MISSOULA — A new film studio in Missoula is providing local filmmakers with professional-grade sets and equipment. Treasure State Studios opened in the former Woman's Club building, offering a range of opportunities for movie productions.
The studio recently served as the home base for local filmmaker Mark Tomov's production "The Fortune Teller", demonstrating how the facility can elevate local film projects.
"I wouldn't have been able to do it at this budget on the level that we did it without these guys," Tomov said. "They make what cost $200,000 look like $2 million."
Co-Owners Richard Davenport and John Nilles, both filmmakers themselves, created the studio to remove typical barriers that local creatives face when trying to produce films.
"Something that is really important to Richard and I is giving storytellers a platform to tell their stories and the stories of Montana," Nilles said.
The studio operates as Missoula's only professional film facility, featuring a library of pre-built sets available to filmmakers and photographers. This approach eliminates many logistical challenges that typically plague independent productions.
"We're the only operating studio in Missoula and we have a library of sets that are all available for filmmakers or photographers, our mission is to make that accessible," Davenport said.
The controlled environment gives filmmakers unlimited creative freedom and time.
"If someone wanted to go shoot on location at a bar for example you would have to shoot after 2 a.m. and be done by 8 a.m. or noon, so what we've done here is we built our own bar so film makers can come in and shoot normal hours and have total control of the sound light and temperature," Nilles said.
Beyond serving artists, Treasure State Studios is creating local employment opportunities across multiple skill areas, from construction and electrical work to catering services.
"That's what we're trying to do at treasure state is create jobs for people, that want to get some experience doing this, there's lots of different stuff, from doing electrical stuff, building walls, painting...we're excited to be able to offer that opportunity," Nilles said.
The studio's impact became evident during the production of "The Fortune Teller" last fall, which contributed over $100,000 to Missoula's local economy. Despite Tomov's experience working on major productions worldwide, he found the accessible studio model particularly inspiring.
"There's a place that you come and dream with collaborators that share a lot of the same vision that you guys have, it's called treasure state studios," Tomov said.
The success of the recent production demonstrates how creative ventures can generate real economic benefits for the community while providing local filmmakers with professional resources previously unavailable in the area.
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