Alton Walpole designed his favorite room--and built the road to it

Jul. 2—These days, Alton Walpole, line producer, unit production manager and owner of Mountainair Films, mostly oversees movie budgets and schedules from inside the hilltop office he designed himself. It's a short stroll from his house, and sits at Santa Fe's city limits. "It's above St. John's College on land I bought in the 1970s for next to nothing. I lived up here in a mobile home for 20 years," he says. "I built a road, a half mile of dirt road. I'm at the end of the road. No one comes here. No one. I'm up in the mountains."

Measuring 20-by-30 feet, the office has windows looking out at the national forest, where deer or a bear sometimes passes by. Inside, the pitched-roof ceiling reaches up to 14 feet. The office houses a 1920s Navajo rug, some desks, computers, printers, shelving, filing cabinets, tables, chairs and an espresso machine. The plaster walls are painted light tan. There are plenty of electrical outlets, a landline, and a ceiling fan for summer and radiant heat for winter. The biggest challenge? "Making sure I had good Internet service. I have a satellite pointed at a tower out on the mesa," he explains.

Wi-Fi is crucial because, Walpole says, "I get about 400 to 500 emails a day." There are frequent emails from colleagues, among them producers, screenwriters and studio executives. "I have communication with a lot of people in the industry, which I like. I like sitting in my office and talking to them. I talk to about 15 people a day, about half in LA, half in other places." Online is also where this ever-inquisitive Gemini reads Variety every day, along with the Santa Fe Reporter, New York Times, LA Times and Santa Fe New Mexican.

You could say this is his power spot. "I hang out in here quite a bit. There's a big TV. It's an office, a den, a man cave, a comfortable place." He continues, "I have communication with people all over the world. I feel comfortable here. I feel most myself." He adds, "When I get things done here, I feel very good about it. It's what I know how to do, it's what I like to do. It's what I've always liked to do."

Some proof positive: The photo he's in with Jeff Bridges, whom he worked with on Crazy Heart. A photo Denzel Washington signed to him after they did The Book of Eli together. A now-empty bottle of champagne from Jane Got a Gun, held onto because it's signed by Natalie Portman.

Outside the office sits Buddy, a stray dog found at an Española gas station while that movie was being filmed. Walpole says, "He guards the place. He sits outside the door. He never leaves. He doesn't come in."

Having gotten into the movie industry back in the 1970s, Walpole fancies that this room is what keeps his career trajectory on track. "It helps me to feel like I remain in contact and engaged with the world of film, and it makes me feel productive," he says. "It's got everything I need to do what I like doing." The other night, he was in here watching Sr., Robert Downey Jr.'s documentary about his filmmaker dad, Robert Downey Sr.

Walpole grew up in tiny Mountainair, New Mexico, and has lived in New York City, Seattle and Malibu — mostly while making films. "Everywhere I went, Santa Fe always felt better. I always came back. It's a liberal community. It's progressive. I love the landscape and the weather is good," he says.

It took him years to afford the construction of his office. Now, "This feels like my place. I'm comfortable here. I feel very grounded here. And I sort of really worked hard to have this kind of situation, to have this office. I liked building it, and I like that I was finally able to build it," he notes. "I designed it and hired a person to help me build it. The way I helped with construction is I would clean up. I didn't actually drive nails or lay foundation. I lived in a trailer right near where it was going up." He explains, "If you don't have the skills, then help them [the ones doing the construction] in the way they need help. Carry their bag. Bring them coffee. Whatever they need."

With dozens of New Mexico shows under his belt, what does Walpole think about being nicknamed "The godfather of New Mexico film"? He says, "A lot of people call me that! They always say it like, 'Hello, godfather.' It's OK. I guess I've helped. I like being called that. I've worked here a long time." He goes on, "My part has always been to implement ideas. Somebody brings a problem and you try to figure out how to solve it. Somebody brings a script and you figure out how to make it work."

Walpole's Mountainair Films used to be headquartered in a big warehouse. Moving it up here made his life more streamlined. He says that in the morning when he leaves the house he shares with his wife, "I can walk out the door, walk 20 or 30 feet, and here I am at work. I don't have to worry about what I look like or starting my car. Nobody comes up here, unless I tell them how to get here. Sometimes I have to meet them on the main road and drive them in."

The most important thing in the office? "My computer," responds Walpole. And the best part of his job? "I feel happy in my office when I accomplish something. That makes me feel really happy."

Alton Walpole designed his favorite room—and built the road to it