Up the road, a famously dark movie director will begin filming his latest project.
Quentin Tarantino - of "Pulp Fiction" and "Kill Bill" fame - has won approval from San Miguel County to film his new movie, "The Hateful Eight," on Wilson Mesa near Telluride.
"The word is that it's a very small cast, so probably not a lot of extras," said Lisa Schwantes, coordinator for the Four Corners Film office supporting the movie crew.
But they are looking for production assistants, and they try and hire local, she said.
Production will get started in December, and filming will last for two months. The film is expected to premiere in 2015.
Keep an eye out for Samuel Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Bruce Dern, who will reportedly star in the film.
Tarantino had kept the plot secret, until one of his insiders leaked the story published by "The Wrap." The script is a sort of Western noir with classic Tarantino absurdities.
Bounty hunters are returning their mostly dead human catch to a town called Red Rock to collect rewards, but run into a blizzard. They take shelter in a haberdashery (a men's outfitting store) and meet up with other weird characters.
Mistrust, coffee and violence ensue, writes "The Wrap."
Local towns, including Dolores, are pitching in to the Four Corners Film office to help market the region for movie sets.
Dolores has some recent filmography. The late Stan Foster was an extra in the "Lone Ranger," the Porch Lights had a song in "Wrenched," and "Mile, Mile and a Half" featured locals Dave and Kelly Finlay hiking the Muir Trail (it's on Netflix).
Reality television shows "Finding Big Foot" and "Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters" are also filmed in the area.
The local film office courts movies and television shows by showcasing the area's spectacular scenery, rustic towns, and rich cultural history. The office, part of Region 9 Economic Development, provides behind-the-scenes support including set supplies, catering, and connections.
"It's a wonderful industry that has a great impact on the community when they come to the area," Schwantes said. "They come drop money, buy local supplies, hire locals and then they are gone. We serve then well so they come back again."
Tarantino's new film will be shot on the Schmid Ranch and has an estimated budget of $44 million. A $5 million incentive package for the film was approved by the Colorado Economic Development Commission.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com
