2010 Press & News
September 2010
Missoula-based filmmakers ready to screen major documentary about humans' complicated relationship to buffalo.
“Facing the Storm: Story of the American Bison,” a documentary by Missoula-based High Plains Films and co-produced with Independent Television Service and Montana PBS, will premier at the Kansas
International Film Festival next month. Showings will be scheduled in the West and it will eventually air on local PBS stations.
The film’s a major undertaking. It tells the epic story of human relations with the largest land mammal on the continent: its dominance, its loss and the subsequent quest to protect those that remain. It recounts the near-destruction of the species in the late 19th century--from an estimated 30 million
bison to a mere 23 individuals by 1885. It graphically exposes the annual slaughter of bison outside of
Yellowstone National Park, where the largest genetically-pure herd remains in semi-captivity. Finally,
the film explores the vision--and monumental obstacles--to restore bison to immense tracts of the Great
Plains. This involves a dramatic transformation of how we understand the Great Plains, from a utilitarian
world view to a fully-functional ecosystem that combines a lost culture with modern ecological science
and contemporary economies, and includes the full range of original species that have been largely vanquished from the region.
The film portrays the bison as icon: of a former time and inextricably linked to the Plains Indians to, perhaps, the path to the future of conservation. The world premiere in Kansas is Oct. 2. The filmmakers include Doug Hawes-Davis, who started the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Jule Banville of NewWest. To watch full-size trailer click here.
August 2010
Montana's homegrown HATCHfest, now in its 7th year, will take place in beautiful, downtown Bozeman on September 22-26. The Montana Film Office (MFO), a proud sponsor of this audio-visual arts festival, will once again host the Welcome to Montana Reception. This year the reception will be held on September 22nd at the Double T River Ranch to welcome the festival's filmmakers, groundbreakers and Hollywood veteran mentors to Montana for the four-day event. The MFO will speak to the guests about the notable production value and epic scenery that Montana offers.
Also in attendance this year is Rodrigo Prieto, Oscar nominated cinematographer, (credits include Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Babel, Brokeback Mountain, 21 Grams, and many others) who will be present.
HATCH is a year round non-profit organization, designed to develop and foster the growth of creative minds in various industries through mentorship, exposure, and networking. This year HATCH has teamed up with explore.org & The Annenberg Foundation to champion the selfless acts of others through a film competition. To learn more about the HATCH Film Festival click here.
August 2010
In June, Los Angeles producer, Marty Katz , visited Montana to conduct a location scout through south central Montana. The Montana Film Office worked with Firewater Films of Missoula to make a short, fun web series of the four-day scout.
The series highlights Montana’s diversity, cinematic locations and experienced, professional crew. It features clips with State Representative Robert Ebinger, Location Scout and Manager Rob Story, J.P. Gabriel of Filmlites Montana, Yarrow Kraner of Chisel Industries and others. And there are some pretty funny and interesting moments captured throughout.
The series is being broadcast over the next two months via YouTube. A new webisode will be released every two weeks and posted at www.youtube.com/montanafilm.
Click here to watch the web series.
August 19, 2010
DOW to Feature Great Falls in Commercials
Great Falls is the first city to be featured in a national ad campaign featuring great cities around the country.
The Sip-N-Dip Lounge at the O'Haire Motor Inn will be one of the locations around the Electric City featured in the campaign, as the Dow Chemical company wanted to introduce their foam sealant product called "Great Stuff" to regular homeowners.
Great Falls was chosen as the first city for its classic American look and unique locations such as the Sip-N-Dip. Amy Millslagle, a marketing executive for Dow, noted, "It's got a wonderful history to it, lots of different great places where we can go shoot, and it's a really beautiful place overall. And then finally, you can't ignore, Great Falls, great stuff!"
Shelley Lighter, sales director at the O'Haire Motor Inn, said, "I'm so excited about it, being the sales director here at the O'Haire, and promoting the Sip-N-Dip. It's a unique destination into Great Falls, people like to come and see it."
An ad that's currently running introduces the campaign and the visit to Great Falls; commercials featuring the footage shot in Great falls will start airing in the fall.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Alex Grubb of KRTV.
August 16, 2010
Great Falls Featured in National Ad Campaign for Fortune 500 Company
It’s not every day that our region gets national attention, let alone at the hands of a Fortune 500 company. But that’s the case this week in Great Falls, as the city provides the backdrop to a national ad campaign.
The Dow Chemical Company is a “$45 billion global specialty chemical, advanced materials, agro sciences and plastics company based in Midland, Michigan.”
This week, the company is here in Great Falls, as the city stars in a national ad campaign being shot throughout the week.
“I was kind of curious to what Dow Chemical would have to do with Great Falls, Montana,” notes Rosanne Rains, Membership Director for the Great Falls Chamber of Commerce, who was contacted roughly three weeks ago by Dow Chemical’s advertising company.
Explains Joey Peters of Weber Shandwick, “We did a national search, and obviously the Great Falls, Great Stuff connection was there, but as we started researching the town we fell in love with it. The architecture, the people, some of the stories here.”
The Dow Chemical Company kicked off production today, after selecting Great Falls for what they call its “iconic American backdrop and charm.”
With no celebrities and no actors, the national ad campaign will feature real residents in both print and online campaigns.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by the KFBB News Team.
August 10, 2010
Man V. 'Jumboli'
If Butte is hungry for attention, then a food television show is bound to whet its appetite.
The Mining City's unique fare is expected to be featured next month in an episode of the Travel Channel's popular show "Man V. Food." City officials and workers at a local restaurant confirmed Monday that a production crew from "Man V. Food" was in town over the weekend to film a segment.
The "Man V. Food" reality show features Adam Richman, who travels to cities around the country and samples the foods unique to those places. Richman highlights each episode with an eating challenge, usually involving consumption of a large amount of food in a short time.
Jennifer Hardman, manager at Trimbo's Off the Hook Pizza, 43 E. Park St., said Richman and his crew were in the Uptown Butte restaurant filming him attempting to eat its five-pound "Jumboli." The challenge was to see if Richman could eat the entire stromboli within an hour.
Hardman said they are sworn to secrecy on the result of the challenge. However, she was told the episode
featuring Butte - and the result of Richman's eating challenge - is set to air Sept. 21 on the Travel Channel.
Travel Channel officials could not be reached Monday to confirm the date, or the Butte episode.
Hardman said almost 100 people packed into the pizzeria to watch the challenge.
"The crowd was really great," she said. "Rooting (Richman) on and hooting and hollering."
Richman put on a good show, according to Hardman.
"Adam is hilarious. He was just so funny," she said.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by John Grant Emeigh from The Montana Standard.
August 10, 2010
Montana Film Office Releases Episode 2 of Web Series, "Montana. The Ultimate Location"
The Montana Film Office captures Montana's authentic Old West in the second webisode of its newly released web series, featuring Hollywood producer Marty Katz's Montana scouting adventure. View "Episode Two: The Authentic West" at http://youtube.com/montanafilm.
The second webisode of the Montana Film Office’s Studio 406 web series, "Montana. The Ultimate Location," is now available for viewing at http://youtube.com/montanafilm. "Episode Two: The Authentic West“ follows Hollywood film producer Marty Katz and the team from the Montana Film Office as they visit the authentic Old West, come to grips with the size of the American Bison, meet a grizzly bear and take a helicopter scout over the Crazy Mountains.
Hosted by the Montana Film Office as the winner of the Studio 406 Familiarization Trip Giveaway, Katz’s expedition is documented in a five-part web series. “Through the web series, filmmakers can see what Marty saw — beautiful Rocky Mountain landscapes, diverse shooting opportunities and skilled crew — all wrapped up in Montana’s Studio 406 incentive package,” said Sten Iversen, Montana Film Office manager.
The trip for Katz was also a scouting opportunity for one of his newest projects, "Blizzards" (working title). “I first visited Montana in the late ‘80s and was impressed then by the state’s unbelievable landscape,” said Katz, “and was pleased to see that Montana continues to unlock its creative potential and offer solid economic benefits to productions.”
Click here for a PDF of the full article from PRWeb.
