It’s only been two years since Kurt and Ximena Gardner launched their local production company, Adirondack Mountain Productions, but already the couple has attracted domestic and international film and print crews to the area.

A short film by a group of New York University film students in the winter of 2010/2011 was the first project managed by the Gardners.

The drama, “And Winter Slow,” won Best Narrative Short Film at the 2011 Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, CA.

And recently they wrapped up their work with a Danish high fashion menswear magazine, Jack & Jones, that shot on location in Port Leyden, Hawkinsville, Blue Mountain Lake and at Wheeler Pond in Old Forge.

In both projects the Gardners scouted for all of the locations and took care of all of the film crew’s needs—from transportation to catering to furnishing photo props.

The Gardners are currently awaiting word on two new projects, one of which is a photo shoot for a French menswear bathing suit catalog that could possibly begin in late August.

Kurt, a native of Victor in the Rochester area, studied photography in college and worked at Kodak. He later became a fashion photographer, shooting photos for catalogs that included Lord & Taylor and Kohl’s Department Store.

His catalog work took him to Miami where he shot from November to April.

That’s where he met Ximena, an agent who represented 120 male models for NEXT Model Agency.

“Kurt was my client as a fashion photographer, and we would talk on the phone. When we finally met we became long-time friends,” Ximena said.

Eventually they married and after working together in the industry in Florida and New York City, they settled in Old Forge where, as a child, Kurt spent all his summers with his brothers, and parents Kathy and John Gardner.

Ximena said much of their work involves finding the right locations for the projects at hand.

“If a client has an idea for mountains and cabins and beautiful scenery we make their idea come to life. We take care of everything. We can even help them with models because of our good communication and past relations with agencies in New York.

“Once they come, they can relax because it isn’t New York City. We have a beautiful atmosphere here,” she said.

Ximena added that the crews they have worked with are all amazed by the community and what it has to offer.

“The big thing we offer is not just the service for the production, but the hospitality and a chance to have an Adirondack experience,” Kurt added.

And the couple’s ultimate goal is to attract a major film production company.

“We’ve already scouted a lot of big directors and two major motion pictures and we’ve gotten some calls, but we haven’t gotten an actual hit yet,” Kurt said..

“We have all the things lined up if someone wants to shoot a film, even on a small scale. We have production houses with the lighting and gear and generators in place, who are willing to make themselves available locally when needed,” he added.

In the meantime, the Gardners are trying to build up their data base of properties and props and welcome offers of homes or properties, cars, a plane, or anything else that might add interest to a film or photo shoot.

“We are always looking for cool things to add to our website. The more we have to offer, the better our chances are of bringing different clients to the area,” Kurt said.

A data base of current properties available to the Gardners for photo shoots can be found at: www.adirondackmountainproductions.com.

The Gardners can also be contacted by email at: Ximena@adirondackmountainproductions.com or Kurt@adirondackmountainproductions.com.