MATT JOYCE Associated Press writer | Posted: Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:00 am
CHEYENNE - The state Tourism Board has given the green light to Wyoming's first film incentive applicants: three documentaries, a public television series and a movie.
The board approved applications in June from the five projects, which have either already filmed or are considering filming in Wyoming. Incentive payments are contingent on the producers submitting documentation to account for their spending in the state.
"We have all five of these approved and moving forward with contracts, and we're collecting expense vouchers and documentation for all the expenditures," said Michell Howard, film manager for Wyoming Tourism and Travel.
Four of the projects are largely complete: a documentary about the new Jackson Hole Aerial Tram, two ski documentaries and a public TV series about wildlife.
Howard said the fifth project is a film titled "Back in the Saddle." Producers of the full-length Western comedy are still in the planning stages and haven't fully committed to Wyoming, Howard said. They sought pre-approval of the state incentive to help solidify investment in the project.
The Wyoming Legislature created the film incentive program in 2007 to lure big-budget films that might otherwise choose locations with better incentive packages. The program offers 12- to 15 percent reimbursements to film projects for their spending in Wyoming.
Lawmakers this year widened the program's eligibility to include film projects that spend at least $200,000 in Wyoming, down from the previous threshold of $500,000.
Howard said the five current applicants are seeking cash rebates totaling about $365,000. The smaller films are seeking about $50,000. "Back in the Saddle" is seeking about $150,000, because its estimated spending in the state would be about $1 million, Howard said.
Howard said the producers of "Back in the Saddle," Odd Man Out Productions, plan to make a decision about whether to film in Wyoming soon, because they'd hoped to begin filming in September.
"If it's September by the time they get their financing together, then they'll probably have to shoot it in Arizona or some place with better weather," Howard said.