Cody Yellowstone Film Commission Spearheads Production of “Today’s Wild West;” PBS Show Caps Months of Successful Film Projects

The Cody Yellowstone Film Commission has spearheaded the filming of multiple commercial film projects in recent months.

Expedition Unknown was filmed using actors playing the parts of Annie Oakley and other characters.

The latest project is a half-hour PBS show called Today’s Wild West. The show features the Kirwin Ghost Town, and it will air on PBS channels throughout the U.S. in September.

“With rugged mountains, classic Western architecture and colorful locals, Cody Yellowstone is a highly desirable location for film production companies shooting commercials, television series and even full-length films,” said Ryan Hauck, executive director of Cody Yellowstone, the marketing arm for the region that includes the towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse, a large swath of the Shoshone National Forest and about half of Yellowstone National Park. “When your entire destination looks like it could be a movie set, it’s easy to understand the broad appeal of filming here.”

Headed by Kelly Eastes, a long-time professional in the film industry, the two-year-old Cody Yellowstone Film Commission has challenges that other destinations do not share because the state of Wyoming does not offer a tax rebate to production companies. That incentive is why places like Montana and Oklahoma often win production bids over Wyoming destinations.

Scott Fujita produced a documentary about the Heart Mountain Eagles football team.

Still, Eastes’s efforts to build a film industry foundation have been successful. One of the first projects undertaken by Eastes and his team was to build a database of potential film locations as well as potential crew – such as actors, sound engineers, photographers and extras. The database has grown to more than 100 crew and companies and more than 49 potential film locations. Companies and crew interested in being added to the database can contact Kelly Eastes at [email protected].

With the database built, and Eastes launched a communications blitz to let production companies know Cody was ready to welcome film projects. The successful initiative has resulted in numerous recent projects.

Examples include:

“Wyoming Christmas” – This Hallmark-style film tells the story of a family dude ranch. Cody native Hannah Barefoot, an actress and producer, spearheaded the project, and it will likely be filmed this fall.

“Scott Fujita: Fear Football and the Theft of Freedom” – Filmed last spring and airing on the NFL Network and YouTube, this half-hour documentary features the story of the Heart Mountain Eagles, the football team comprised of Japanese Americans who were imprisoned at the Heart Mountain Confinement Site during WWII.

“Expedition Unknown” – Filmed at the Irma Hotel, Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Pahaska Tepee and other locations throughout Park County, this production explores the mystery of Buffalo Bill’s true grave. Spearheaded by the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, the film will air on the Discovery Channel.

“From Bones to Bronze” – This short documentary highlights the work of renowned Cody-based bronze sculpture artist Gerald Shippen. The documentary highlights Shippen’s work as he creates a life-sized bronze sculpture.

“Sister Wives” – This Discovery Channel reality show filmed an episode in Powell last year.

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Home of the Great American Adventure, Cody Yellowstone is comprised of the northwestern Wyoming towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as the valley east of Yellowstone National Park. The region is known for rodeos, authentic guest and dude ranches, world-class museums and recreational adventures that reflect the adventurous spirit of the visionaries and explorers who brought the remote region to the world’s attention.

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Media contact:

Mesereau Travel Public Relations

720-284-1512