July 2010
Local Filmmaker to Screen Inca Trail Documentary at Emerson Cultural Center
BOZEMAN, MT, January 20, 2010 – Jason Burlage, a Bozeman local and MSU alum, will screen his documentary film, Mi Chacra (My Land) at the Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture on July 29th at 7:00pm. The screening will be the film’s Bozeman premiere. Burlage will be in attendance and will answer questions after the screening. Mi Chacra world premiered at the Starz Denver Film Festival last November to two sold out audiences, screened at the 2010 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula, and had its international premiere at the recent It’s All True International Documentary Film Festival in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The film has also screened in Peru at the Museo de la Nación in Lima, and the Museo Casa Garcilaso in Cusco. With breathtaking views of the Peruvian Andes as a backdrop, the film tells the story of Feliciano, an indigenous Peruvian farmer who works as a porter on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in hopes of some day taking his son to live in the city. Framed by the seasons, Mi Chacra chronicles one year in Feliciano’s life, from the planting season in his community to the harvest, and through a season of work on the Inca Trail. It paints a vivid picture of this man’s world, of the conflict between his love of the land and the desire to see his son living what he sees as a better life in the city.
Burlage grew up in southeast Idaho and moved to Bozeman in 1992 to study film in the Media and Theatre Arts program at Montana State University. Mi Chacra is Burlage’s first feature documentary. He originally went to Peru as staff and then director for a program that conducted community service projects in small villages in the Sacred Valley. It was during one trip that a Peruvian friend told him about the situation of the porters on the Inca Trail and the disappearing culture of the indigenous people. Many porters are subsistence farmers who leave their communities to work on the trail and have difficulty adapting to the outside world. Burlage was struck by this story and knew there was a film to be made. He spent a total of five months filming Feliciano and his family.
In a recent review in the Huffington Post, Stewart Nusbaumer wrote, “Director Jason Burlage delivers stunning expansive mountainous scenery with an intimate human focus, which sucks us into this isolated corner of the world and a couple's difficult decision. This is independent film making at its best; taking us far away...uncovering the diversity in the world that reveals what we all have in common.”
Tickets for the screening will be $10, and can be purchased at the door. Mi Chacra is his first feature documentary. For more information, contact Jason Burlage at jason@michacrafilm.com or visit the film's website at www.michacrafilm.com or Facebook page.
Click here to view full press release.
June 26, 2010
Thousands Line Up for 'Antiques Roadshow"
Bob Murphy came away from Saturday’s “Antiques Roadshow” taping in Billings quite pleased with the results.
A folk art collector from Albion, Idaho, Murphy and his wife drove seven hours to Billings to have a few items appraised by experts at the traveling television show. Among those items was an old wooden birdcage, built in 1882, they picked up a few years ago at a used furniture store for $175.
An appraiser at Saturday’s show told him the cage was worth between $4,000 and $5,000. The show’s producers also decided to tape the appraisal, which could be included in one of three episodes scheduled to air early next year.
“I was hoping it’s worth $800,000,” Murphy joked. “But absolutely, I’m happy with how it turned out. Now, it’ll go back to its place in our house.”
“Antiques Roadshow” is PBS’s top-rated primetime show and draws about 10 million weekly viewers. The popular TV show brings about 75 appraisers to cities around the country and people bring in their objects — including such items as old guns, jewelry, furniture and toys — to find out how much they’re worth. Billings was the second stop on a six-city tour for the show’s 2011 season.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Zach Benoit of the Billings Gazette.
June 2010
Upcoming Festivals
Los Angeles Film Festival
The Montana Film Office will be a sponsor at the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival (LAFF) held June 17-27 in downtown LA, returning as the host of the invitation-only reception for the LAFF filmmakers on Monday, June 21st from 6:00pm–9:00pm at the Standard Hotel.
Produced by Film Independent, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to promoting and supporting independent films and filmmakers, LAFF has grown into a world-class event, uniting new filmmakers with critics, scholars, film masters and the movie-loving public. Held annually in June, it showcases the best of American and international cinema, drawing an expected attendance of 85,000. More than 100 feature films–narrative and documentary–are featured in the Festival, alongside gala premieres, panels and seminars, short film programs, music video showcases, free outdoor screenings, live musical performances and unique signature events. To learn more about LAFF festival events click here.
June 2010
Recent Projects
Grizzly Creek Films' landmark new television series, “Expedition Wild”, is currently airing on the National Geographic Wild Channel on Mondays at 10:00pm ET/PT.
The seven-part series features Montana native and naturalist, Casey Anderson, as he ventures across North America’s diverse wilderness to observe bear behaviors that he will teach to his six-foot, 800-pound grizzly bear best friend, Brutus.
Last American Cowboy
The Montana Film Office is proud to announce that Animal Planet’s new original series "Last American Cowboy" began airing on Monday, June 7. This epic adventure follows three families of tough, tenacious and headstrong cowboys through freak storms, deadly outbreaks of disease, hungry predators and forest fires that threaten their livelihood. Each ranch will need to rely on family bonds and personal strength to keep this tradition of the American West alive.
"Last American Cowboy" thrusts viewers into the glorious landscape of Montana and the remarkable world of cattle ranching. For these families it comes down to one paycheck per year, and they will do whatever it takes to continue to live and to share the life they love.
America: The Story of Us
The History Channel’s 12-part one-hour series “America: The Story of Us” filmed around Livingston and Bozeman last fall.
The series premiered on April 25 and was introduced by President Obama. “America: The Story of Us” depicts the historical events about the birth of America dating back to the Jamestown settlement through current day.
The series ended May 31, but you can watch full episodes online. If you happened to catch episodes six and 11, you were witness to aerial beauty shots of Montana that included wild horses and bison running, high mountain lake flyovers, and the jagged sunset peaks of the Beartooth Mountains.
June 3, 2010
Film tour stops in Helena
It began in 2008 when Mike Dion set off on the 2,745-mile Tour Divide Mountain Bike Race along the Continental Divide from Banff, Canada, to the Mexican border. Nearly a month later, he and his crew had shot more than 200 hours of video, covering the longest off-pavement bike race in the world. In the end, he boiled it down to an 80 minute documentary dubbed “Ride the Divide.”
“As a cyclist, I knew I was going to do the race and document it with a small HD camera,” Dion said Wednesday.
“But some serendipitous things came into play,” he continued. “Instead of being a home movie shot from my perspective, I put together a crew and we created a documentary.”
Shortly before the race was set to begin in Banff, Dion teamed up with film director Hunter Weeks, a fellow Denver resident who shot “10 Miles per Hour,” a documentary about a road trip from Seattle to Boston on a Segway scooter. Logistically, covering a bike race over 30 days and 3,000 miles — biking, Jeeping and hiking through the rugged Rockies from Canada to Mexico to film the action — wouldn’t be easy.
But Dion, an avid mountain biker familiar with the Rockies, knew that going in...
A Montana State University film school graduate, Dion believes he has a winner in “Ride the Divide.”
The film scored the best adventure film at the Vail Film Festival. It sold out two days at the Stars Film Center in Denver and drew a crowd of 500 at a Boulder, Colo., theater...
Dion will screen “Ride the Divide” at the Myrna Loy Center on June 14 at 7 p.m. The film also screens in Whitefish, Missoula and Bozeman.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Martin Kidston of the Helena IR.
May 2010
Film Office Wins Marketing Awards
The Montana Film Office won several awards for their marketing initiatives at the recently-attended Locations Trade Show in Santa Monica, CA. The AFCI Marketing & Booth Awards is a global competition encouraging film commissions to put forth winning components of their marketing and advertising campaigns.
An independent judging panel of professional marketers and entertainment industry experts assessed each entry according to the criteria and selected finalists. The Montana Film Office received awards in the following categories:
• Print Advertising – Series: 2nd place: Montana Film Office for their commercial print ad campaign.
• Digital Media: 2nd place: Montana Film Office for their e-Newsletter.
• Other/Specialty Item: 1st place: Montana Film Office for their Studio 406 collateral.
