The state of Wyoming is looking to boost tourism. They are doing so with the help of an animated film. The film will come out across the country next month.

The film is called "The Good Dinosaur." It will come out Thanksgiving week. It is about a dinosaur named Arlo and his human friend. They travel a harsh and scenic land. Valleys and mountains are seen in the film. They were inspired by the Wyoming landscape. One such landscape is the Teton Mountain Range.

There is an agreement between the state Office of Tourism and Pixar. Wyoming will invest $1.2 million of its advertising budget on a media campaign. The campaign will promote both the film and the state.

Wyoming will also pay Pixar $100,000. The money will help sponsor the film's world premiere Nov. 17 in Los Angeles. In return, Wyoming will be able to promote the state. They will be able to display its bucking horse and rider logo at the premiere.

Chris Mickey is the Tourism Office spokesman. He said that Wyoming will be able to use images from the film. It can use the images in commercials marketing the state.

"One of the things we love about this partnership is we can directly tie the dinosaurs to Wyoming in the movie," Mickey said.

The commercials will run from mid-November to mid-December. He said that the commercials probably will not air in Wyoming.

"But they will be seen in select markets all over the country," Mickey said.

Diane Shober is executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism. She said the deal with Pixar gives the state the chance to increase interest in Wyoming. It might increase visits, too.

"The film is visually stunning. The setting is very characteristic of the Wyoming scenery we know and love," Shober said. 

"'The Good Dinosaur' is a perfect fit for Wyoming's mountain backdrops. And its sweeping landscapes. It ties to paleontology and culture of the American West."

The Office of Tourism has worked with film studios before. But Mickey said this is the first time the state has worked with a film through an advertising campaign.

"What we really hope is that this will move the needle on young families. People who have younger kids. But who are still in the adventure stage of their lives," Mickey said. 

"Even though it is an animated film, because of how well the Disney Pixar team did, the locations and backgrounds of this film, it almost looks like you could be there."

Source URL: https://www.tweentribune.com/article/junior/wyoming-partners-pixar-dinosaur-movie/