The credit for this cinematic picture must go to the West Texas cowboys who kept the herd tight to the model but were also in full control of her safety. The fact that Brooks Nader and I knew the cowboys well, and had total trust in their herding skills, allowed us to focus on our jobs and that ultimately made all the difference. The one constant was the backdrop, which offered an emphatic sense of place.
We filmed this project 25 miles from the Mexican border and 25 miles from the drive by town of Van Horn, which is marooned in the middle of nowhere. I believe we were in virginal territory for this kind of production and I am so appreciative of the local ranchers who allowed us to put everything together, they have enough on their hands in this region right now. I would imagine we were the first legal visitors on this land for quite a while.
Location scouting is an integral part of the job but in ecosystems as vast as this in this part of Texas, we must subcontract the initial work to locals otherwise we would have to give up our day jobs. I thank Craig Carter and his team for understanding our creative needs.
When I watched Kevin Costner’s Horizon, I thought Sienna Miller stole many scenes, not just with her beauty and screen presence, but with her styling; its refined simplicity offered a stark contrast to the untamed and merciless Wild West. That was my prompt for Brooks in this sequence and I think the white lace dress worked well against the backdrop of dust.