• Best Theme: 1st place: Film The West for their trade show booth. Film The West is a consortium of film commissions including Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
May 2010
"LAST AMERICAN COWBOY" BRINGS THE MAJESTY AND THE CHALLENGE OF THE WEST TO ANIMAL PLANET
Beginning June 7, Mother Nature Will Make or Break Three Montana Ranching Families in this New Series
(Silver Spring, MD, May 4, 2010) - Hidden amid the mammoth- Montana landscape are
three family-owned and operated cattle ranches and the setting of Animal Planet’s newest original
series, "Last American Cowboy". This epic adventure follows three families of tough,
tenacious and headstrong cowboys through freak storms, deadly outbreaks of disease, hungry
predators and forest fires that threaten their livelihood. Each ranch will need to rely on family bonds
and personal strength to keep this tradition of the American West alive.
Premiering Monday, June 7, at 10 PM (ET/PT), "Last American Cowboy" shares
the highs and lows of life on a ranch for the Hughes, Galt and Stucky families. From the multigenerational
ranch family committed to working only on horseback to the modern rancher who uses
high-tech equipment, all-terrain vehicles and even a helicopter to manage his massive operation to
the small nuclear family determined to persevere against all odds, all must struggle to make ends
meet and all are deeply committed to this classic way of life lived close to the land.
The Hughes family, the smallest of the three ranches, is as close to “Little House on the
Prairie” as you can get. Scott and Stacey Hughes, along with their three-year old son and nine-yearold
daughter, live on a 12,000-acre ranch and manage their herd of 500 Black Angus all alone.
Comparatively, the Galt Ranch is one of the largest cattle ranches in Montana with over 100,000
acres, 5,500 cattle and 100 horses. It is so vast that owner Bill Galt manages it from the sky in his
own helicopter. Bill and the rest of the Galt family believe technology is the future of ranching and
necessary to efficiently run a ranch of this size and caliber. Contrary to the Galt family, the Stuckys
are traditional ranchers choosing horseback over ATVs and doing most of the work by hand.
Keeping these traditions alive is deeply important to the entire clan, and as the ranch continues to
grow and expand, the Stuckys hope it will be passed down through generations.
"The families featured in "Last American Cowboy" have extraordinary and
compelling stories of grit and determination as they struggle to preserve their way of life for future
generations,” says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet Media. “The
rawness and tenacity of the American West has built their character and continues to test it
everyday, and we are privileged to offer our viewers a glimpse into an authentic way of life few get to
see first hand.”
"Last American Cowboy" thrusts viewers into the glorious landscape of Montana
and the remarkable world of cattle ranching. For these families it comes down to one paycheck per
year, and they will do whatever it takes to continue to live and to share the life they love.
Click here to read the full press release.
May 14, 2010
Documentary Revisits Glacier’s ‘Night of the Grizzlies’
The frightful "Night of the Grizzlies" story gets turned into a documentary -- a documentary that brings new information about that infamous event in the '60s when two women died from bear attacks in one night.
Aug. 13, 1967, marked one of the most tragic and important events in the history of Glacier National Park. Two women, in campsites miles apart from one another, were mauled and killed by grizzly bears, the first bear-related fatalities since the park’s inaugural year.
It is known as “Night of the Grizzlies,” a story with enough gravity to grab national headlines and cause the national park system to re-examine wildlife policies. It was also an incident forever burned into the hearts and minds of those involved, as well as the park’s widespread community. MontanaPBS is revisiting the story with the documentary, “Glacier Park’s Night of the Grizzlies,” set to debut on May 17. While the story may be familiar to many Montanans, some of the voices in the film have never been publicly heard before, said co-producer Gus Chambers.
“When we started it, we kind of realized it took 40 years for a lot of the people to want to speak about it,” Chambers said.
The documentary chronicles the series of events leading up to the deaths of Julie Helgeson and Michele Koons, two young park employees out for overnight camping trips with their friends.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Molly Priddy of the Flathead Beacon.
May 13, 2010
Montana landscape gorgeous in Made in Montana movie
“A Fork in the Road” is an enjoyable but formulaic action comedy, but the Montana scenery was gorgeous. That’s the short verdict on this breezy Made in Montana movie that premiered at the Myrna Loy last Thursday. “Fork” has already been released on DVD. A theatrical run is possible, but unlikely, say the filmmakers. That’s the short verdict on this breezy Made in Montana movie that premiered at the Myrna Loy last Thursday. “Fork” has already been released on DVD. A theatrical run is possible, but unlikely, say the filmmakers.
The VIP showing at 6 p.m. was followed by a free public showing at 8:15 p.m. More than 130 people scooped up free tickets for the free screening. Gov. Brian Schweitzer introduced the film, which had been encouraged and supported by the Montana Film Office. Writer/director Jim Kouf then thanked everyone for the opportunity to make a film here.
“It was a pleasure to work in Montana,” he said. “We plan to do more, if we can. Even if you don’t like the story, we know you’ll like the scenery.”
“Fork in the Road” was directed by Jim Kouf, a major Hollywood writer/director (“Rush Hour,” “National Treasure”) who owns a ranch in Darby. Kouf’s cousin, Bart Bartkowski, served as executive producer. Lynn Bigelow, who is married to Jim, also served as a producer. Al DiFiore was a co-writer. All four — Jim, Lynn, Bart and Al — were present at the Myrna Thursday to say hello and thank you to the appreciative local audience. The film was shot entirely in Montana, primarily in Bozeman, Laurel and Paradise Valley.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Brent Northup of the Independent Record.
May 7, 2010
"A Fork in the Road" Movie Premiere
Closer to home, since the passage of the "Big Sky on the Big Screen" Tax Act in 2005, film production in Montana has soared.
The popcorn popped, guests came dressed to impress and the red carpet was rolled out. The Treasure State serves as the backdrop for the feature film "A Fork in the
Road" which pulled out all the stops for its premiere at the Mynra Loy center in Helena.
A studio film on an independent budget the film was written and designed for Montana. The film's Writer and Co-Producer, Alan Di Fiore says "Every time you turn the
camera you've got a million dollar shot on your hands...we were working with a small budget and the backdrop makes it look like a 100 million dollar film, that's one of the best things about Montana"
"Montana offers a lot on screen that you can't find anywhere else and I think that's why we chose to focus the movie here," says the films Writer, Producer and Director, Jim Kouf.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by the KFBB News Team.
May 5, 2010
Premiere of movie made in Montana to show at Myrna
Have you heard the one about the two cousins from Darby who decided to make a Hollywood movie right here in their home state? Pretty simple plan really: “I’ll write and direct if you raise the money! We’ll tell a story about Montana, shot in Montana and using a mostly Montana crew.”
So what odds do you give them of succeeding? About the same as President Obama carrying Ravalli County? Well, Obama did lose badly in Ravalli, but the Darby cousins’ dream has come true.
On Thursday night the Myrna Loy hosts the Montana premiere of “A Fork in the Road.” “Fork” was screened at the Cannes film festival, but few American audiences have seen the finished cut. A rough cut was shown in Hamilton, but since then the film has been recut and crafted into its final form. There will be only one public showing — at 8:15 p.m. Thursday. And the tickets are free. They will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 7 p.m. Thursday night at the Myrna box office. No tickets are available beforehand. Gov. Brian Schweitzer will be on hand, as will writer/director Jim Kouf, producer Lynn Kouf, co-writer Al DiFiore, executive producer Clark “Bart” Bartkowski, and a cast member, Missi Pyle.
Kouf calls “Fork in the Road” an “action romantic-comedy” which finds a man, Will (Josh Cooke), on the lam after being falsely accused of a crime. He teams up with April (Jaime King) for a run through Montana. The film was shot in the fall of 2007 mostly in Bozeman, Laurel and the Paradise Valley.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Brent Northup of the Independent Record.
April 29, 2010
Montana-made film to premier in Helena
(HELENA) - The Montana made feature film "A Fork in the Road" will make its public debut exclusively at Helena's own Myrna Loy Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, May 6, 2010. The public is invited to attend a free screening of A Fork in the Road at 8:15 PM. Writer/Director Jim Kouf (Rush Hour, National Treasure, Stakeout), Writer/Co-Producer Alan Di Fiore (Ghost Whisperer, The Bridge, Da Vinci's Inquest), Actress Missi Pyle (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Galaxy Quest, Big Fish), Co-Producer Lynn Kouf, and Executive Producer Clark Bartkowski will introduce the film.
