Whoever said the movie business is glamorous obviously has never spent much time on the set of one.

The cast and crew of "The Dry Land," formerly known as "American Tragic," worked into the early hours of Friday morning at Area Club 203 east of Moriarty. The bar was subbing for a small-town Texas honky-tonk. Star and relative newcomer Ryan O'Nan plays James, a young war veteran struggling to reclaim his life back home in Texas. Co-star Jason Ritter, dressed in faded jeans and an oversized gray T-shirt, was hardly recognizable among the local extras gathered. America Ferrera, who plays James' wife, showed up on set about 9:30 p.m.

"What's up; what's up?" she said smiling, her hair slung in a loose, low ponytail, and dressed in a gray sweatshirt and black skinny jeans. She greeted the crew and gave a big hug to writer/director and longtime boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams. Ferrera is executive producing the film in addition to starring.

Missing from the set at Club 203 was Oscar-nominee Melissa Leo, who plays James' mother, and Wilmer Valderrama, who plays James' war buddy.

The crew wrapped filming in New Mexico and packed up and moved on to El Paso.

There may have been movie stars on set, but the making of a movie is anything but glamorous.

Film talent and crew work long hours and have demanding schedules. Sets are hot and crowded. Everyone must work quickly and efficiently to make sure it all comes together. One short bar scene with little dialogue took more than four hours to shoot every angle.

The crew arrived on the set of "The Dry Land" about 6:30 p.m. Thursday and didn't wrap for the day until 6:30 a.m. Friday. The cast and crew began filming in the bar about 8 p.m.; four hours later, they were still at it. Meanwhile, crews outside were preparing rain machines, setting up lights and placing cones for where a driving scene would be filmed.

The crew said almost every day filming is between 12 and 18 hours. "My head hit the pillow at 8 o'clock this morning," one crew member said.

The Land of Enchantment better get used to it. New Mexico has become a hot spot for filmmakers. Gov. Bill Richardson has offered companies filming in New Mexico incentives such as a 25 percent tax rebate, film investment loans and 50 percent reimbursement of wages for on-the-job training of New Mexico residents.

"The Dry Land" producer Heather Rae said the incentives were part of the reason why New Mexico was chosen.

Local extras had fun despite the hot set and long hours. Bar manager Chris Michell played pool in the background.

"I wanted to play the bartender, but they told me I was too young," he said.

Both Michell and his brother Ryan, who owns 203, were excited to have the movie filmed at their bar.

The Estancia Valley is no stranger to film crews.

Last June, the town of Estancia was transformed by movie magic into an Oklahoma town during the Dust Bowl. Engel Entertainment, the production company, was filming a documentary for the History Channel.

In August, Mountainair got a taste of Hollywood when Renee Zellweger and Kevin Bacon came to town to film the period drama "My One and Only," based on the early life of actor George Hamilton, set in 1953.

"The Dry Land," a Maya Entertainment feature film, is set to be released in 2010.