Production Notes for "Wyoming Yodeler"

Filmmaker Jennifer Tennican discusses "Wyoming Yodeler," an honorable mention in this year Wyoming Short Film Contest.

About six weeks before the deadline for the Wyoming Short Film Contest, several of my filmmaking friends and I decided we should submit something, so we began brainstorming. We were all up to our necks in work with hideous deadlines, but after doing the math we realized that we would have about one week to shoot and one week to edit our film. Had we been in our right minds, we wouldn’t have gone through with the idea of making a film on such a ridiculously short schedule. Obviously, we need adult supervision the next time a film competition comes along.

Luckily, one member of our group had written a book about “Wyoming Curiosities” which included a piece on Bill Briggs. That brief piece convinced us that Bill met our qualifications for the subject of a short film: a compelling personality, the patience to help a gaggle of women do a short film, and a home in Jackson Hole close to us all. Bill has a joyful quality about him – he throws himself into what he loves and two things he loves are skiing and music. He has been a pioneer in both. We began to see parallels between the two and wanted to explore those parallels in our film. As the first person to ski the Grand and the “father” of extreme skiing, Bill has had no shortage of coverage of his skiing over the years. However, our feeling was that there had never been a portrait of Bill that gave equal weight to his music or that focused on the parallels between his music and his skiing.

During the filming, I think I found myself more drawn to the music, while Marni found herself more drawn to the skiing. On more than one occasion, my “higher than normal tolerance” for yodeling was mentioned. The fact that we were drawn to different aspects of his story probably benefited the film.

Because of the short shooting schedule, we picked one person from each of Bill’s “worlds” to interview: Jim Sullivan, for the skiing, and John Cooke, for the music. Jim, the general manager of the Snow King ski area, had just had eye surgery and we inadvertently set up his interview outside so that he stared directly into a bright sun. We questioned him relentlessly until he begged for his sunglasses (see “Wyoming Yodeler” outtakes). John is a musician, an author and a good (if not, by his own admission, always a concise) storyteller. He, perhaps in part because he didn’t have to stare into a bright sun, enjoyed having an audience of three woman filmmakers hanging on his every word. We also managed to squeeze in a short interview with Virginia Huidekoper, a real Wyoming personality. Even at seventy something and attached to an oxygen tank, I still suspect that she could wipe the floor with either Jim or John.

We of course also interviewed Bill and took footage of him playing music and skiing. I filmed twice at the Stagecoach Bar and was able to capture him in his element – playing the banjo and autoharp and yodeling up a storm. I also received some uninvited comments from the peanut gallery about the quality of my hindquarters given that I was occasionally blocking the audience seated at the bar.

In the end the most nerve-wracking part of filming was trying to get footage of Bill skiing. Our shooting schedule dictated that the skiing be shot last, so we were dealing with waning spring conditions. For reasons of time and safety, we were reduced to filming on Snow King. Ah…Snow King in the spring, after the lifts have closed. Between the lung-burning bootpack up, marginal snow conditions and the “gifts” left by dogs, Snow King can be quite a challenge.

Bill was a gracious subject and invited us into his world with the enthusiasm of a teenager. All of our interview subjects were patient, thoughtful and gave us insight into Bill’s personality. Making “Wyoming Yodeler” was an utter joy. I am delighted that none of us did the sensible thing and never launched our effort on its nearly-impossible schedule.

Film Notes: "WYO Pulp"

Filmmaker Trey Chace gives a few details on his career and his film "WYO Pulp," an honorable mention in the 2009 Wyoming Short Film Contest.

This film is entirely based on Westerns shot in Wyoming. There are the names of 21 historical Wyoming films hidden in the script. I enjoyed this year's contest, and I'm looking forward to trying again in 2010.

In the mean time, I am still working on getting more funding for a feature here in Jackson. I have about 70k, but need 250k...so in this economy, the outlook is grim for me at the moment. On a lighter note, my last film, 'Snow Many Possibilities' is on the film festival tour, and getting well received. It was also an entry in the 2009 contest, so you can check it out below:

Also, my older 35mm drama, 'Wonderful Wonderful' is now being used in many eating disorder clinics around the globe, as well as high school use for therapy. I definitely miss the Jackson Hole Film Festival where I was the director of education and media; but I am happy to get back into production.

