Five Questions for Filmmakers: Chorus of Colorado

We reached out to our festival filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.​

The Chorus of Colorado- Finalist Trailer from Jackson Hole WILD on Vimeo.

Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film.

Director Thomas Winston: The issue of wolves in Colorado can be contentious and polarizing, our goal with this short film was leverage the aspects of the state that all Coloradan’s love, from the natural beauty to the Broncos at Mile High.  Then we ponder the questions: What’s missing from the nearly perfect picture?

How do you approach storytelling?

TW: At Grizzly Creek Films we always want to tell a story that is both compelling and enlightening. 

What impact do you hope this film will have?

TW: We hope this film will be part of a multipronged approach to build tolerance for wolves returning to Colorado.  Since the reintroduction of wolves in the northern Rockies, every wolf that has migrated to Colorado has been killed.  This effort hopes curbs that trend.

Still from Chorus of Colorado

Were there any surprising or meaningful experiences you want to share?
TW: This film was made in collaboration with the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project.  In addition to producing films, the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project commissioned in-depth polling by both Democrat and Republican pollsters to assess the public knowledge and opinions about wolves.  The most surprising outcome of these polls is that most Coloradans think that wolves still roam free in their state.  When they were told that wolves DO NOT live in Colorado, they overwhelming felt they should, regardless of political affiliation.  We used these polling results to shape the approach to the films.
 
What next?
TW: We are planning to make additional short films for the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project into 2018.