A Fork in the Road" is an action-comedy that takes you on a wild ride throughout South-Central Montana. Accused of a crime he didn't commit, Will Carson takes his chance at freedom. He teams up with April Rogers who has her own reasons to be on the run from the law, and they begin a turbulent journey that takes them down a twisted road of falling rocks, irate husbands, questionable business practices, family betrayal, and lots and lots of duct tape.
"I am proud to welcome "A Fork in the Road", its creators, cast and crew to Montana's Capitol City," said Governor Brian Schweitzer. "Montana's unparalleled beauty shines bright in this film. We have top notch landscapes, film crews and tax incentives. These assets are great attractions to the film industry. I look forward to seeing our great state on the big screen again and again."
Writer/Director Jim Kouf is passionate about filming in Montana. Kouf, who owns a ranch in Ravalli County, appreciates Montana's attributes and is excited about the prospect of bringing more projects to Big Sky Country. "I love filming in Montana," said Kouf. "No matter which way I turn the camera, I get a million dollar shot every time."
"A Fork in the Road" was filmed in Laurel, Livingston, the Paradise Valley, Bozeman and Three Forks in the fall of 2007. The film employed 40 Montana technicians, utilized hundreds of Montana businesses, and shot in over 20 locations.
Event Details: FREE Public Premier of the Montana-made feature film A Fork in the Road
Thursday, May 6, 2010 @ 8:15 PM Myrna Loy Performing Arts Center
*Seating is first come, first served. Free tickets will be available at the Myrna Loy box office starting at 7:00 PM the night of the premier.
Click here for a PDF of the full article from KTVQ, Montana's News Station.
April 2010
Helena to Host PremierE of Montana Made Film: "A Fork in the Road"(HELENA) – The Montana made feature film "A Fork in the Road" will make its public debut
exclusively at Helena’s own Myrna Loy Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, May
6, 2010. The public is invited to attend a free screening of "A Fork in the Road" at 8:15 PM. Writer/Director Jim Kouf (Rush Hour, National Treasure, Stakeout), Writer/Co-Producer Alan
Di Fiore (Ghost Whisperer, The Bridge, Da Vinci’s Inquest), Actress Missi Pyle (Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory, Galaxy Quest, Big Fish), Co-Producer Lynn Kouf, and Executive Producer
Clark Bartkowski will introduce the film.
"A Fork in the Road" is an action-comedy that takes you on a wild ride throughout South-Central
Montana. Accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Will Carson takes his chance at freedom. He
teams up with April Rogers who has her own reasons to be on the run from the law, and they
begin a turbulent journey that takes them down a twisted road of falling rocks, irate husbands,
questionable business practices, family betrayal, and lots and lots of duct tape.
“I am proud to welcome "A Fork in the Road", its creators, cast and crew to Montana’s Capitol
City,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “Montana’s unparalleled beauty shines bright in this
film. We have top notch landscapes, film crews and tax incentives. These assets are great
attractions to the film industry. I look forward to seeing our great state on the big screen again
and again.”
Writer/Director Jim Kouf is passionate about filming in Montana. Kouf, who owns a ranch in
Ravalli County, appreciates Montana’s attributes and is excited about the prospect of bringing
more projects to Big Sky Country. “I love filming in Montana,” said Kouf. “No matter which
way I turn the camera, I get a million dollar shot every time.”
"A Fork in the Road" was filmed in Laurel, Livingston, the Paradise Valley, Bozeman and Three
Forks in the fall of 2007. The film employed 40 Montana technicians, utilized hundreds of
Montana businesses, and shot in over 20 locations. Since the passage of the Big Sky on the Big Screen Act tax incentive package in 2005, 410 film
productions of all types have left $32 million of direct economic impact in Montana’s
communities.
“Film production in Montana has endless benefits for our local economies, our college graduates,
and our profile around the world,” said Anthony Preite, Director of the Montana Department of
Commerce. “Film production makes money for Montana, and it’s a clean industry we can be
proud of.”
Event Details: FREE Public Premier of the Montana-made feature film "A Fork in the Road" Thursday, May 6, 2010 @ 8:15 PM Myrna Loy Performing Arts Center
*Seating is first come, first served. Free tickets will be available at the Myrna Loy box
office starting at 7:00 PM the night of the premier.
Note: "A Fork in the Road" is not yet rated, but is appropriate for PG-13 audiences.
"A Fork in the Road" is now available on Amazon.com.
Click here to read the full press release.
April 2010
MSU Film Alumni Recruited for Feature Documentary in China Through HATCH
Graduates Excited About Film Opportunity Of A Lifetime
Four Montana State University film school Alumni have been recruited to form the core of the crew for ELEVATION, a feature documentary. Connected through the mentorship of the annual HATCHfest (HATCHfest.org, Sept 22-25), Royce Gorsuch, Colin Arndt, Matt O’Conner, and Zack Kahl, will accompany Producer and Director Alison Watson, to the western Sichuan Province in China. The experience will be a once-in-a-lifetime journey. More information about the project can be found on www.foursistersfilm.com.
ELEVATION, a Four Sisters Productions, will start shooting a feature length documentary in the Four Sisters region this fall. The story will follow the epic adventure of two world-renowned climbers, Toby Grohne and Jesse Huey, as they train for a first ascent of the Northwest ridge of the famed Mount Siguniang. The athletes will also spend months in Rilong, a Tibetan village, helping the locals learn guiding techniques and recovering from the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
“ELEVATION is a story that looks at courage and determination with these elite athletes, the people in Rilong rebuilding their homes and the beautiful mix of Tibetans, Chinese and Americans working together. It is a story about the human spirit and it’s ability to love, fear, support, and overcome.” states Director and Producer Alison Watson.
Click here to read the full press release.
April 2010
AFCI Marketing & Booth Awards Recognize Best-in-Show Marketing, Advertising Campaigns Around the Globe
SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 17, 2010—The AFCI Marketing & Booth Awards, a global
competition encouraging film commissions to put forth winning components of their marketing
and advertising campaigns, were presented at the AFCI General Assembly Meeting on April 17
during Locations Trade Show in Santa Monica.
Entries were judged within the categories: Campaigns/Print/Logo, Specialty
Items/Other/Apparel, and Digital Video/Website. An independent judging panel of professional
marketers and entertainment industry experts assessed each entry according to the criteria and
selected finalists. Click here to see the three marketing awards the Montana Film Office won.
April 2010
AFCI Locations Trade Show
The Montana Film Office will be exhibiting at the 2010 AFCI Locations Trade Show in Santa Monica, CA. Celebrating its 25th year, this event is the world’s premier trade show for location filmmaking and the longest running trade show of its kind. The Montana Film Office will be there to meet with the over 3,000 trade show attendees. The show is free and open to members of the film industry.
One of the earliest film commissions formed in the United States, the Montana Film Office has been around since 1974 and has attended all 25 Locations Trade Shows. The trade show, known industry-wide as the biggest gathering of film commissions in the world, provides hands-on assistance to industry professionals in matching their current projects with destinations offering great locations and great incentives. Montana offers its great incentives with its Studio 406 package. We invite you to come down to the show and meet with Sten Iversen and John Ansotegui from the Montana Film Office at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, April 15-17, booth #503. Register for free and we will see you in Santa Monica.
April 2010
MFO Heavily Promoting Montana
It has been a busy 2010 for the Montana Film Office (MFO) as they have been out on the circuit industriously promoting Montana to the film industry.
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival - The Montana Film Office returned for its seventh year as a sponsor of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (BSDFF). The festival took place in downtown Missoula, February 12-21 and has grown to become a very important festival in the documentary world. The ten-day event featured 130 short and feature length non-fiction films from over 30 countries. The festival opened Friday, February 12 with “Sergio”, a major HBO documentary and MFO staff met with director Greg Barker as well as many other directors and producers at HBO’s event following the screening. On Saturday the MFO hosted the BSDFF Filmmaker Lounge where they greeted festival filmmakers as they stopped by for refreshments. The standout film of Saturday evening was acclaimed Native American filmmaker Chris Eyre’s “Trail of Tears”. The MFO welcomed Chris back to Big Sky Country and hosted the Welcome to Montana Reception immediately following the “Trail of Tears” screening.
SXSW 2010 - For the fourth year running the Montana Film Office exhibited at the SXSW Festival in Austin, TX, March 12-21.