Lifetime Achievement Award for Dr. Richard Leaky

The highest honor bestowed by the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, will be awarded to Dr. Richard Leakey, this October.

"...Dr. Leakey's visit was one of the best
experiences I've ever had in my nearly 20 years of
lecture programming. He is a consummate
professional; warm and charming, firm yet
gracious. Rarely, if ever, have I heard a speaker
impact such a vast body of knowledge without
losing his audience for even a moment. Dr. Leakey
is that remarkable gem of a speaker who entertains
as well as he educates."

Paleoanthropologist, politician and political activist and environmentalist Richard Leakey has been making international headlines for more than 40 years.

As Director of Kenya’s National Wildlife Service, Leakey was called on to rescue the country’s chaotic park system and combat an epidemic of rhinoceros and elephant poaching. He created well-armed anti-poaching units when gentler measures failed, to counter well-armed poachers who had the upper hand for years. In 1989, Leakey staged a dramatic burning of 12 tons of confiscated tusks, setting the stage to stabilize Kenya’s elephant population.

After surviving a plane crash that cost him both his legs, Leakey founded an opposition party, Safina, to combat the corruption of the Kenya government and to advocate for reforms and better government. Subjected to constant harassment, death threats and even beatings by the regime’s supporters, he became a member of Parliament, where he continued to press for constitutional and legal reforms. Later he resigned from Parliament to take up the challenge of heading Kenya’s Civil Service and serving as the Secretary to the Cabinet, to campaign against corruption in the civil service and he secured a resumption of international aid. Now retired from politics, he remains a passionate and effective advocate for the environment, for the rights of the disabled, and for the cause of democracy in his beloved Kenya.

Now a Professor of Anthropology at Stony Brook University and an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London (FRS) in 2007, Leakey recently founded WildlifeDirect, an online service that supports conservationists and allows anyone to play a role in the survival of the world’s most endangered species. He initiated the Turkana Basin Institute at Stony Brook University which is a multidisciplinary research institution.

Now accepting nominations for speakers and topics. Please email Lisa Samford at lisa@jhfestival.org with suggestions.

JHWFF Blog

We've plugged them a time or two before, but here's the link you really want.

Get the latest news about Wyoming's premiere natural history film festival straight from the source.

And for the sake of completeness, here's the official site too.

Film Notes: “Between Earth and Sky”

Filmmaker Jeff Shrin discusses his film "Between Earth and Sky," an entry in the 2009 Wyoming Short Film Contest.

This short film is based on the three years I have been involved with studying and filming various western furniture designers while working for the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming. My goal in continuing with this study is to promote awareness of these uniquely "Western" style artisans and their craft.

Wyoming's dynamic beauty and wonder have had a great influence on my film work and will be integrated into many future Jedo's Junction productions.

During this process I have discovered some very unique demographics and history in the creation of western art and craft including, not just furniture design, but also sculpture, painting and music and it has been my privilege to be involved in many short documentaries on these subjects.

I'd like to thank Jimmy Covert, the subject of this short film and all those other truly talented artisans I have worked with on various projects over the last decade.

As for the location of this short subject, it was filmed in the arroyos below Meeteetsee, Wyoming and the B Roll clips and photographs were captured throughout northwestern Wyoming in HDV and HD formats.

The title still was supplied by Pat Honstain, a longtime Wyoming photographer. The music is one of my compositions titled: “MT Whitney˝.

In June of this year, four of my short documentaries will become part of the remodeled Whitney Gallery of Western Art at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody.

Say It With Me Wyoming: Film Is Good

USA
Field of Dreams; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; Napoleon Dynamite; Forrest Gump; Sideways

How did Dyersville, Iowa, transform from a tiny town (population 3,825) in 1989, into a tourist mecca attracting 60,000 visitors in the space of three years? By being the home of Kevin Costner film Field of Dreams. "Movie locations have become today's historic sites," says Tony Reeves, author of The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations.

