SANTA FE, N.M. – The New Mexico Film Office announces the documentary, Successful Outlaw, produced by Successful Outlaw LLC will shoot in Taos, New Mexico, from August until November 2022.
“We look forward to seeing the beauty of Northern New Mexico captured in the documentary, Successful Outlaw.” said Amber Dodson, Director, New Mexico Film Office.
“Successful Outlaw’ follows the life of biker, builder and master silversmith, Daniel "Pepe" Rochon, as he builds an off grid, adobe style hacienda. My goal is to make a character driven, transcendental documentary that elucidates and expands one’s ideas about sustainability and creativity, and the blending of the two.” David Luis Leal Cortez, director, producer, editor.
Pepe is featured in a new book, The Art of Stamping by Matthieu Cheminée, who writes, “Pepe was born in 1940 in Appleton, the forest valley of Wisconsin."
"On his father’s side he is part French and part Ojibwe-Chippewa (an Anishinaabe group of indigenous people from Canada).”
During the 1970’s Pepe lived and worked at the Mabel Dodge Lujan House when Dennis Hopper was the owner. There, in 1976, he created the Bicentennial Belt with Jeff Morris and Ed Morgan, a unique belt honoring 200 years of the United States of America. Each concho on this belt featured a flag from the United States history, however this masterpiece has since gone missing, and it is not known whether it was lost or stolen.
“It is indeed a masterpiece truly deserving of a final home trespassed by thousands who may experience first-hand this exquisite craftsmanship and tribute to our nation in this 200th anniversary year.” New Mexico Bicentennial Commission May 5, 1976.
Successful Outlaw is directed and produced by David LL Cortez who is a writer, filmmaker, and former political operative, who has worked on local, state, and national campaigns. He is from the Washington, DC area and graduated from the College of Santa Fe in Moving Image Arts. He has been a contributor to the New Mexican Inquisition, New Mexico’s web based political satire series. David’s first feature documentary, Drilling Mora County, was supported by a grant from the Max and Anna Levinson Foundation and has had screenings throughout the state including the 2019 Santa Fe Film Festival.
Successful Outlaw is supported by the New Mexico Film Foundation and seeks funding in the form of tax deductible donations. David has also submitted his project to the Sundance Institute documentary fund as well as New Mexico organizations and businesses. The production will employ 12 New Mexico crew members.
“As a director, I call Successful Outlaw ‘counter cultural preservation.’ Some of the challenges are obvious. The Taos mesa is harsh living with strong winds, tough winters, and droughts. Films such as Garbage Warrior, although very different, is a notable production that illuminates the audience about off grid living in New Mexico.”
For more information on the production, contact: cortezdl@mac.com.
All film and television productions in New Mexico are required to adhere to the state’s operative emergency public health order, associated public health restrictions, industry joint labor agreements and COVID-Safe Practices.
The New Mexico Film Office has released Back2One, a catchall set of principles, general recommendations, and resources for film and television productions operating during COVID-19. Back2One recommendations and other COVID-Safe Practices can be found at nmfilm.com