This festival is a mecca of independent filmmakers and a continuing opportunity to promote the Film Office’s Studio 406 Incentive Package.
SXSW is in its 17th year and features distinguished speakers and mentors as well as boasts the latest filmmaking trends and new technologies. The festival segment attracts internationally acclaimed independent filmmakers, with a special focus on emerging talents.
AFCI Locations Trade Show - The Montana Film Office will be exhibiting at the 2010 AFCI Locations Trade Show in Santa Monica, CA on April 15-17.
Celebrating its 25th year, this event is the world’s premier trade show for location filmmaking and the longest running trade show of its kind. The show drew over 3,000 trade show attendees. The trade show, known industry-wide as the biggest gathering of film commissions in the world, provides hands-on assistance to industry professionals in matching their current projects with destinations offering great locations and great incentives.
International Wildlife Film Festival - The Montana Film Office returns as a sponsor of the International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF). The festival will take place May 8-15, 2010 at the IWFF Media Center in downtown Missoula. IWFF is the premier film venue that celebrates wildlife and natural history programming from a global perspective. The theme for the 33rd IWFF is Media & the Message: Wildlife Filmmaking and Survival in the 21st Century.
This festival offers a unique opportunity to engage public audiences and learn about trends in filmmaking – technology, cinematography and wildlife production. There is also the opportunity to participate in dynamic seminars and workshops that focus on wildlife, conservation and the natural world. MFO will host a Welcome to Montana Filmmakers Reception on Monday, May 10 from 6-8 p.m. for registered festival delegates and guests.
April 20, 2010
National Geographic Channel to showcase Malta area in 'American Serengeti'
MALTA — National Geographic conjures images of giraffes and gazelles, of lions hiding behind tall tawny grasses and birds streaking across a sunset sky. But soon people around the world will see America has its own Serengeti — right in Montana. The National Geographic Channel was in the Malta area last year, filming an hourlong feature about the American Prairie Foundation's efforts to create the largest wildlife reserve in the continental United States.
The documentary "American Serengeti" is scheduled to premiere on Earth Day on the National Geographic Channel, Bresnan channel 273 or 796 for high definition. The show airs at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. Sunday and 4 p.m. Thursday, April 29.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Kim Skornogoski of the Great Falls Tribune.
April 11, 2010
Casting call for adaptation of novel set on reservation reels in hopefuls
Weston Flamond has big-screen dreams despite coming from a small town with no movie theater. The 21-year-old St. Mary resident looked to make
his dreams come true Saturday by auditioning for a
role in the film adaptation of Montanan James
Welch's lauded novel, "Winter in the Blood."
Flamond does salvage work on the Blackfeet Indian
Reservation, but that's not his passion. Acting is
what he wants to do, so Great Falls is where he
needed to be Saturday. Flamond was among dozens
of people of all ages vying for spots in the film,
which is set on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. The auditions at the Civic Center continue today.
"Everyone wants to hit it big I guess, to be found in
the middle of nowhere," said Nathan Bread of Great
Falls, who auditioned along with his two children. Producers were looking Saturday to cast Native
American boys 10- to 15-years-old, including a
younger version of the film's main character.
Additionally, people with little acting experience
could be used as extras.
"We're also looking for real authentic characters for
a lot of different roles," said Alex Smith, a Montana
filmmaker who wrote the screenplay with his brother
Andrew Smith and writer Ken White. The Smith brothers made the 2002 film "The
"Winter in the Blood," is scheduled to be shot
entirely in Montana, including along the Hi-Line
and in Fort Belknap, with most of the cast being
Native American. Filming could start in mid-July,
Alex Smith said.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Travis Coleman of the Great Falls Tribune.
(Photo by Rion Sanders/Great Falls Tribune)
April 9, 2010
MSU Grad and HATCH Filmmaker is Awarded Top Filmmaker
for the HATCH Explore Awards
Congratulations to MSU grad and HATCH filmmaker, Royce Gorsuch, for being awarded top filmmaker for the HATCH EXPLORE Awards!
Judged by an international audience and five judges from across the country - http://is.gd/blFP4.
Funded by a new partnership with HATCH and the Annenberg Foundation, the mission of the contest is to celebrate the selfless acts of others. Royce Gorsuch will be flown to Asheville, NC for HATCH Asheville, where he will sit on a panel with world renown filmmaker, Charlie Annenberg, and be given a new Canon Mark II 5D camera. His film is being showcased on the front of the Explore.org site.
To watch the film "A Journey Home" click here. "A Journey Home" documents the work of The Warriors and Quiet Waters Foundation, an organization that brings traumatically injured US Servicemen to Montana for a week of recreational therapy and healing. Meet and hear the stories of injured servicemen who have encountered a new peace through fly fishing.
This opportunity has already opened up more opportunities, and Royce has been asked to be part of a filmmaking team to shoot a documentary feature in China this fall.
April 6, 2010
"Ice Road Truckers" Hits the Beartooth Pass
BILLINGS - "Ice Road Truckers" has made its way through the Beartooth Pass. The History Channel's reality TV show follows the lives of nearly ten truckers as they haul semi-loads across frozen bodies of water and icy roads in treacherous conditions, and now a Montana highway can be checked off the list. Last week the Treasure State got a chance to highlight one of its most dangerous mountain passes, the Beartooth Highway just outside of Red Lodge.
According to Betsy Baumgart with the Montana Office of Tourism in the Department of Commerce, for the past six days "Ice Road Truckers" produced a commercial for the TV series on the icy Beartooth Highway.
The production received a free permit from the Montana Department of Transportation to close the highway during filming. Baumgart says the entire ordeal went smoothly.
The crew of 30 people included 15 Montanans, according to Baumgart. Rocky Mountain Helicopters in Bozeman and Filmlites Montana, a production company, also in Bozeman, were both hired to help create the commercial. Baumgart says out of the "Ice Road Truckers'" $500,000 budget for the commercial, $100,000 was spent locally in Red Lodge and Billings.
"It was a good economic impact for a short period of time," Baumgart states.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Angela Douglas of Montana's KTVQ News Station.
April 6, 2010
Film-making duo seeks Montana cast
FORT BELKNAP — A new movie is certainly earning the label Montana Made. "Winter in the Blood" is written by Montanans, will be filmed on the Hi-Line, is directed by a pair of Montana twins and features Montana actors. The cast will be exclusively Native American and mostly from Montana.
Set mostly on the Fort Belknap Reservation, "Winter in the Blood" has principal speaking roles for 10 to 17-year-old Indian boys and Indian men and women in their mid-20s to mid-50s for both speaking and nonspeaking parts.The casting call is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Great Falls Civic Center. Filming could begin as early as July.
The movie is based on a book of the same title by acclaimed Montana author James Welch. Welch was born in Browning and raised on the Blackfeet and Fort Belknap reservations.
Emerging as a writer in the 1970s, Welch became known for telling stories of modern Native American life that transcended the western genre.
Soon after "Winter in the Blood" was published, Welch was approached about making it a movie. But the studio soon lost interest after realizing it couldn't attract the money needed to finance a film starring a nameless Native American actor.
The book is getting a second chance to make it on the big screen thanks to Montana filmmakers Andrew and Alex Smith. In 2002, the brothers filmed the low-budget "The Slaughter Rule" in several northcentral Montana locales, including Tracy's diner in Great Falls.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Kim Skornogoski of the Great Falls Tribune.
March 2010
Grizzly Creek Films Announces Landmark New Television Series: “Expedition Wild”
BOZEMAN, MT, March 29, 2010 – Film production company Grizzly Creek Films announces the primetime television debut of the international seven-part series “Expedition Wild” featuring Casey Anderson on the Nat Geo Wild channel beginning with “Expedition Grizzly” slated for air March 29th. Additionally, the first episode in the series, “Expedition Grizzly” is live streaming online via Hulu at http://www.hulu.com/expedition-wild.
This groundbreaking seven-hour original series showcases wildlife expert Casey Anderson and his charismatic animal companions on an innovative and action-packed odyssey through North America’s diverse and impressive wild places - revealing a rare glimpse of the beauty and complexity of the natural world from the inside out. The series kicks off on March 29th with “Expedition Grizzly” (re-airs April 3rd, 4th, 24th, 25th). Join Casey Anderson, a naturalist whose life has been defined by the grizzly bear, together with his best friend Brutus, a nine-hundred pound grizzly that Casey raised from birth, in the wildest corner of the American West for an epic story of the Yellowstone grizzly in its natural ecosystem.
