Film
& Television
Sandbags are iconic.
Nothing says conflict, siege, resistance and survival
better... whether it's war, revolution, floods, mudslides,
hurricanes, post-apocalyptic hell or the zombie
apocalypse.
About
us: We're New Mexico's only full-service
sandbag company, and our bags have been featured in
several major motion pictures and television
productions.
Being a small, homegrown company, and we'll bend over
backwards to meet your needs while keeping within your
budget & deadlines. Our filled bags are lovingly
hand-filled to your specifications. We'd love to work
with you.
Pricing:
Variable according to quantity. As a rough guide,
empty bags start at $0.75 each and filled bags start
at $3.50 each. Discounting is available with volume
purchase and we can deliver throughout the Southwest.
Visit our
commercial
and
store
pages for information about bag types & prices.
Rentals:
Cost-effective, reasonable rates, and saves you the
logistical hassles of disposal when you're striking
the set. Just ask. Let us know the quantity you have
in mind & your time frame.
Concierge service: Not sure? We can come to
you with samples & assist you in making
selections.
We enjoy problem-solving and our experience can help
you come up with cost-effective & innovative
solutions.
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Set Design, Dressing and Props
Conflict: If you're looking for historical
accuracy, sandbags started out as white cotton & linen
bags (Revolutionary War - Civil War era). In the late 19th
century, they shifted to burlap, and this remained the
standard until the 1970s, when polypropylene ("poly") bags
started to become available.
Modern poly bags are treated with UV inhibitors to extend
their lives.
White
is the most common color and the most widely available;
these are the bags most often associated with roadblocks,
border fortifications, demonstrations & revolutions.
Colored bags have become more popular in the last few
decades (especially
green
and
tan
for camouflage in the field).
Likewise, treated burlap bags (bluish-green in
color) remain popular.
Natural disasters:
Every spring, snowmelt and flooding take front stage in
the news, and sandbags are front & center. You see
them being used in hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires,
landslides, tsunamis, and other examples of mankind's epic
& eternal struggle against nature.
Props: In
addition to our standard poly & burlap sandbags, we
can source specialty bags: old faded burlap coffee &
feed bags, cotton sacks, etc. These can be filled with
lightweight material for wagon & cart loads, store
shelves, dockside cargo bales... you get the idea. We've
got the suppliers and the connections to get you what you
need.
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Physical
/ Mechanical Effects
Albuquerque is blessed with fine silt which is ideal for
movie
dust. Packed in loose-weave burlap bags, these
make superb duster bags.
We can also provide wide varieties of sand, dirt, rock,
scoria, concrete & asphalt rubble, etc., in any
quantity you need. Our aggregate yard is an apocalyptic
wasteland with mountains of rubble & debris which
would be perfect for scavenging or for a shooting
location. Contact us to arrange a visit.
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Construction
& Utility
Bags are multi-purpose and can be moved around on the lot
for different applications. You can never have too many:
- Anchoring & securing tarps and equipment in high
winds.
- Storm water and flood diversion & channeling for
outdoor locations.
- Erosion control & stabilization.
- Skirting for trailers to block wind and provide
insulation.
- Blast barriers for live munitions and explosives.
- Barricades, temporary enclosures and structures.
- Rigging, counterweights & deadman anchors.
- Ballast and traction for vehicles in snow, ice, sand
and mud.
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Credits to date:
Film:
Television:
Scorch Trials
The Night
Shift (NBC)
Whiskey
Tango Foxtrot (working title: Fun House)
The
Brave (NBC)
Only the Brave (working
title: Granite Mountain)
12 Strong (working
title: Horse Soldiers)
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What
we offer:
We provide both filled and empty sandbags in any
quantity - no minimum - and can deliver state-wide, or
load your truck in our yard to ease your budget. Our
most popular industrial-grade bags include:
- Polypropylene (available in dark
green,
orange,
white,
black,
or desert
tan).
- Burlap, both plain (natural untreated jute, tan)
and treated (US Military specs, EPA-approved,
green).
- Pre-filled 10-lb and 20-lb saddle
sandbags for light stands, booms, tripods,
etc.
- Rental bags (heavy-duty, black) can handle the
worst your crew can dish out.
- Bulk dirt and aggregate (sand, rocks, rubble,
etc.), either in cubic-yard FIBC bags or dumped on
location.
If you'd like bag samples, let us know. We carry or
can source other kinds of bags as well. Give us an
idea of
what you're looking for. If we don't have it in stock,
we can get it... everything from Roscos to Hescos.
Special challenges? We love them. Give us a call &
we'll see what we can do for you.
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Eco-Friendly:
We're registered with the
New Mexico Film Office as being 'eco-friendly'. What's
this mean?
The term's widely overused & abused, but we're the
real deal. The masonry sand used to fill our bags
comes from recycled concrete. Our burlap bags are
biodegradable & compostable, while our poly bags
can be recycled with household plastic waste (resin ID
code 5). We use recycled pallets. We produce minimal
carbon emissions. We pick up our garbage. And we can
help with your post-production cleanup.
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Community-Based:
We offer hiring preference to people with obstacles to
employment, including veterans, minorities, women,
folks with arrest records & felonies, people who
are homeless, and those with disabilities. We pay
above state minimum wage & provide hard workers
with strong references & encouragement when
they're ready to move on.
We source our supplies locally whenever possible, and
sell at (or near) cost to non-profits and educational
entities. Your support helps us support the community.
And we're a member of the Film Business Alliance of
New Mexico, which means that we also actively support
your community.
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Alternatively,
email us at info@nmdirtbags.com.
