Naman Shrestha
Created by April Blair, Netflix’s ‘Ransom Canyon’ is a Western romantic drama series that centers upon the lives of three ranching family dynasties, all in pursuit of getting control of the land. After suffering a tragic loss, Staten Kirkland is on a vengeful quest while having a soft corner for a longtime family friend named Quinn O’Grady. As if there wasn’t enough trouble in their lives, a mysterious cowboy armed with dark secrets from the past moves into the titular town.
As the way of his life is threatened, Staten pulls up his sleeve to protect his home from the new cowboy in town. Starring Minka Kelly, Josh Duhamel, Lizzy Greene, Eoin Macken, and Philip Winchester, the show unfolds in the fictitious land of Ransom Canyon, surrounded by the rolling rivers and unending tundras of Texas Hill Country. The rugged landscape works in contrast with the narrative, which is filled with the rich themes of love, loyalty, and loss.
Ransom Canyon Filming Locations
The production of ‘Ransom Canyon’ primarily takes place in various parts of New Mexico, including Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and Ribera. The principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the western series seemingly got underway in January 2024 and continued for nearly six months before wrapping up in late June of the same year. The production included more than 700 local talents, out of which 380 were crew members, 40 were principal actors, and 300 were background extras. Tatanka Means, who portrays Jake Longbow, took to social media to share his experience on set. He opened up, “That’s a wrap for me on #RANSOMCANYON season one! So grateful for my time on this show and all of the amazing people I was blessed to meet and work with. Definitely felt the love and good energy everyday on set.”
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Many pivotal sequences for ‘Ransom Canyon’ were lensed across the city of Albuquerque, the county seat of New Mexico’s Bernalillo County. The rugged landscape associated with the Burque blends perfectly well with the show’s usage of desert regions, most of which were shot in the semi-arid shrubland. Thanks to the diversity that ABQ offers, the production team also supposedly made the most of its modern areas in the downtown area of the city. Shooting in Albuquerque was quite a personal experience for Minka Kelly, who portrays Quinn O’Grady in the series, especially since she grew up there.
Elaborating on her experience, Minka told Tudum, “I’ve never had to shoot in Albuquerque until this show. I was afraid to go back because I hadn’t really been there since my childhood, which wasn’t the best. Going back in this way just took away the boogeyman. There were places I visited from my childhood that I would think, ‘Man, if the Minka at that time would have ever imagined I’d be back here shooting this show, I never would have believed it.’ It was really beautiful and there’s something divine about it.”
Santa Fe, New Mexico
A major portion of ‘Ransom Canyon’ was also taped in and around Santa Fe, which is located at the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The seat of the eponymous county also houses a recognized decades-old film studio nestled in the scenic foothills of northern New Mexico — Bonanza Creek Ranch. Situated on Bonanza Creek Road in Santa Fe, the iconic ranch reportedly hosted the production of the Josh Duhamel starrer. It consists of several exterior sets, such as the Pond House set, Atomic Avenue set, Mountain Cabin set, and Western Town set, some of which were likely utilized by the filming unit.
Other Locations in New Mexico
For the purpose of shooting, the filming team of ‘Ransom Canyon’ also traveled to other parts of New Mexico, including the city of Las Vegas. The cast and crew members of the Netflix production were reportedly spotted recording several exterior scenes in different streets of the city, especially the area around the Emmanuel Rosenwald Building at 205 Plaza Street, which features in the backdrop of a few scenes. The production team of the romantic drama series also reportedly set up camp in Blame Her Ranch at 354 County Road B31A in the unincorporated community of Ribera.
Spread across 2,000 acres, the ranch is located at 7,000 feet, providing four different venues, panoramic views, extreme privacy, and intimacy with nature. Its Western-themed rooms make the ranch an ideal filming destination for Western projects like ‘Ransom Canyon.’ Besides that, Blame Her Ranch also serves as a venue for partying, such as family gatherings, weddings, and other kinds of events.
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