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WESTERN FRONTIER
ADVENTURE The
Premier Location Facility for Motion Picture and Television
Productions Introduction
and Production Guidelines Located just off of County
Road 14 in Easton, Kansas, Western Frontier Adventure (WFA)
has been pleased to host film and television crews from throughout the United
States and Europe interested in the filming of historically accurate
productions of period pieces. Consisting of over 300 acres of prairie, wooded
ravines, hilltops, streams, ponds and unimproved roads WFA also features a trapper's cabin, miner's hut, and full
mid-to-late 19th century town (Millwood) perfectly suited to recreate an
authentic frontier environment. Owned and operated by Larry and Chris Culbertson,
this facility also hosts a herd of longhorn cattle and numerous trained,
working horses, rolling stock such as horse drawn freight wagons and
buckboards and a well-established network of working cowboys, experienced
extras, and fully-equipped and trained period re-enactment groups. Note too, that WFA
is out of the flight path used by Kansas City International which is a great
boon for sound recording. Likewise there are no nearby railroad tracks and,
as Director Ang Lee can attest, trying to film in some nearby areas as a 100
car train passes can be an epiphany. In Kansas a long train of coal cars can
easily hold up a production for an hour as it passes. Historical consultants
are readily available upon request. Television and film production crews are
always welcome and are invariably delighted by the environment provided. WFA is located one hour north
of Kansas City, Missouri and within 35 minutes of the Kansas City
International Airport. Primary, additional and/or replacement film equipment
and support services can be obtained in Kansas City. Numerous hotels, motels,
bed & breakfast facilities, rental car and truck agencies, restaurants,
and sanitation services are readily available in the area and a listing of
preferred/recommended enterprises is available upon request. While all
production companies are welcome to use the facilities available certain parameters
must be kept in mind. We here at Western Frontier Adventure are
fully committed to making your stay here as productive, enjoyable and safe as
possible. Attention to safety precautions and thorough pre-planning will
ensure that your production is completed on
time and under budget. Larry
Culbertson Owner/Operator Western
Frontier Adventure Cell:
(913) 758-7033 Safety
First! A safe production provides for a happy, economical
and satisfying experience. Here are a few things which must be observed while
operating on WFA; An E.M.T. is
required on set during all shooting days. 1. Firearms are dangerous! They must be handled
safely and production entities must ensure that all personnel – actors, crew,
and support personnel – are thoroughly briefed on the necessity of proper
handling and disposition of firearms. While only BLANK ammunition will be employed ALL weapons should be kept unloaded
until just prior to the scene in which they are being used. Horseplay with
firearms – even if you assume that they are unloaded - is exceedingly
dangerous and can result in serious injuries and even death. (Actor Brandon
Lee was killed by a blank round fired carelessly during production of his
final “The Crow” film). WFA
personnel will not hesitate to check firearms randomly and to seize any
weapon that is being improperly utilized. As firearms are frequently a
feature of projects filmed at WFA we take these precautions very seriously! 2. Respect animals - Western Frontier Adventure
is a working ranch and thus has a large number of animals on the property. Horses should be treated with respect
and caution. Those on WFA are all
well-trained and accustomed to the demands of filming but should be regarded with
caution nevertheless. Almost all are 'gun trained.' However, sudden movement
or waving of distracting materials can spook a horse and should be avoided
unless called for in the script and in that case will be rehearsed repeatedly
with WFA personnel to ensure best
possible results. Never walk behind a horse without letting him know you're
there. A hand placed lightly on the horse's hindquarters will alert him to
the fact that someone is passing behind him and thus help to avoid sudden
kicking or bucking. WFA does have
excellent contacts with local Veterinarians and Blacksmiths at need. Longhorn
cattle
are frequently on or near filming locations. While the cattle at WFA are accustomed to human presence
they should not be abused or assumed to be friendly. A cow with calves is
especially to be avoided as they are very protective and will not hesitate to
charge anything or anyone they deem a threat to their young. Production
personnel should not bring household animals (e.g. dogs) as they will not
mix well with livestock. If you intend
to bring in your own horses, mules, cattle, oxen, pigs, hogs, chickens, etc.
for production purposes this must be discussed and cleared with WFA well before production.
Coordination should also include planning for Veterinary Support at need. Don't forget
– animals need to be fed! Make sure you make
arrangements through WFA to ensure
hay and feed are available for your required animals! WFA will do everything in it's power to accommodate your needs
but you must make those needs known in a timely fashion. 3. Local Wildlife - Production personnel should remain aware that WFA is in a natural rural setting and
as such wildlife abounds on the premises. Wildlife includes but is not
limited to deer, turkey, rabbit, raccoon, bobcat, and coyote. There has been
at least one confirmed sighting of a mountain lion (cougar) on the property.