Next, on April 5th, “Project Kodiak” (re-airs April 10th, 11th). We set out with Casey Anderson on a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to the “bear paradise” of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Kodiak Island where he learns the remarkable techniques and mind-blowing fishing strategies that he will teach to his best friend Brutus, a nine-hundred pound grizzly bear, in his backyard in Montana. Then, on April 12th, “Yellowstone Winter” (re-airs April 17th, 18th). With the brutal extremes of winter looming, Casey Anderson treks deep into Yellowstone’s wild backcountry, braving severe cold, freak snowstorms, and dangerous animal encounters to witness the drama that unfolds as the seasons change and animals fight to survive. Finally this spring, on April 26th “Grizzly Encounters” is the saga of a bear becoming a star, an animal trainer following his dreams, and an entertaining educational mission to make the world a better place for all animals – both wild and tame.
For specific local airtimes, refer to the schedule at: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/wild/tv-schedule. To read the full press release click here.
March 26, 2010
Student films opening this weekend
When the lights dim inside the Pharaohplex Theater on Saturday, all the hard work and creative energy put forth by students in the MAPS Media Institute will come alive on the big screen. Starting at noon on March 27, the MAPS Student Movie Premier will showcase three student films for the public to enjoy. Admission is free, and there will be a raffle for movie tickets as well. The MAPS program is based in Hamilton but open to students from all six Ravalli County school districts as well as adults. They have been screening their projects at the movie theater since 2004. As usual, it promises to be a fun and lively event with a dash of Hollywood flavor.
"We have an adult volunteer, who will be wearing a big fake wig, that will be doing interviews," said MAPS President Peter Rosten. "We don't have a red carpet, but we do have a big red sheet of paper. Our documentary class will be shooting a film like a behind-the-scenes Hollywood Extra. Although we take the work we do seriously, this has appeal to the kids."
Click here for a PDF of the full article by David Erickson of the Ravalli Public.
March 18, 2010
Celebrating the Centennial on Screen
Glacier National Park has long been an ideal destination for movies, with films using the park’s sensational settings for decades as a background for drama and adventure. As a part of the park’s 100th birthday celebration, the Glacier Centennial Film Festival will offer seven chances to look into the back story of some of these films and their place in the park’s history.
March 18 is the kick-off date for the seven-month-long film festival, which is meant to entertain and inspire, according to the park’s centennial coordinator, Kass Hardy. Each film will be shown in a different community as the festival winds through the centennial year. The first will be in Kalispell, when Signature Theaters plays the thriller, “The River Wild.” This film has close ties to the park, Hardy said, because it was filmed on Glacier’s rivers. Glacier Outdoor Center provided the guides for the movie crew when they were there in the 1990s, Hardy said. Audience members will have a chance to win a rafting trip from Glacier Outdoor Center at the movie, Hardy added.
“Each film that we’re doing will have an educational component to it,” Hardy said. “There’s some fun incentives as well.”
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Molly Priddy of the Flathead Beacon.
February 2010
Montana Film Office Represented at SXSW 2010
Once again the Montana Film Office (MFO) will be exhibiting at the South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) in Austin, TX. SXSW is a set of interactive, film, and music festivals and conferences that take place every spring in Austin, Texas. Each component of the festival runs independently. The Music & Media Conference showcases more than 1,800 musical acts of all genres from around the globe. The Film Conference & Festival explores all aspects of the art and business of independent filmmaking. The Interactive Festival has become a breeding ground for new ideas and creative technologies.
This is the fourth year the MFO has marketed at SXSW, a mecca of independent filmmakers. “The up-and-coming talent of SXSW filmmakers is exactly what Montana is looking to attract with its Studio 406 Incentive Package,” said MFO Director, Sten Iversen. If you will be in Austin for the festival, stop by the MFO booth at the Film and Interactive Trade Show, March 13-15 and meet volunteer representatives that will be able to answer your questions about filming in Montana.
February 25, 2010
Prodigal Sons -- Film Review
Bottom Line: This highly personal documentary offers a unique twist on its familiar themes.
Homegrown documentaries dealing with gender issues and family dysfunction by now are a dime a dozen, but Kimberly Reed's "Prodigal Sons" is definitely unique. Depicting the transgender woman filmmaker's return to her Montana hometown for her 20th high school reunion, the film delivers a midway narrative revelation so unexpected and bizarre that one is tempted to doubt its veracity. (Spoiler alert: Time to stop reading if you would rather not know the film's surprise in advance.)
Reed, a former high school star quarterback who is now a strappingly beautiful woman with a loving female partner, returns home to spend time with her mother and two brothers, including the adopted Marc, with whom she has long been estranged.
Complicating her relationship with Marc is the fact that because he suffered a serious head injury in a car crash years earlier, he has been emotionally volatile, prone to wild mood swings and bouts of aggressiveness.
Although the film initially seems to be all about the filmmaker's reunion with the people in her past and their reactions to her new identity, it soon becomes largely about Marc, who, it is found out, actually is the grandson of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. (His resemblance to the former is indeed uncanny).
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Frank Scheck from the Hollywood Reporter.
February 21, 2010
Movie Review: Sweet Grass
A documentary tribute to the last of the modern day sheepherders, Sweet Grass follows the summer migration of a group of cowboys and their enormous flock of sheep. Set in the beautifully scenic mountains of South Central Montana, Sweet Grass tells the tale of the migration of a flock of thousands of sheep to their summer pasture located in the heart of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The film provides an in-depth look at the struggles of a family of sheep ranchers in rural Montana as they fight to maintain a massive flock of sheep. The film takes the audience through the life of a sheep rancher from shearing, to lambing, to the sheep drive. It provides a never before seen look at the lost tradition of driving sheep to summer pasture high in the mountains of Montana. As the film documents the epic journey from the small town of Big Timber to the high mountain pastures just north of Yellowstone Park, the struggles between man and nature, life and death, fear and hope are examined through the eyes of the Montana cowboy.
From the onset of the very first scene, it is obvious that Sweet Grass is a tale of the final frontier. The natural sound of the wind whipping across the hills permeates the theatre as the main character ambles onto screen. The fluffy, semi-white sheep are without a doubt the central focus of the film. The story line is introduced by a series of extended, static shots focusing on the sheep and the subtleties of their character. These shots establish the overall slower pace to the film, yet effectively draw the audience into the subject through the use of breath taking photography coupled with the humorous quirkyness of the livestock.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Dan Ryan from the Associated Content.
February 14, 2010
Native American’s novel will be Montana-made movie
A novel by celebrated American Indian writer James Welch is being made into a movie, and hundreds of people are showing up at auditions hoping to land a part. Filmmakers and brothers Alex and Andrew Smith, who are twins, said they plan to start filming the movie based on the novel “Winter in the Blood” in July, and that it will be shot entirely in Montana. Hasalyn Harris, the film’s public relations director, said the cast will be exclusively Native American, and mostly from Montana.
“I think they’re wanting it to be as authentic as possible,” she said Saturday as she took in hundreds of applications at the casting call at the University of Montana’s University Center.
The novel by Welch, published in 1974, is described as a key book in the Native American Renaissance that began in the 1960s. It is set on the Fort Belknap Reservation and follows one man’s struggle to find his identity and roots in a modern world while dealing with self-doubt and addiction.
Welch was born in 1940 at Browning to a Blackfeet father and a Gros Ventre mother and grew up mainly on the Fort Belknap Reservation. Welch died in 2003 at age 62.
“I would love to see it as a movie, period,” said Lois Welch, a retired University of Montana literature professor and widow of James. “I’m really touched about the way they’ve been able to keep it so close to the text.”
Alex and Andrew Smith, and writer Ken White, wrote the screenplay for the movie.
Click here for a PDF of the full article from the Billings Gazette.
February 13, 2010
Indian Country casting call: Auditions continue today for Montana production
Word spread like wildfire across Indian Country when the call went out for actors and extras for “Winter in the Blood”.
