Film Office blog

"Family Travel" Comes to SE Wyoming

2013-12-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

FAMILY TRAVEL WITH COLLEEN KELLY breaks new ground as the first ever television series dedicated to traveling with families of all types and all ages. Host and family travel guide Colleen Kelly explores must-see locations and attractions throughout the U.S. and abroad, sharing expert travel tips and insights to create easier family vacations filled with once-in-a-lifetime memories.

Always-exciting, family-friendly Wyoming is the featured destination in week 12 of the 13-week series. Check out the preview clip below, then check your local listings for the air date.

Laramie Local Film Fest

2013-12-12T14:30:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard, the good folks over at News From Nowhere are putting on a local filmmaker showcase. Featuring shorts from area filmmakers, the one-night-only Laramie Local Film Fest is slated for 8:00 this Friday at the Gryphon Theater in Laramie. You can can pick up tickets here, or grab 'em at the door.

Filmmakers screening their work include:

Brian Guice
Conor Mullen
Connor Novotny
Marc Homer
London Homer-Wambeam
Greg Acey
Robert Kirkwood
Sofi Thanhauser

Wyoming Automotive Commercials

2013-12-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

We get our fair share of the commercial business. Advertisers know that, for winding roads and epic landscapes, we're one of the best spots in the country to shoot. Here are just a few of the spots we've hosted over the years.

10 days left on "Cardinal Matter" IndieGoGo Campaign

2013-12-09T09:35:00.001-08:00

Looks like the "Cardinal Matter" team is coming down to the wire on their crowdsource funding. Hit 'em up and help out with the next film to shoot in Dubois, WY.

In their own words:

Over the last few weeks the Cardinal Matter team has been busy sourcing equipment, location scouting, finalizing the script and getting the final elements of production in order. We are so close to making this project a reality that with your help we will accomplish our goal. Our indiegogo funding will be used to cover location costs, equipment rental, insurance, lodging, craft services, costumes, props, pyrotechnician and stunt coordinator, post production, original musical score, and more. Without this money, we will not be able to make this project. None of this money goes to the filmmakers themselves. Every penny donated will go into the production in order to make the best possible product.

We have raised 26% of our $15,000 goal, so far. With 10 days left in our crowd-funding campaign, we decided to reach out once more to our friends and families. It would mean the world to us if you could donate anything to the film. If you cannot donate, please post this on your Facebook, Twitter or send it out to your email list - just to spread the word. Every time you share our link with a friend or colleague, you have helped out this production, and we thank you.

Click here to visit the IndieGoGo site.

A New Marketing Paradigm

2013-12-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

Given our recent reorganization here at the Film Office, we're bringing a new focus to the job. We're housed in Tourism after all, and tourism is the point of what we do. We're always asking ourselves how we can better leverage production to show off Wyoming, and when we target projects, that question is never far from our minds. That's why this article form Markee was so interesting to us.

Is Anchorman 2 Ushering In A New Marketing Paradigm?

Will Ferrell's sequel to his 2004 comedy about a 1970s era broadcaster is being marketed like no movie has before. Paramount Pictures and its creative partner Zemoga have gone to great lengths to ensure this film's success, from a seemingly endless supply of viral videos, to Ferrell's character, Ron Burgundy, anchoring local news programs and calling sporting events, to a large advertising campaign with Dodge and much, much more. “This has been the most comprehensive amount of material I’ve ever participated in,” Ferrell told Adweek. “I’m taken aback.”

In witnessing this marketing push, I can't help but consider what it means for our industry. Clearly, if Anchorman 2 is a box office smash (The first film performed rather poorly, but has since garnered a following.), then we're on the cusp of a movie tie-in extravaganza like no one has seen since the first three Star Wars movies. What are your thoughts on this campaign? Where do you see movie marketing headed?

Click here for the full article.

Powersports at Killpecker Dune Fields

2013-12-04T15:52:00.000-08:00

Looks like the world's second largest dune field just got a visit from Powersports Adventures. If you don't know the Killpecker Dune Field, you can check our all our location shots here. And you can catch the Powersports episode on the Altitude Sports Network all this month.

The Stagecoach & the Snowmen

2013-12-02T09:25:00.001-08:00

Our friends at Turtle Ranch have been busy. Shot mostly in Wyoming at Pinto and Snake River Ranch, this Wells Fargo spot shows off the Wiltshires' animal training skills. The horses are Wyoming born and bred, and they look pretty dang spectacular in that backdrop.