While most of these creatures are inoffensive in nature they should not be
approached or provoked. Buck deer can be quite territorial and aggressive
during the mating season and should be avoided. In the unlikely event that
you are confronted by an animal, such as a raccoon, who appears to have no
fear of you or even approaches you, the chances are that this animal is rabid
and must be avoided at all costs. Should you find yourself in this situation
notify WFA staff immediately.
There are also snakes in the area and while they will largely avoid human
contact they are best left undisturbed. Copperheads
and Rattlesnakes are not uncommon.
While a rattlesnake will usually give warning before striking a copperhead
will not. Production personnel should be aware, however that some of the
rattlesnakes, especially timber rattlesnakes can get quite large and should
be considered quite dangerous. It is always best to avoid heavily wooded
areas and rocky ledges and to avoid poking around wood piles or under board
sidewalks. Should you happen across a snake it is best to leave it alone,
note where you saw it and notify WFA
staff as soon as possible. If you find that you must leave the production set
by foot to return to base/operations it's always best to have a companion
accompany you and to use established roads or trails. 4. Weather – The weather in this
region of the country is generally exceptional. There are however a couple of
features of the weather wherein common sense will save a lot of trouble. In
the unlikely event that we receive a Tornado
Warning it should be taken very seriously and WFA staff personnel
will assist you in finding appropriate shelter. Electrical storms in this
area, while beautiful, should also be taken very seriously – get under cover
and avoid placing yourself on a barren hilltop or under a tree. Usually the
tallest object in the area will draw a lightning flash – on the prairie this could
be you. A tree large enough to provide shelter is also a likely target. In
the event of heavy rains you will notice that streams and ponds may fill
rapidly. By the same token some of the unpaved road surfaces can very quickly
turn to mush. Driving over these roads can sometimes be
challenging. An excess of speed or lack of caution can easily dump you and
your vehicle into a ditch or up against a tree. Vehicle recovery in these
conditions can be difficult and expensive. Further, vehicle access to some
areas is constricted by terrain and a mired or wrecked vehicle can thus
easily slow down or stop production entirely. It is a good policy to ensure
that your drivers are aware of the conditions and are familiar with their
surroundings. Use your head and you'll
do fine. This being said, producers / location coordinators
should be aware that movement beyond the administrative areas of WFA (e.g., near the front gate, machine shed, barn, etc.) should be
restricted to appropriate vehicle types – 4 WD capable trucks and SUVs and/or
ATVs. WFA has a very limited
number of these vehicles available thus if you believe you will require
expanded all-terrain transportation you will need to coordinate with a local
rental agency beforehand. Locally rental vehicles are easily obtained from
nearby Leavenworth, Kansas or from the Kansas City International Airport
complex. Production and Support
Requirements While Western
Frontier Adventure is a great place to shoot for film and television
it is not the back lot at Universal Studios it is a LOCATION and it's easy to
forget that which you likely take for granted in a studio environment. WFA can help with a lot of things on
your productions – from horses and cattle to firearms and saddlery. Our staff
is very familiar with most periods in American Western history and can
provide all sorts of assistance from teaching novices how to sit a horse and
ride comfortably to how to handle a firearm with authority, but you cannot
expect to send them out for pizza or coffee and still do their jobs. This is why you have P.A.s. Re-enactors / Actors /
Extras WFA has an extensive network of re-enactors and
actors in the local area who are invaluable in making a time period come to
life. If you are polite, treat them fairly, and pay them appropriately we
have any number of people who can really breathe life into any period. Most
of them own their own period clothing and equipment, and will bring their own
mounts which can save a production entity thousands of dollars a day (which
you would quickly discover if trying to shoot the same project in California,
Canada, or New Mexico). Local assets and talent can help you keep production
costs very manageable. However, if you do not feed and care for your
re-enactment personnel – which should include paying industry scale for
services rendered, you could quickly find yourself without an extra to be
seen. This has happened recently to production units in California and New
Mexico and the projects in question died very quickly. Be polite. Be fair. Be professional! Decent
behavior towards extras and re-enactors can repay the production company 5 or
10 times over in time and money saved and in the quality of the final
product. Remember, re-enactors have an
extensive nation-wide network and they do talk to and e-mail each other. We know of several productions which lost
their re-enactors due to the warning bells sounded by their friends who had
worked previously for the production company in question and found them
untrustworthy or undependable. Most of the folks with whom you will be
working have performed on high-end film and television productions for many
years – they know the business exceptionally well. Be polite, be fair, don't be afraid to ask
their advice on tricky scenes. Things
you might believe impossible our staff and re-enactors may have already done
a dozen times. Things that you may see
as simple they will recognize as inherently risky and happily show you a
better way to do it. Work with the great assets you've got available and have
a great production. Mr. Frederick J. Chiaventone, (MA, Radio and
Television) is
available as an in-house Historical Advisor. He lives in Weston Missouri just
15 minutes away and is a novelist screenwriter and commentator on international
affairs. His novels A Road We Do Not
Know (Simon & Schuster) and Moon
of Bitter Cold (St. Martins' Press) have won the Ambassador William Colby
Award, Western Heritage Award and William Rockhill Nelson Award for
Literature. A Road We Do Not Know was
also nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. He has appeared in such programs as
PBS' The American Experience and on the History Channel and was historical
advisor to director Ang Lee on the film Ride
With The Devil and has served as historical consultant on such projects
as Two For Texas, The Rough Riders,
Comanche Warrior, and the PBS series The West. He has also appeared on
Fox TV's The Big Story, his most
recent TV appearnce is in the forthcoming “Bloody
Dawn”--about Quantrill's raid on Lawrence and -- Days of The Pony Express on the history of the Pony Express for
the Pony Express National Museum. Mr.
