars or other galactic destinations (for example John Carter and Transformers 4), as well as backdrops for adventure sports dramas (127 Hours), high-end fashion shoots, and music videos. Our endless miles of desolate roads have featured prominently in hundreds of movies (Thelma & Louise, Forrest Gump) and countless commercials.
We have worked with the international community on some relatively small projects, and I would really love the opportunity to work with European productions on a wider scale. We have such unique scenery here and I would love to expose new markets to all that Southeastern Utah has to offer. If you can dream it, we can help you make it a reality in our stunning landscape.
We have an astounding diversity of locations here in Southeastern Utah. From the iconic red rock’s full of caves, canyons and tunnels, hoodoos and spires to the nearby mountain ranges with alpine lakes, fall foliage, and snowbound yurts, the landscape changes by the month and by the mile. Sand dunes, ghost towns, breathtaking vistas – every cliff and canyon has something new to offer. Our region offers some of the most spectacular roads in the world, ranging from newly paved highways winding through the desolate landscape and alongside the Colorado River, to four-wheeling roads through rugged and difficult canyons, to a world-class trail network for mountain bikes, horses, and off-road vehicles.
Our almost 75-year filmmaking heritage translates to a strong crew base and our rural setting means that we work closely with other entities from around the state. Local talent and crew abound, and when they cannot be found in Moab, they can travel from nearby Salt Lake City. Equipment is usually rented from Salt Lake as well, as the city is home to several equipment rental houses and production facilities, but there is some availability of production equipment in the Moab area as well.
Accommodations in the area were first increased to accommodate the film industry of the 40s and 50s. There is still a motel in town that boasts, “Stay where John Wayne stayed!” If motels aren’t a good fit for your production, there are boutique hotels, glamping tents, major chains, and of course, dude ranches. We have daily subsidized flights into and out of Moab’s Canyonlands Airport.
The Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission is here to help filmmakers and production people find the perfect locations and connect to local resources. We offer gratuitous on-the-ground services to help find the perfect spot to shoot, the right hotel for your crew, the correct permitting agency, or the PAs to staff your production. Our goal is to enrich both the experience and final product of the project, as well as our local community, by doing the groundwork to connect people and places.
Upcoming releases shot in Moab:
Horizon: An American Saga
Kevin Costner (series of 4 films)
The Electric State
Netflix Feature
Russo Bros (plate shots and 2nd unit)
Three Sisters
Starz Episodic
Delicate Arch
Indie Feature
Retreat –
FX Limited Series
Utah’s competitive incentive program offers a fully refundable tax credit of up to 25% on in-state spend, which helps you cut production costs without sacrificing quality.
To reach Bega Metzner, Moab Film Commission
bmetzner@grandcountyutah.net