GRAND TARGHEE OPENING WEEKEND: TGR TAKEOVER GALLERY

2013-11-27T10:54:00.000-08:00

Looks like our friends over at TGR are getting reading for the season. If the still photography on their "just for fun" day trip looks this good, we can't wait to see what the 2013/14 cinematography looks like.

By Heather Hendricks | November 27th, 2013
What happens when you take an eager group of TGR staffers who've been pent up in the office for far too long—and have zero resort days under their belts this season—and unleash them on a resort just kicking off the season? The answer: unabashed awesomeness and what can otherwise be referred to as the TGR Takeover of Grand Targhee.

The Ghee, located on the western slope of the Tetons in Alta, Wyoming, kicked off its 45th season this past weekend by opening 100% of its terrain and all five lifts. Early season storms dumped over 97” of snow prior to the weekend, allowing for a 47” base and pristine pow for the first weekend of the season. Knowing this, a TGR crew assembled quickly to plan a weekend attack....

Click here for the full article.

Wyoming's Landscape Locations

2013-11-25T11:21:00.001-08:00

The Cowboy State has some of the best small town locations in the American west. We've got all kinds of industrial, lots of historical, and more than a few residential looks for your filming needs. But even as we fill out the corners of our location library, it's important to remember Wyoming's biggest draw: the spectacular and diverse landscapes.

Check out the shots below, then click through for the full Reel-Scout listings.

Hell's Half Acre

Red Canyon

Killpecker Dune Fields

Shoshone National Forest

Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Loop

Hole-in-the-Wall near Willow Creek Ranch

Snowy Range

WSFC Entry: Western Wandering

2013-11-22T11:15:00.001-08:00

In the 2012 Wyoming Short Film Contest, the Film Office offered a Filmmaker’s Choice Award giving contest entrants the opportunity to recognize a fellow filmmaker. The winner of the award, and the associated $5,000, was filmmaker Mark Pedri.

Mark Pedri takes his camera and survival gear on a 700-mile mountain bike ride around Wyoming to discover what truly defines the state he was born and raised in. From the desert to the mountains, sunshine and rain, he sets out with an idea about what he thinks defines his state, only to find out that he only knew half of the real story about Wyoming.

Keep an eye out for the launch of the 2014 contest in January.

UW Hosts Film Event to Improve Food Inequality Awareness

2013-11-20T11:20:00.001-08:00

It's always nice to read about film that does some good in the world. Especially around the holidays. If you've in Laramie tonight, drop by, bring some canned goods, and enjoy a documentary.

The documentary film “A Place at the Table” will be shown at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, in the University of Wyoming Union Family Room.

As part of National Hunger and Homelessness Week, the documentary sheds light on issue of hunger in America by observing the lives of three people struggling with food insecurity.

An open panel discussion about the documentary and hunger issues that exist within the Laramie community follows the film.

In conjunction with the event, a food drive is planned as well. Nonperishable food items will be collected and can be dropped off at Washakie Dining Center, the Wyoming Union information desk or the Service, Leadership and Community Engagement (SLCE) office in the lower level of the Wyoming Union.

For the full article and screening information, click here.

"Nebraska" Opens to Oscar Buzz

2013-11-19T10:33:00.000-08:00

The reviews are in, and Alexander Payne's Nebraska is already garnering some attention from Academy prognosticators. No small part of that buzz comes from the filmmaker's measured, deliberate style. As one of the few modern directors to emphasize script and performance over spectacle, Payne allows his scenes to move and breathe. Given the shot in wide-screen black-and-white cinematography at work in Nebraska, the marriage of image and subject matter play beautifully onscreen. Wyoming's locations come through with a lovely sort of desolation, all wide space and moody clouds.

Check out the trailer below, then see it for yourself this week in theaters.

Anthropologie at Turtle Ranch

2013-11-15T08:41:00.002-08:00

While Wyoming boasts hundreds of ranches, each one more scenic than the last, only one of them is set up specifically as a filming location. That's what makes Turtle Ranch one of the state's premiere filming destinations. They're the folks behind the famous Budweiser Clydesdales, the Merrill Lynch bull, and the Chevy mustangs. And in addition to being the home of some seriously skilled animal trainers, the ranch itself looks pretty amazing. Anthropologie's fall catalog offers a few examples.