"The phenomenon has been around for a while," says Reeves, "Numbers soared at Devil's Tower national park in Wyoming after Spielberg filmed his alien rendezvous there in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And on a smaller scale, Preston, Idaho, produces a "Sweet Map of Napoleon's Preston" as a guide to the locations seen in Napoleon Dynamite.

An academic paper published in the Annals of Tourism Research a few years back concluded that a popular movie's shoot location can expect an average surge in visitors of 54%. When you consider the thousands of films shot in the States - well, you do the math.

Savannah, Georgia, is particularly renowned for its movie tours - numbers famously rocketed after it was used as the location for both Forrest Gump and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and visitor spending in the area now exceeds $1.4bn. Moral of the story: if you film it, they will come. Consider Sideways. The impact of a modest comedy about two middle-aged men going on a wine-tasting tour of California has - to put it mildly - been extraordinary. Here's a Sideways list for all you stat lovers: the film has generated over 600 media stories highlighting Santa Barbara as a travel destination - the equivalent of $4m-worth of advertising. Businesses in the wine country report an increase in trade of up to 30% since the film's release in late 2004, with wineries on the Sideways map receiving a boost of up to 42%.

For more examples of film tourism around the world, check out the full article.

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival -- Last Call!

It's not too late! With the deadline set for Monday, film submissions are still pouring into the Festival Office. Don't miss out on your chance to be part of the most prestigious competition celebrating natural history and wildlife films from around the world.

With media playing such an important role in education and outreach through museums, zoos, aquariums, and internet distribution, this year's Festival is putting a special focus on the public and nonbroadcast sector, with competition categories designed specifically for these applications.

Entries are accepted through June 15th. All Film Competition entry materials must be received by June 15.

Submission Details & Guidelines >>>

Submit a Film Online >>>

Minutia and impedimenta re: "Killpecker:Origins"

Filmmaker David J. Swift discusses his film, recently an Honorable Mention in the Wyoming Short Film Contest.

Charlie Craighead and I agreed to make a mountaineering spoof after what turned out to be the final Alpinist Film Festival in January 2008. First, we needed an idea. Charlie eventually emailed me this: "The expedition with no goal."

I was inspired enough to write a 20-page script that night -- not a word of which has been of any use.

Then we sat down with Jamie Reilly, a local actor. Charlie had a few names in mind -- Killpecker, Wamsutter -- and Jamie had his twit aristocrat in mind. We sketched an outline of events -- a dream goal, an expedition gone bad, enlightenment, and finally a newer, better expedition "with no goal."

Jamie Reilly as Lord Killpecker, lost at Killpecker Dunes with the ashes of his grandfather. That's the elder Killpecker in the urn.

Casting was pretty easy. The people we picked were perfect for their roles because we built their roles around who they are. Dr Stephen Lottridge ("The Elder Pecker") is a local psychologist and Cord Reynolds is both a character and a character actor; both have plenty of stage experience.

Jamie Reilly (as Lord Killpecker) and Dr Stephen Lottridge (as Axlerod Killpecker, LKP's grandfather) on the summit of Ama Ghana Gitja. Charlie Craighead films; we're near his house in Jackson. Shot March 2009. Might be on the flats but it should be noted that we had 30-40 mph winds this day.

In all scenes dialog was roughed out and quickly rehearsed, then shot in two or three takes.

The Red Desert sequence was shot last October. Since then we've been sporadically -- spastically -- shooting more material in those rare moments we can assemble a quorum. We're still shooting the rest, hoping to make the Banff deadline.

Charlie Craighead grabs some sunrise B-roll at Killpecker Dunes

We shot the Ama Ghana Gitja sequence in two sessions in March near Charlie Craighead's home in Jackson, where a giant John Deere had been artfully rearranging the winter's ample snowfall.

The final will be substantially different with a lot more guests -- real climbers, mostly. "Origins" was us trying to give shape to what we had in the can at your contest deadline.

