Give us images. We will promote you.

Being based out of State Travel & Tourism as we are, the Film Office gets to attend the annual Governor's Hospitality and Tourism Conference. For three days each year we hobnob with hoteliers, CVBs, and senators, letting them all know who we are and what we do. And this year...

AND THIS BIT IS PROBABLY RELEVANT TO YOU. YES YOU.

...we've used the conference to start up our "You Can Reel-Scout" campaign. What we're doing is signing up chambers of commerce, property owners, and anybody else with a digital camera to our location library. The software is called Reel-Scout, and if you want your Wyoming property listed as a potential filming location--or if you're a location scout in need of a little extra exposure-- we would love to sign you up. Just upload your photography to the database and we'll promote your property to the industry.

Seriously. It's easy. Call us if you want to sign up: (307) 777-3400.

Sundance '09

This past weekend Sundance happened. Like every year, there were bigwigs and celebrities. There were overpriced boutiques and extremely overpriced lift tickets, along with entirely too much Thai food for a single town.

There was also a party. Monday night saw Film Office Manager Michell Howard playing hostess at the Phoenix Gallery on Main. With the swarms of producers and independent filmmakers crowding the streets, it was just a matter of opening the doors and pouring the drinks. "Oh, that's very interesting. Have you ever thought of shooting in Wyoming?"

In attendance were the Wiltshires of Turtle Ranch (www.turtleranch.net), Wyoming ranchers and world class animal trainers. Those Budweiser commercials with the Clydesdales and the dalmation? Those were Turtle Ranch Clydesdales. The dog's last name was Wiltshire.

Likewise, Mark Ducker of the Wyoming Film Festival (www.wyomingfilmfestival.org) was working the room. Based out of Saratoga, Wyoming, his festival focuses on classic westerns and the conflict of Old West vs. New West.

All things considered, it was a fine Wyoming presence at the country's premiere film festival.

Taking Chance (Dubois, Wyoming)

Based on true events, Taking Chance tells the story of Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, a marine who volunteers to escort the remains of a 19-year-old killed in Iraq, back to his family in Dubois, Wyoming. 

The film stars Kevin Bacon and Blanche Baker. The world premiere is next week at the Sundance Film Festival and will air on HBO in February. Check out the trailer here:

Come To Our Party

This is an invitation. Your invitation. If you're coming to this year's Sundance Film Festival, stop in at our reception and say hello. A printout of this image will get you in the door, and from there it's nothing but fine wine, expensive liqueur, and little blocks of cheese with toothpicks stuck in. I guess you could network with other filmmakers and industry types while you're there, but who really comes for that?

We'll be showing the winning films from last year's Wyoming Short Film Contest, making this reception an excellent way to study the competition. Sucking up to Film Office manager Michell Howard couldn't hurt either.

Wyoming: Not Just for Hollywood Anymore

It's in the legislature, it's not yet confirmed, but we're trying to tweak our incentive program. It seems that independent filmmakers, documentarians, and major Detroit auto manufacturers can't quite hit that $500,000 minimum to qualify. In these troubled economic times, we realize it's our responsibility to keep the cameras rolling. (That's right Mr. Obama. We're doing our part.)

After the next legislative session, we should have our incentive's minimum to qualify lowered to $200,000. Hopefully, this will help all of you without studio backing to take advantage of the program. So write your scripts and start filling out those applications, and you too can get that 15% cash rebate.