Check the stills here, and you can watch the video below:

Dubois chosen as location for a western feature film: Old Western Town feel attracted filmmakers

2013-11-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

Looks like our 2013 contest winners are attracting some press. We can't wait to see the finished product!

(Dubois, Wyo.) – Starting May 2014, a modern day western feature film titled “Cardinal Matter” will be shot in Dubois by the winners of the 2013 Wyoming Short Film Contest, sponsored by The Wyoming Film Office. The group of L.A. based film-makers including Director Madeline Puzzo, Producer/Cinematographer Mark Christian, and Writer Tom Major won the prestigious award and a $25,000 Grand Prize to produce another film (which will be “Cardinal Matter”) in Wyoming.

According to Producer/Cinematographer Mark Christian, the new movie will tell the story of a migrant worker who comes to a small Wyoming town looking for work and to reconnect with his cousin...

Click here for the full article.

Wyoming’s last drive-in movie theater clings to the ‘50s

2013-11-08T15:44:00.001-08:00

By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013 | 2 a.m.

POWELL, Wyo. — The autumn moon has taken its seat low in the evening sky as the cars arrive at Wyoming’s last drive-in theater. Pokey Heny stands ready to indulge in another night of small-town sociability.

At 52, the owner of the American Dream Drive-in leans out of the snack bar door to collect a $15 per-vehicle entry fee. She greets people by their first names, telling a 4-year-old girl she likes her stuffed hippo, named Martha. Then a single mother and daughter roll up in an aging pickup. Heny lets them in for 10 bucks.

She looks out toward the big screen looming in the twilight and sees families sprawled on car hoods, in lawn chairs and the beds of backed-in trucks — dogs crouched between toddlers buried under woolen blankets. And she smiles, knowing she’s helping to preserve a vital ritual in this ranching town of 6,000 residents near the Montana border.

The venture opened in 1949 as Wyoming’s first drive-in. Today business plays out like a Saturday night thriller: the future in doubt as Heny battles studios seeking to increase profits and drive-ins’ dwindling popularity. This year, as Hollywood switches to a digital format, replacing standard 35-millimeter prints at drive-ins countrywide, she faced a reel dilemma — go modern or go dark...

For the full article, click here.

Wyoming Film Office Crew Newsletter, Fall 2013

2013-11-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

Just New Website

We just finished our website redesign, and it's up and running this week. The new site has all the same functionality as the previous version, but a few touches to make it more friendly to tourists as well as crew. Film Tourism, after all, is a major part of our mission. Check it out atwww.filmwyoming.com, and feel free to let us know what you think! Send any comments or criticisms to info@filmwyoming.com.

2014 Wyoming Short Film Contest

The Wyoming Short Film Contest is back for 2014, and once again we're utilizing the tried and true Strutta platform. It's always a highlight of our year when we get to see the talent on display in the Cowboy State, and 2014 should be bigger and better than ever. The prize is still $25,000, and our launch date is mid-January. Keep an eye out for further announcements on the blog.

'Nebraska' Premiere

Alexander Payne's latest feature may have an out-of-state name, but it's got some great Wyoming content. You might recall the production stills from the shoot at the Lake Stop near Buffalo, and you may have seen the trailer already. If you didn't have the chance to see the premiere at Cannes though, you can still catch the American premiere this November 22nd.

Call for Guest Bloggers

We may not have the distribution of the New York Times, but the Film Office blog is a great source for film news. Whether it's announcing casting calls, featuring local production, or showing off new location photography, it's our goal to serve the Wyoming filmmaker community.

The blog is here to act as your bull horn, talking up your latest project or idea. If you'd like a little exposure, just write a few paragraphs, take a few shots, or send a reel to info@filmwyoming.com. We'll be happy to feature you and your content

Film Industry Financial Incentive

Our Film Industry Financial Incentive (FIFI) program is still on the books, and it represents a great opportunity for Wyoming filmmakers. The incentive is a cash rebate program for production companies of up to 15% on dollars spent in the state of Wyoming during a film shoot. You've got to spend a minimum amount of $200,000 to qualify and then meet additional criteria to determine the rebate percentage between 12- 15%. What you may not know is that we allow bundling. If you spend $200K on multiple in-state shoots over the course of the year, we allow you to submit those projects all together. Give it another look on our website. That $200K minimum may not be as difficult as you think.