It was just a month ago that the notice was published in newspapers and Web sites across the Northwest. On Saturday, hundreds of Natives packed a third-floor wing of the University of Montana’s University Center to audition for parts large and small in the upcoming production, set to begin filming this summer.
“I don’t really know what’s going to happen,” said Matthew Weasel, 13, a Missoula boy who waited his turn to enter the audition room. “I’m just going to try my best.”
His mother, Glenda Weasel, kept him company at the noon hour. Matthew is a fine Native dancer, an actor, an athlete and a busy kid who has just enough room left in his schedule to be in a movie.
“When I saw (the audition notice), I just thought, well, this is something different,” said Glenda. “He’s in sports, he dances in powwows, so I thought, OK, we’ll try it.”
Turns out a lot of people from across the Northwest thought the same thing. The casting crew consisted of directors Alex and Andrew Smith, who are intent on making a movie out of Indian writer James Welch’s celebrated novel about the realities of reservation life. In the first hour alone, 100 applications were completed, and 90 minutes into the scheduled four-hour process, No. 12 had just left the audition room.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Jamie Kelly of the Missoulian.
(Photo by Michael Gallacher/Missoulian)
February 13, 2010
‘Winter in the Blood’ reimagined: Work of renowned Native writer will become movie
Once upon a time, James Welch dreamed of seeing his words become pictures. That was 26 years ago when Welch was first approached about turning his debut novel, “Winter in the Blood,” into a movie.
“My diary from that night says, ‘We went to bed giggling,’ and then we fell asleep giggling,” said Lois Welch, a retired University of Montana literature professor and widow of James, one of the most celebrated Indian novelists and poets in history.
James Welch, who was Blackfeet and Gros Ventre, and also Irish, died of a heart attack at the age of 62 in 2003. His work was lauded by critics the world over as deeply resonant not only of the Indian culture about which he wrote, but of all people.
“Winter in the Blood,” released in 1974, got its highest praise from the New York Times Book Review, easily the standard-bearer of literary criticism in the country. Shortly afterward, the novel was “optioned” by a film agency that sought to turn it into a motion picture.
Trouble is, it never happened. But it has a second chance now.Filmmakers Alex and Andrew Smith, directors and producers of the independent film “The Slaughter Rule” (2002), are currently working on turning the 200-page novel into a motion picture, one that will be filmed entirely in Montana, featuring a large cast of American Indians.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Jamie Kelly of the Missoulian.
February 12, 2010
Sky’s the limit: Missoula documentary film festival gets bigger, better
Recently, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival director Mike Steinberg received a phone call from filmmaker Robert Drew. You might not recognize Drew's name; but to a documentary aficionado like Steinberg, there are few bigger names in America.
"He's really the grandfather of the modern American documentary," said Steinberg. "He's huge."
Drew, whose landmark 1960 film, "Primary," is often cited as the first important work of the so-called "cinéma vérité" (literally, "truthful cinema") movement in America, was calling to ask if Steinberg might be interested in presenting the world theatrical premiere of his film, "The Sun Ship Game." Shot in 1969, the documentary about competitive glider pilots had never been officially screened due to copyright issues related to music featured in the soundtrack. With those issues finally resolved, and with his own reputation by now legendary in the world of documentarians, Drew could have chosen from any number of festivals around the world to premiere his film.
"It was a real surprise for him to call," said Steinberg, noting that Drew will also attend the festival. "It's an amazing windfall for us."
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Joe Nickell of the Missoulian.
(Photo by Tom Bauer/Missoulian)
February 11, 2010
Film Takes Unique Look at Montana landscape
Rainer Komers isn’t from Montana, but that didn’t stop the German-born filmmaker from telling
one of the most complex and interesting stories to come out of western Montana — one of industry,
people and the land. To tell this story, Komers traveled just east of Missoula to Milltown, home to one of the most
extensive environmental cleanups in American history. But Milltown is just one of the places featured in the 34-minute documentary titled “Milltown,
Montana.”
The former sawmill town serves as a jumping-off point for a study of how industry has changed Montana, so the filmmaker also visited Butte, Libby and Anaconda.
Komers’ film was selected from over 1,000 entries to be part of this week’s Big Sky
Documentary Film Festival, according to events director Mike Steinberg.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Justin Franz of the Montana Kaimin.
February 4, 2010
Casting Opportunity for Native Actors
MISSOULA — Casting Director Rene Haynes will be conducting an open casting session for a feature film to be shot this summer. Haynes' repertoire, which includes "Skins, Into the West, and Dreamkeeper," seeks Native American boys, ages 10-17, for principal speaking roles, with no acting necessary for "Winter in the Blood," a novel by James Welch.
Haynes also seeks Native men and women in their mid 20's through mid 50's for both principal speaking and non-speaking roles. Casting calls take time and those interested should be prepared to wait. For more information, directions, and/or if you plan on attending and would like to receive a short audition scene in advance, please visit the web site at: http://winterinthebloodfilm.com.
Open Casting will be Saturday - Sunday, Feb. 13 - 14, from 11AM to 3PM at the University of Montana UC, Room 332. Free parking is available on weekends by the UC. Boys under age 18 should attend with a parent, legal guardian, or provide written consent to be filmed. The Open Casting session is free for everyone. Anyone unable to attend this casting session, there will be another casting call in the spring in central Montana posted on the film's web site.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by the Char-Koosta News.
January 2010
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
The Montana Film Office will be a sponsor at the 2010 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. This festival is the premier venue for nonfiction film in the American West. From February 12-21, 2010 the festival will screen 100 films, including world and U.S. premieres, classics, rare and experimental works on Montana's largest screen at the historic Wilma Theater in downtown Missoula, MT.
In addition to ten days of screenings, the event will feature many public and VIP events including panel discussions, galas, receptions and networking round-tables. The competitive event is open to non-fiction films and videos of all genres, subject matter, lengths and production dates. Awards and cash prizes will be given for Best Documentary Feature (over 50 minutes), Best Documentary Short (15-50 minutes), Best Mini-Doc (under 15 minutes) and Best Documentary about the American West (the "Big Sky Award").
The Film Office will be marketing the state in the Filmmakers' Lounge during the first weekend of the festival February 12-15. The Film Office will also be hosting a filmmaker reception on February 13, following the screening of Director Chris Eyre’s “The American Experience: The Trail of Tears”. We look forward to seeing you there! For more information on festival events visit www.bigskyfilmfest.org.
January 2010
Montana Film a Finalist in 2009 Nikon Film Festival
Internationally published photographer Audrey Hall has been chosen as a finalist in the 2009 Nikon Film Festival. Her short film "See You Then" was selected from over 1,200 submissions nationwide. Filmed exclusively in Montana, the independently produced movie combines music, art and the rugged beauty of the West. Starting with a brush stroke on a canvas by Livingston artist Edd Enders, "See You Then" paints a visual narrative of the creative process in which the daily routines of ordinary people are entwined in unforeseen ways. Unconventionally made, "See You Then" was filmed entirely on a Nikon DSLR with HD movie capabilities - a recent innovation and trend in digital camera technology.
January 2010
MFO's New Marketing Opportunity at Sundance
The Montana Film Office (MFO) has partnered with the Bozeman CVB and film industry publication Moving Pictures magazine to have a greatly increased Montana presence at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. The MFO and Bozeman CVB will have a weeklong presence at the Moving Pictures Media Lounge on Park City's Main Street.
“The Sundance Film Festival attracts just the type of filmmakers, producers, and directors that we are looking to bring to Montana to get their pictures made” said Sten Iversen, MFO manager. “As one of the film industry’s highest profile events, the Sundance Film Festival brings literally thousands of decision makers to Park City Utah, and we will be there to invite them to Montana”.
The partnership with Moving Pictures has allowed the MFO and the Bozeman CVB to be able to welcome and interview top filmmaking talent who are in Park City attending the festival. Additionally, the MFO, Bozeman CVB and Moving Pictures magazine will co-host the Sunday evening filmmaker reception with music from Stephanie Quayle, originally from Bozeman and recently recognized as the Hatchfest new musician of the year. Film Office and Bozeman staff will also man the official filmmaker outreach booth at Sundance's Filmmaker Lodge.
This looks to be a good year for generating new production leads as we kick off Montana's 2010 film marketing efforts at the Sundance Festival.
