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 Moab resident Miso Tunks has worked on a handful of films and lots of commercials over his 30-plus years as a professional lighting technician – and it didn’t require a move to Hollywood.
The movie and commercial industry discovered a long time ago that southeast Utah made a compelling backdrop for selling automobiles, rugged tires and outdoor gear – as well as, for the making of feature films.
Tunks was apprenticing with a lighting technician at Ballet West, an American ballet company in Salt Lake City when he was contacted by former Moab resident Ron Griffith, owner of Griffith Production Services, about working on a film project in Moab. Tunks enjoyed the work, and moved to Moab in 1993.
New commercials were constantly being made as Sports Utility Vehicles (USVs) became more popular and new models kept coming out, Tunks said. Mountain biking was also taking off – which added to the demand for new commercials throughout the 1990s.
 Tunks worked on a dozen commercials in Monument Valley to help show what the new SUVs could do when taken out on the region’s dirt roads. He’s also worked on feature films like Geronimo and the series Touched by an Angel, which ran for nine seasons. And, he helped with lighting on the set of Horizon, starring Kevin Costner.
However, working on films meant long, 12-14-hour days, prompting Tunks to focus more on commercial work. Making commercials required a shorter time commitment – a week or so, compared to filmmaking which can take months to complete, he said.
“Although I did whatever,” came along, he said. “It was cool – a good time to be here.”
During his three decades of working on filming projects Tunks has witnessed the industry’s transition into the digital era. Touched by an Angel was an early adopter of digital photography, which was simpler and less expensive than working with film.
“You could only expose one at a time so if you mess up you’d have to reshoot the whole thing,” he said. “In the early days that’s the way they did it. You’d shoot the film, send reels of film to a processer, usually in Los Angeles; they’d sent the prints back (in a physical format – not via computer). 
Tunks also provides lighting for Star Hall performances, and for other special events like the Moab Free Concert Series. He says his next project coming up will be working with Navajo filmmaker Pete Sands on a children’s educational series called Navajo Highways.
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Visitors and community members can now explore the landscapes, recreation, science, and natural history of southeastern Utah through a new on-demand film series at the Moab Information Center (MIC).
Made possible through a partnership between Canyonlands Natural History Association (CNHA), Grand County, and Sand Flats Recreation Area, the program features a collection of educational films produced by Finley Holiday Productions. Visitors may request any of the following films to be shown on the big screen at the MIC:
• Welcome to Moab
• Introduction to Sand Flats Recreation Area
• Old Growth Forests of Moab (New this spring!)
• Ephemeral Pools of Moab
• Moab’s Dark Sky Parks
• Moab's Living Soil Crust
The films cover a wide range of topics, from local history and scientific research to desert ecology and critical resource protection.
“Education is at the heart of our mission,” said Sam Wainer, Executive Director of CNHA. “We’re excited to partner with Grand County and Sand Flats Recreation Area to share these films and help visitors gain a deeper understanding of the landscapes, ecosystems, and public lands that make southeastern Utah so special.”
“It has been a thrill to work with Mark Finley of Finley Holiday Productions over the years to help produce these films,” added Sand Flats Director Andrea Brand. “Education is key to Sand Flats’ mission as well. Along with these captivating science stories, these films enlighten visitors to avoid damaging fragile resources and include simple safety information to help keep them safe.”
The films are available during regular operating hours at the Moab Information Center, located at the corner of Main and Center Streets in downtown Moab.
Note: Select films are also available to view online via the Sand Flats Recreation Area website on youtube,
youtube.com/@sandflatsrecreationarea4524/featured
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