Update Your Crew Listing

One of the most important functions of the Wyoming Film Office is connecting crew with production, and one of our most important tools in that endeavor is our Online Database of Crew & Support Services. Log in and update your profile with new credits and updated contact information. It's our job to get you hired, and this is the best way we know how. If you're having trouble with the login, just email Colin Stricklin at info@filmwyoming. com. He can walk you through the process.

Film Familiarization Tours

If you follow our blog, you know all about the fam tours we run. In short, we hand pick a few industry VIPs -- location managers, producers, production designers, etc. -- load them into cars, and shuttle them around the best filming locations Wyoming has to offer. The idea is to impress the out-of-towners and bring production back to the state. To that end, if you have any clients or contacts that might benefit from such a trip, we'd love to hear about it. Send your suggestions to info@filmwyoming.com, and we'll add you to our guest list.

Film Office Changes

The Wyoming Office of Tourism recently restructured and former Film Office Manager, Michell Howard is now the Director of Strategic Partnerships. She will still oversee the film program in addition to looking for partnerships to leverage the Wyoming tourism brand. Colin Stricklin also received a new title as the Film Production Senior Coordinator and will be your main point of contact for all film projects. We moved to our new offices last September, and we got rid of the 800 number. The most up to date contact info for the WFO is:

WYOMING FILM OFFICE

5611 High Plains Road

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007

Phone: (307) 777-3400

info@filmwyoming.com

Colin Stricklin

(307) 777-2854

(307) 214-4416 cell

colin.stricklin@wyo.gov

Lights, camera, action for Jackson women in film

2013-11-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

2011 WY Short Film Contest Winner Jennifer Tennican

We just found this great article about Jennifer Tennican and the other fabulous female filmmakers that call Jackson home. Check it out:

Jennifer Tennican likes to watch ski porn, but making it is not the filmmaker’s cup of tea.

When she first moved to the Jackson Hole from New England, that was more of a problem for her professional life , she said.

“I didn’t see a lot of people doing the work that I was doing and that I wanted to do,” Tennican said. “I saw a lot of people d oing high-level, beautifully shot sports film, but what engages me is if I feel engaged with a character, with a st ory.”

Now, eight years after starting her own video production company, JenTen Productions, she is part of a community of women filmmakers who work together, making room for their kind of film in Jackson Hole.

A volunteering gig at the Alpinist Film Festival introduced a few of the women in the valley at the time to one another. Between climbing, skiing and enjoying the valley’s other outdoor activities, each of those women knew a few other women involved in some aspect of filmmaking, and a community formed, Tennican said.

Now, though mo st of those women have independent work and some of them, like Tennican, own their own studios, partnering for all or some of a project is the norm, rather than the exception.

Traditional ski and sport films are still alive and well, and the valley’s filmmaking women are on their production teams from time to time. And some of Jackson’s filmmaking women take the helm on sport film projects.

However, unlike the early days of Tennican’s valley residency, when conventional sports films dominated, those films are thrown into a movie genre mix that includes Tennican’s short film on the Stagecoach Bar and Grill, Melinda Binks’ humanitarian and environmental documentaries and Leigh Regan and Bonnie Kreps’ PBS special about Latinas in Wyoming.

“The key to working on film in Jackson is collaboration,” said Marni Walsh, owner of Marni Productions. “We’ve all worked together for decades now, some of us. It is an important community....”

For the full article, click here.

Wyoming's Gorgeous Tribal Locations

2013-11-01T14:35:00.001-07:00

Until recently, the number of tribal locations in our database was shamefully low. We've finally gotten around to scouting Wind River Indian Reservation, and many of these locations are gorgeous. Check out the shots below, then hit Reel-Scout for the full listings.

Sacajewa Cemetery

Wind River Boys and Girls Club

Northern Arapaho Powwow Grounds

Shoshone Episcopal Mission

St. Josheph's Church

Little Wind Casino

'Cardinal Matter:' An Indiegogo Project

2013-10-30T08:59:00.002-07:00

The winners of the 2013 Wyoming Short Film Contest are in preproduction for their follow-up project, a full-fledged feature called "Cardinal Matter." They're also in need of a little funding.