January 25, 2010
Montana Film Office Offers All Expense Paid Fam Trip
As part of the its new incentive package, Studio 406, the Montana Film Office is offering the chance for one filmmaker
to win a free four-day, three-night location familiarization trip to Montana. The trip includes accommodations, meals,
transportation and a guided tour of various locations around the state. Additionally prizes include custom Flip Video
MinoHDTs. The contest began October 15, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. Mountain Time (MST) and will end at 11:59 p.m. MST on January
31, 2010. The Studio 406 incentive package bundles all of Montana's incentives, including: a 14% refundable tax credit based on hired Montana labor, a 9% refundable tax credit for production expenses without a cap or minimum spend, no sales tax, free office furniture, low cost or free location fees, long shooting hours, experienced crews, and hundreds of different looks.
For information on the Montana Fam Trip Giveaway or to enter, visit www.scout406.com. Information about the Montana Film Office and the Studio 406 incentive package is available at www.montanafilm.com. Click here for a PDF of the full article by Steve Cha of the P3 Update Magazine.
January 25, 2010
Filming in the Rocky Mountain Region
One simply needs to take a drive along the precipitous cliffs of Glacier National Park to get an immediate sense of the
grandeur of Montana. Alpine meadows straight from Aslan’s hunting grounds surround an environment flush with
crystal blue lakes and steep white peaks. Raging rivers have catered to the careers of Meryl Streep and long desolate
roads have been blessed by Forest Gump’s feet.
The Big Sky on the Big Screen Act adds to this natural wealth of locations providing a 14-percent refundable tax credit
based on hired Montana labor with no cap and no minimum spend. With no sales tax, nor a bed tax with stays longer
than 30 days, the Film Commission has recently announced Studio 406, a bundling of all the incentives “Montana is offering filmmakers something other states don’t, a solid cash incentive backed up with an entire list of extra incentives that save the production significant money and make the entire shoot enjoyable,” says Montana Film Office Manager, Sten Iversen.
Also included is a nine-percent refundable tax credit for all production-related expenditures made with Montana businesses, production service providers, and subcontractors. Montana offers free location scouting, traffic control signage, and even production office furniture and equipment. Vehicle licensing exemptions make it easier for out of state production companies as well.
With no minimum spend and no financial incentives caps, Montana would be an ideal setting for independent filmmakers and big-budget productions alike. Some of the latest features shot this year include: My Sister’s Keeper starring Cameron Diaz, “Expedition Grizzly” to be featured on the National Geographic Channel and Call of the Wild being shot in 3D.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Nathan Hoturoa Gray of the P3 Update Magazine.
January 17, 2010
Reality series captures every move of Montana ranch families
The spotlight has shined on Bill Galt of White Sulphur Springs before, but not like this. Galt and his ranching family are the subjects of an upcoming reality TV show on the Animal Planet channel that will debut later this year. The show, titled "Cowboys," follows three families that own and operate cattle ranches in Montana through the ups and downs of a season. The docudrama spotlights calving, weaning, cattle drives, auctions and more. The network describes
the show as "set against the majestic backdrop of Montana." The show is set to start airing eight one-hour
episodes in March. Also featured in the show will be Avon ranchers Earl and Glenna Stuckey
and the Hughes Mountain Guest Ranch in Stanford.
"From the traditional rancher who does everything by hand and on horseback to the modern ranch
that uses high-tech equipment and all-terrain vehicles, each family's fortune depends on the success
or failure of the season," the show's description reads. "Facing unpredictable weather, disease and
injuries, thousands of new births and hungry predators waiting for an easy meal, these modern
ranches continue the great American tradition of life on the range. 'Cowboys' is larger-than-life, lifeand-
death, real-life drama."
Two award-winning cameramen followed the Galt family around for eight months starting last
February, documenting the days and nights of Bill Galt, his wife, daughter and son. In the process,
the film crew almost became like members of the family.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Travis Coleman of the Great Falls Tribune.
January 15, 2010
Documentary in film festival shows ‘Milltown, Montana’ as seen through German eyes
The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, which opens next month, is only one of 13 such events
in the United States. And you can bet that the makers of the 130 films that will appear on the big
screen at the Wilma Theatre count themselves fortunate to have made the cut from a staggering
1,000 entries. Here’s another big number: 10,000. That’s the number of people the festival expects
to attract to its screenings and other events from Feb. 12-21.
What started out as a small up-and-coming festival seven years ago is now an enormous attraction,
with major corporate sponsorship, a regionwide audience and national acclaim. Earlier this week,
the BSDFF released its catalogue of official entries, and as usual, the unusual rules.
The film that will surely draw a packed audience is “Milltown, Montana” a breathless, dialoguefree
portrait of the timber town we all know.
Funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation and directed by Rainer Komers, “Milltown,
Montana” is a half-hour look at the scenery we take for granted, but also the scarred earth of a
dam’s removal and a century of mining waste.
The film, in the BSDFF’s “Big Sky” competition category, has already won a festival prize in
Europe, and is a dark but beautiful look at corporate greed and the damage left in its wake.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Jamie Kelly of the Missoulian.
January 12, 2010
Funnymen: Local Filmmakers Head to Comedy Festival
Sometimes there’s nothing quite as funny as real life. Many people take the amusing events in their lives and chuckle, recount them to friends or enter them into the digital record of social networking sites. Shane Dowaliby, Nick Andrews and Logan Triplett aren’t like most people. Life’s comical instances are not only conversation fodder for these guys, but inspiration for their craft: comedy films.
“A lot of it does come from just life in general,” Dowaliby, a Whitefish native, said. “If I think of something funny during the day I jot it down on my cell phone.”
And it is perhaps this relatable aspect of their films that led to their ranking as one of the four finalists in the Third Annual National College Funny Filmmaker Competition. Most of the movies produced by their joint project Little Baby Films deal with the day-to-day hilarities of college, which is appropriate for the Montana State University film students. The other Little Baby filmmakers are also Montanans, with Andrews hailing from Helena and Triplett from Kalispell. They met during a film course their sophomore year and clicked so well they decided to form Little Baby Films last spring. Now in their junior year, the amateur funnymen are going up against students from Xavier University, the University of Michigan and San Francisco State University. Their short movies “Heaven” and “Sunday Morning” earned high enough honors after five rounds of expert judging and online votes to be shown in Aspen, Colo., during the Aspen Rooftop Comedy Festival in June.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Molly Priddy of the Flathead Beacon.
January 8, 2010
Winter Film Festival at Interpretive Center Focuses on Native Americans
The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center's annual Winter Film Festival begins on Jan. 14 and features a series of films focusing on Native Americans. "Through Native Eyes" is the theme of this year's festival, which features films from the recent PBS series, "We Shall Remain," the earlier series, "500 Nations," and the recent Montana PBS special, "Playing for the World."
A different film is shown each Thursday at 4 p.m. and is repeated at 7. Films are about 90 minutes long and are free to the public. A goodwill offering of a nonperishable food item for the Great Falls Food Bank is welcomed.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Great Falls Tribune.
January 6, 2010
Montana Cowboys Lead, Coax and Cajole Their Charges Amid a Chorus of Bleats
The tagline for the wonderful documentary “Sweetgrass,” the first essential movie of this young year, is “the last ride of the American cowboy.” I suppose the word shepherd, with its pastoral evocations of maidens in pantaloons and lads with flutes, doesn’t have the necessary grit or mythic punch. But the quiet and cantankerous men in this movie, mostly in cowboy hats — one of which is charmingly ornamented with a sheep pin on the crown — are keeping and sometimes losing sheep as surely as Little Bo Peep did.
Made by Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor, the movie largely involves the enormous effort, along with the unintentional humor and grim realities, involved in driving some 3,000 sensationally noisy sheep (how do they sleep?) up a mountain for summer pasture. Although the filmmakers shot for a number of years (taking eight in total to finish it), most of the material in the final movie was shot in 2001, when a Montanan rancher named Lawrence Allested became the last person to take his sheep into the Absaroka-Beartooth mountains on a federal grazing permit. Primarily in south-central Montana just north of Yellowstone, with a bit spilling into Wyoming, this wilderness area encompasses nearly a million acres and, to judge from the movie, looks like paradise.
Click here for a PDF of the full article by Manohla Dargis of the New York Times.