Chiaventone's services as a Historical Advisor should be contracted for
separately. WFA will happily provide for camping facilities for
re-enactors to include a fresh water source but provision of rations for man
and horse is the responsibility of the production company. Note that WFA is
rather a large expanse of territory and thus a functional 2-way radio
communications capability for your production staff is strongly recommended.
There are portions of the complex where cell phones will simply not
function. Be aware of that ahead of
time. Another Word on Horses and
Rolling Stock! Another
word on horses and wagons/rolling stock.
Horses, as we have noted previously, can be extremely
unpredictable. If spooked/frightened,
a horse can do tremendous damage to props, actors, actresses, crew in record
time. Although all of our horses are
exceptionally well-trained they are still horses and can be spooked by flying
objects (e.g., scarves, newspaper, etc.), snakes, another horse or human
being passing by without warning, etc..
Treat these animals with care and respect and they're great. Annoy them at your own peril. By the same
token, wagons and rolling stock can be exceedingly dangerous as they
generally have a high center of gravity and can be easily upset (turned
over). If one is being pulled by
horses that are suddenly spooked you have a recipe for disaster. Stay clear and let the
experts handle it! Also note
that because of the dangers involved people, especially children, should not
ride in the beds of wagons/rolling stock unless specifically called for in
the script and even then only after intensive rehearsal of the scene in
question with qualified WFA personnel.
A wagon wreck is not a pretty thing and can easily put involved
personnel in the hospital. Broken limbs are not unusual. As a result, do not expect 'free rides' on
horseback or in wagons/rolling stock to amuse cast and crew. If you wish to program for such activities
in your own insurance company riders, to include 'hold harmless' clauses for
WFA, that is your prerogative, simply coordinate with WFA personnel
beforehand as we will not assume responsibility
for injurues incurred due to unauthorized use of horses or equipment. Actors and Actresses While WFA has extensive contacts with
re-enactors, actors and actresses in the region, your arrangements for care and
feeding of these folks are your responsibility. They will do all in their
power, as will we, to ensure that your job is as easy as possible but you
cannot treat them like the proverbial 'red-headed stepchild.' Actors
and actresses that you bring with you will be treated with all due respect
but demonstrations of pique, unprofessional behavior, or dangerous conduct
(such as the mishandling or abuse of alcohol, controlled substances,
livestock or firearms) will not be tolerated. While there are no lodging
accommodations for acting/production staff on the grounds, WFA does have locations on-site where
trailers – to include those necessary for hair, make-up, lighting, props,
wardrobe, craft services etc. can be safely and efficiently operated. Discuss
your requirements beforehand with Mr.
Larry Culbertson. As a note,
all production personnel should understand that WFA is not a child safe environment. While we love
kids there are no facilities available on site for the care of little ones.
Further, as a working ranch, WFA
ought to be considered by the responsible parent/guardian as 'an attractive
nuisance' as far as youngsters are concerned. During a
production the area will be a beehive of activity between motor and horse
drawn vehicles, saddle horses, working horses, cattle, wildlife, and
firearms. In short this is not a safe environment for unsupervised children. If
actors/actresses/crew elect to bring children with them – especially small
children – they must recognize that WFA
does not have child care facilities nor staff to supervise or cater to
children. Children are the sole
responsibility of the parent/guardian. Keep in
mind that a lost or injured child is heartbreaking, stressful, and can easily
shut down all production activities until the situation is resolved. For the
parent or guardian this can be a terribly traumatic and nerve wracking event.