In the filmmakers' words:

We need donations and sponsors. We are estimating that the minimal cost for the production is $50,000. Due to Requited winning the Wyoming Short Film Contest, we were awarded $25,000 and are half way to our budget. The Cardinal Matter team believes that a project shouldn't be made unless it is done correctly, and this film cannot be made without the additional $15,000 we are trying to raise here. This indiegogo funding will be used to cover location costs, equipment rental, insurance, lodging, craft services, costumes, props, pyrotechnician and stunt coordinator, post production, original musical score, and more. Without this money, we will not be able to make this project. None of this money goes to the filmmakers themselves. Every penny donated will go into the production in order to make the best possible product.

You can find out more about the project or provide funding over at their Indiegogo Site.

Borrowing Against Incentives

2013-10-28T09:30:00.001-07:00

"Can I borrow against my incentive money?"

We've had this question from a number of producers, and until very recently our answer was always the same: I suppose you could, but good luck finding a lender. Today, we can finally give you a proper answer: Yes you can, and here are the guys that can do it.

3 Point Capital, LLC is a lender specializing in exactly this service. With offices in New York and LA, they lend money up front against the anticipated receipt of tax credits. They've done credits in 11 states so far and are always looking to expand. And yes folks, Wyoming's cash rebate applies as well.

Give them a look: www.3pointcapital.com. They could easily be a part of your next funding package.

Abandoned Wyoming

2013-10-25T16:02:00.001-07:00

From ghost towns to missile silos, the cowboy state has a number of gorgeous abandoned locations. Here are just a few of the highlights.

Jeffrey City, a (mostly) abandoned uranium mining town.

Sunrise, Population 1

Old Superior Union Hall Ruins

Midwest Power Plant

Piedmont Kilns and Ghost Town

Belvoir Ranch Missile Silos

WSFC Entry: Why Are We Here

2013-10-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

This animated short asks a simple questions: "What brings you to Wyoming?" Filmmaker Houston Guy staked out a spot in the town square in Jackson Hole and asked his question. The result was a fascinating, and often funny look at the people that come to the cowboy state.

This short was an entry in the 2013 Wyoming Short Film Contest. To find out more about the contest and its $25,000 Grand Prize, visit http://wyomingshortfilmcontest.com/.

Brain Farm: Snaproll AUV

2013-10-21T11:16:00.001-07:00

Jackson-based production company Brain Farm has teamed up with the aerial footage innovators at SnapRoll to explore the possibilities of drone-based cinematography. If the demo reel is anything to go by, those possibilities pretty danged impressive:

From the YouTube description:

Brain Farm Digital Cinema and Snaproll Media have teamed up to bring you the very best the industry has to offer in unmanned aerial cinematography. With Snaproll's cutting edge technology in the UAV cinematography market and Brain Farm's production expertise we'll be able to provide unparalleled and awe inspiring imagery never captured before. We have multiple systems in house for all of your UAV needs.

Speaking for the Film Office, we couldn't be more excited to see what this technology can do here in Wyoming. Brain Farm has a strong track record in the action sports and documentary genres, and this technology can only make them stronger.

KGB's "Wyoming Triumph"

2013-10-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Snow and cold are closing in for the season, and it's just about time to break out that winter photography gear. Sure it's dismal and gray, but the guys over at KGB have just the medicine for those winter blues. Check out this 26 minute edit of KGB's "Wyoming Triumph." If it doesn't get you stoked for winter, nothing will.

WYoming Triumph-26min edit from KGB Productions on Vimeo.

So What's the Weather Like in Wyoming?

2013-10-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Every year in the fall, this office gets a number of phone calls from panicky producers: Is there snow? Will there be snow? When should I show up if I want snow? THE FATE OF MY CATALOG SHOOT DEPENDS ON IT!!

It's always tough to answer these questions with any degree of confidence. We can point folks towards our many web cams for the what's-it-like-right-now questions, and we can talk about climate patterns in general. But if you're looking to know "when is the snow coming this year?" there's only one place to go.

The National Weather Service in Riverton is always available as a resource. Just give them a call and ask to talk to a lead forecaster. They're used to advising hunters and guides about upcoming storm fronts, and those guys ask surprisingly similar questions to filmmakers. Here's the website, and here's the contact info:

National Weather Service
Western and Central Wyoming Weather Forecast Office
12744 West U.S. Hwy 26 \
Riverton, WY 82501
307-857-3898