'Living Big Sky' series about finding home in Montana

Montanans know their way of life is different.

Thanks to the HGTV series, “Living Big Sky,” the rest of the country will know what it’s like to find a home in the Last Best Place.

The series pilot, which aired in August, followed two families as they searched for homes in Bozeman and Bigfork. Denver-based Orion Entertainment, which is producing the show, will film 12 30-minute episodes across the state over the coming year, the Montana Department of Commerce’s Montana Film Office announced recently.

Deny Staggs, chief of the Montana Film Office, said having a show about Montana broadcast on a channel such as HGTV is good for the state.

“The whole concept of this show fits right into the Montana brand,” Staggs said. “It’s exactly what we want people to see about Montana.”

The unscripted production follows couples moving to Montana as they search for new homes.

The show’s website describes it as a glimpse into life in the Big Sky country. “In a stunning setting with unique housing opportunities, find out if these home-seekers are ready to make the move to one of the most beautiful areas in the country,” the website reads.

“It’s kind of a dreamy adventure series where a lot of American TV viewers get to see Montana for the first time,” Chris Dorsey, president of Orion Entertainment, told the Independent Record in February. “Montana is just such an aspirational state for so many folks, especially when they’re stuck in urban environments.”

Basically it’s great advertising for the state, Staggs said, and it’s not costing Montana a dime. It’s actually a money-maker for local businesses, he said.

Staggs said filming for the next episodes should start within a couple of weeks. While the film crews are here they may hire one or two local assistants, plus they will be staying in hotels, renting equipment from Montana filmmakers and buying their meals.

Staggs said film crews frequent Montana more often than most people probably think. Each year, two or three $1 million to $2 million productions film in the state, plus many other ads and small segments of movies or shows that pump dollars into the local economy.

The consistency of a 30-minute show on HGTV will reap the state more benefits than most productions, Staggs said.

And the story is bigger than just “Living Big Sky.” Montana is starting to attract more production companies who not only film here but are setting up offices here, Staggs said.

In fact, Orion Entertainment is looking into filming two more shows in Montana, Staggs said. A worker with the production company told him that in terms of popular TV, Montana is the next Alaska.

“I think what she meant was there’s so much character and a story up here, that’s really appealing worldwide, that more and more of the production companies are working at ways to develop those in productions,” Staggs said.