Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1124104
9 8 P E R S P E C T I V E | J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 The central character of Yellowstone, apart from John Dutton, is the Dutton Ranch. By the time I was hired, there was no time to consider this a build. It had to be found and found fast as there was less than six weeks until filming was to begin. It was imperative that this location be truly spectacular for the story to be believable. It needed to encompass a seventh-generation ranching family, the big sky of Montana, and the depth of power and money the Duttons had in this land. I had two major hurdles: lack of time and the studio/producers wanting the filming to take place, ideally, exclusively in Utah. The production was based in Park City, Utah, where we took over Utah Film Studios. I took issue with the ranch being in Utah, as there are limits on its likeness to Montana. There were plenty of other locations where Utah could be cheated for Montana, but I refused to compromise with the ranch. I asked for two weeks and a plane ticket to Montana. I searched high and low with location manager Charlie Skinner, and with help from the Montana Film Commission. This was an extra stressful time, as I knew I couldn't come back empty handed, and I was losing time with each passing day. We ended up finding the Chief Joseph Ranch—a historic property in the Bitterroot Valley with a breathtaking lodge built in 1917. I remember calling Sheridan to let him know I was certain I had found the ranch and wanted him to come up and scout it with me right away; but having to explain I was in the Bitterroot Valley, not Paradise Valley. The ranch, although breathtaking, was badly in need of repair. One of the biggest challenges was refurbishing the grounds in a brutal fourteen days. The lodge was missing a grand entrance, so a covered wrap- around porch and entryway was designed and built. All the corrals, barn stalls and riding arenas were redone, painted and aged. The lodge interior was reimagined with a full dress by set decorator Carla Curry. All in less than two weeks. Only the great room and kitchen interiors were shot on location. All other lodge interiors, (first-floor hallways, dining room, John Dutton's office and study, John Dutton's master bedroom and bathroom, Beth's bedroom, bathroom and closet, Kasey's bedroom and all upstairs hallways, corridors and stairwells) were built on stage in Park City. Chief Joseph Ranch matched Sheridan's vision of this larger-than-life ranching operation. With the help of neighboring ranches, everything the production needed and more was within striking distance of the main lodge; cattle, buffalo, elk, deer, forests, fields, mountains and a river. It immediately transported the cast and crew into the story by just being on the grounds. The wranglers were able to take advantage of the corrals and barns to keep the horses. The ranch was brought to life not only through the design but also with the daily use of the livestock, hay deliveries and cowboy camps that the actors were attending when not filming. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect location and backdrop. As my longtime mentor Jack Fisk would say when what seemed like the impossible would come through—"the movie gods are shining down on us." This ranch gave Sheridan the ability to shoot however he wanted, allowing actors to come and go from inside to outside, and the ability to tie the barns to the main lodge to the bunkhouse to the various living quarters on property. It also allowed B A. EXTERIOR DUTTON RANCH BARN AND OUTBUILDINGS. SET PHOTO B. EXTERIOR DUTTON RANCH CORRALS AND ARENA, ON LOCATION AT CHIEF JOSEPH RANCH IN DARBY MT. SET PHOTO. PHOTOS BY RUTH DE JONG. A