Comedy Comes to Cowboy Country

Funny man Kevin Farley and Producer John Waterman were in Wyoming scouting locations for their project, Back in the Saddle, a comedy Western in the vein of Blazing Saddles.

Back in the Saddle (BitS) is the story of a train-robbing cowboy who tries to go straight. He retires to the town of Tumbleweed to live his life happily ever after. Unfortunately, rumors of an impending railroad coming to town have the jealous sheriff and ambitious mayor of Tumbleweed grabbing for gold and looking to neutralize any opposition...to their dismay, our hero comes out of retirement to ride again.

"(We were) wanting an authentic look to support the storyline" was Farley's main interest in Wyoming. "Everyone's been great. REALLY great," said Farley...for once not cracking wise. "We really appreciate the warm reception we have received here in Wyoming," said Waterman. "We knew Wyoming was business-friendly, but people have really gone out of their way to host us here and we appreciate it."

In addition to strutting their stuff in Depot Square, replete with authentic cowboy garb as a welcoming gift from the Historic Plains Hotel, the duo met with economic development personnel as well as historical curators to sample what Wyoming has to offer filmmakers.

"This movie doesn't take place in a courtroom or a submarine," said Waterman. "It takes place IN Wyoming...and by that I mean OUTSIDE...Wyoming makes perfect sense for our story". "People care about real characters, and I wanted the locations to be as real as the characters on screen," said Farley. "That said, I'd prefer to get into character by eating steak and potatoes...but, no more rocky mountain oysters!"

Contest Winner -- In His Own Words

Dillon Petrillo, Cheyenne Native and Student Filmmaker

Watch his film in the post below or at the "View 2009 Winners" link at right.

Filming "The Deer and The Antelope" was quite an interesting endeavor. It all started when I was informed of the Wyoming Short Film Competition. Long time collaborator and friend Ian Rowe and I decided that it would be pointless not to get involved. So after mulling over a few ideas, I sat down one evening and quickly worked out a draft, my two lead actors in mind, and sent it out for their approval. They liked it, we figured out our schedules, and arranged a shoot. At this time, the weather in the area was being ridiculously unpredictable. One day it would snow and the next it would heat up to the mid 60's. We had no clue what to expect on the actual scheduled days and, much to our despise, it snowed.

Originally we had a few people lined up to volunteer as crew members (since a budget of any kind was out of the question), but due to the odd hours of shooting and our production schedule's proximity to semester finals at the University of Wyoming, most of our help had to back out. We had Jaime Cruz assist on boom operation for the first night of shooting, but after that, it was literally just me running camera and boom and Mark and Ian acting.


Since the film takes place in the short amount of time between 3AM and sunrise, we had to throw any healthy sleep schedule out the window. The film was shot over the course of two days, which felt like two weeks, and consisted of shooting until 3 or 4 in the morning, sleeping for an hour, waking up to film when the sun began to rise and then sleeping from around 10AM until 4PM.

The freezing cold temperatures, my vicious sinus infection, and our overall lack of sleep aided in an extremely surreal, delirious, and uncomfortable shoot. Most of the scenes were done in one or two takes, but thankfully I was working with great actors and everything seemed to translate well through the lens. There was a lot of luck involved. We could not have asked for a more perfect sunrise at a more perfect location. There was hardly any wind, which, as all of us Wyomingites know, is a very rare occasion. Despite the discomfort, we had a lot of fun. There was plenty of laughing and joking around. On one morning, while looking for a cliff to shoot the climax, Mark and I went on a hike, climbing through rocks and snow and running into a beautiful herd of elk. I had my camera and the whole thing was completely serendipitous.


Technically speaking, the film was shot on HD using the Panasonic HVX-200 and edited with Final Cut Pro. We used one 500W light for the opening scene, a fluorescent light in the car, and natural lighting for the rest. Most of the editing was done in between shooting. All of the songs are public domain recordings provided by the United States Air Force Band and Musopen.com. We were graciously allowed to shoot the restaurant scene at Sweet Melissa's in downtown Laramie and all of the rest of the locations were in or around Laramie.


Dillon Petrillo
Writer/Director "The Deer & The Antelope"