While Wyoming has been featured in several movies and television shows throughout the years, very few are actually shot in the state. Locales such as New Mexico and British Columbia, Canada are just two of these places that have filled in for Wyoming on the big screen.
Sean Patrick Higgins, founder and CEO of Story House Inc. would like to change that.
Higgins, a University of Wyoming graduate, resides primarily in Sheridan. He hopes to build a film studio to jumpstart Wyoming's film industry.
"Story House Pictures is going to pioneer a sustainable film industry in Wyoming and how we're going to do that is by bringing a state-of-the-art film studio—think of Skywalker Ranch," Higgins said.
In addition to the construction of a studio east of the VA in Sheridan, there are plans on investing in the infrastructure to house workers. While Higgins said there will have to be some workers brought in from places such as New York or Los Angeles, he added that jobs for Wyoming workers will also be brought into the equation as well.
"We have this potential to create 435 jobs for Wyoming residents...targeted hiring goal of 25 percent veteran and displaced energy workers and really to create this sort of vocational and educational opportunity for the next generation of American filmmakers," he said. "Sheridan provides the right climate for us and also workforce availability."
He said the film industry is a robust one, which could possibly bring people back to the state, especially if they had studied in Wyoming.
"I'm someone who understands the state, who grew up between the state and California," Higgins says. "I'm a legacy generational cowboy so to speak through UW. I understand the Code of the West. And so we have this potential to do this for Wyoming by Wyoming and that’s really something I want to lean into."
Higgins feels that his knowledge of Wyoming and background in the state will allow for the launch and success of film production in Sheridan as well as statewide.
"I just think Sheridan has so much of the best of what Wyoming has to offer," he exclaims.
