Sick of losing movies to Canada, Wyoming considers incentives

Moviegoers this year will be treated to two stories set against the backdrop of Wyoming’s ranching heritage – "An Unfinished Life," which opened this weekend, and "Brokeback Mountain," scheduled for a December release.

But while both films are set in Wyoming, both were filmed in the Canadian Rockies, where production companies were able to save millions of dollars. The company scouting locations for "An Unfinished Life" said it could save $3 million by filming in Canada.

"It’s been a rough couple of summers," said Michell Howard, manager of the Wyoming Business Council’s film, art and entertainment office.

"It’s hard to compete with $3 million," she said.

But that’s exactly what the Wyoming Business Council wants to do. Howard and Diane Shober, the council’s director of travel and tourism, are backing legislation that would create financial incentives for filmmakers to bring their productions to Wyoming.

Associated Press

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