For the producer/network/studio this can be a very costly affair. Craft Services As
previously noted, the provision for Craft
Services is the responsibility of the producing entity. While WFA can provide local contacts for
same you must negotiate and contract for these services yourself. An
excellent location for Craft Services operations is located neat the front
gate for Western Frontier Adventure.
With good ground, easy road access, fresh water access and ample parking this
has been the favored spot for most previous productions many of which have
co-located their craft services tent with their production headquarters tent.
This also makes for an easily located central point for information exchange
and production meetings. Based on
considerations of time, light, weather or availability of personnel, some
productions may wish to feed 'on location' at Millwood (the western town set)
which is located apart from the front gate. In the past we have been able to
help production entities set up an “Advance Craft Services” facility in one
of the buildings at Millwood. This
usually consists of coffee, milk, water, donuts, sandwiches, fruit, etc.. but
can be used for dispersing meals at need. If you think this might be a
valuable time saver for you this can be arranged but you must plan for this
ahead of time. Remember,
access to Millwood can be problematic. The only road (unpaved) into the
Millwood location traverses a creek and winds up a steep, narrow trail before
emptying into the location. In adverse weather conditions (heavy rain / snow)
this route can be difficult if not impossible for navigation by a standard
craft services truck. Thus, should the producers wish for economic/time
considerations to feed cast and/or crew at Millwood access issues should be
considered well in advance. In most cases access can be had easily via
pick-up truck, 4 wheel drive vehicle, or a light truck/van with 4 wheel drive
capacity. Producers / Location Coordinators should take this into
consideration when planning out the shooting schedule. While some
productions have depended on trusted craft services operations which they
brought from California or New York, WFA can also provide the producers with
excellent references to Craft Service caterers in the area. As a note of interest, we here at WFA believe
strongly in feeding all working personnel first. Thus our staff will always ensure that
cast/crew eat first. We want to make
sure that every one is treated fairly.
Sanitation The
production of a film or television project will naturally result in the
production of large amounts of waste material. It is the responsibility of
the production company to contract for both trash collection and removal and
the provision/maintenance of porta potties (portable toilets) for cast and
crew. WFA will happily provide
contact numbers to production company personnel for obtaining these services.
These sanitation services should be arranged for and in operation NLT the
evening prior to start of principal photography or the arrival on set of cast
and crew whichever comes first. WFA personnel will be happy to help you
determine the ideal locations for such facilities. Remember, that for any set of toilet
facilities you should co-locate an ability to provide for handwashing. Local firms can easily provide same but you
should discuss it with them ahead of time. Production Insurance Any company
wishing to utilize WFA facilities
should be bonded and insured for the duration of the production phase on
location. Location scouting may of course be performed beforehand but, once a
production start date is confirmed, an insurance policy covering production
costs and liabilities must be in place and a copy of said document provided
to WFA for our records. Costs / Payment Once the
production company and Western Frontier
Adventure have decided on production requirements and start/end dates for
principal photography payment for use of WFA
facilities/services is due by the following formula; A
non-refundable security deposit amounting to 15% of the projected cost of
facilities/services is payable prior to start of principal photography.
Should the production be aborted and subsequently terminated by the
production company due to unforeseen circumstances prior to scheduled end
date then payment for goods and services rendered to that point are the
financial responsibility of the production company. Final payment, including
any additional production expenses incurred by WFA in response to requests by the production company during
principal photography, should be made by a cashiers or certified check and
must 'clear the bank' before production may proceed. The production company
will keep a daily record of expenses over and above initially anticipated
expenses itemized to indicate any goods or services provided by WFA. Final payment of fees must be
tendered within 90 days of the completion of principal photography at WFA and must be received by Western Frontier Adventure NLT COB of
that date. As a final
note, when you have a large production it is sometimes difficult to ensure
that everybody knows what's going on. We have found that the productions
which have informed their personnel as fully as possible as to scheduling,
local conditions, safe work requirements, etc., tend to get their work done
faster, more efficiently, and with a better final product than their
competition. Such sets also tend to
have a happier environment in which personnel are eager to work with their
fellows in the future. Just to help
you along in striving for this we'll recommend that the information in this
note is circulated amonng your personnel so that they too will know more
about the environment in which they'll be working. Above all, welcome to Western Frontier
Adventure – we're sure that you'll find it all that you hoped it would be and
more. Good
shooting! The
following personnel have read and understand the content of these guidelines. ---------------------------------- --------------------------------- Director Producer ----------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Location
Coordinator Art
Director --------------------------- Larry Culbertson Owner/Operator, WFA Cell: 913-758-7033
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