Debapriya Bhattacharya
Created by Karen Kingsbury for Great American Pure Flix, ‘A Thousand Tomorrows’ is based on the eponymous first novel of her Cody Gunner book series. It tells the story of champion bull rider Cody Gunner, a brash, handsome man at the top of his game who bears the burden of a troubled past. When he is introduced to Ali Daniels, a barrel racer at the top of her game, Cody is instantly swept off his feet. However, Ali is not without her own battles, as she fights a life-threatening illness. As they fall in love, the bull rider finds himself willing to sacrifice anything in exchange for more time with her. The romantic miniseries highlights the beauty of the rural South and the rustic lives of the wonderful people.
A Thousand Tomorrows Filming Locations
The principal photography of ‘A Thousand Tomorrows’ took place between the months of May and June in 2022 in Oklahoma. The northeastern cities of Tulsa and Claremore formed the backdrop for the heartfelt storyline. With a rich history of bull riding and barrel racing, it provided the perfect atmosphere for the narrative to take shape. In an interview, actor Colin Ford said of the shooting experience, “Every single day, in our 30-day shoot, when I would get up in the morning, I just had this extra energy that sometimes I haven’t had before on other jobs. I just felt like that was really special.”
Tulsa, Oklahoma
‘A Thousand Tomorrows’ first began production in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in May 2022. The southern city is steeped in the culture that is showcased in the miniseries. It also has the arena and the open spaces required for the sports that form a central part of the narrative. Some of the scenes were also captured in the extended Tulsa area, particularly in Kiefer and Inola. In a statement, Cassidy Lunnen, the executive producer and CEO of Red Clay Studios, shared the vision behind settling on Tulsa as a primary shooting spot. She said, “Located in the middle of the heartland, I cannot think of a better location than Tulsa to capture this all-American story centered on faith and love.” Apart from ‘A Thousand Tomorrows,’ Tulsa has served as the chosen filming location for projects for both big and small screens. Some of the movies that were shot in Tulsa are ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ ‘Minari,’ and ‘The Outsiders,’ while shows include ‘Tulsa King’ and ‘The Lowdown.’
Claremore, Oklahoma
Filming for ‘A Thousand Tomorrows’ was also carried out across the city of Claremore in Oklahoma, located within thirty miles west of Tulsa, between the end of May and mid-June in 2022. One of the primary production locations is the Will Rogers Stampede Arena at 13601 East 480 Road. With barrel racing and bull riding being central to the story, the importance of the arena during the shoot cannot be understated. When Red Clay Studios Location Manager Scott Clark scouted the city to finalize the shooting locations, the arena popped up as the one that he knew very well on account of attending rodeos in the past.
To utilize signage from the Will Rogers Stampede PRCA Rodeo, the production crew had to obtain a special license from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Being featured in the series has been a great boost for the arena, Rodeo Arena Cooperative member Tanya Andrews told Claremore Progress. “It’s fantastic that someone like Scott remembers our rodeo, so that tells me that it put an impression on him to make him think of us after all of these years,” she said. “It’s really going to showcase the rodeo grounds.” Cassidy Lunnen noted that changes were made in the script to highlight the arena as well as the city of Claremore.
In conversation with Andrews, the production got in touch with another one of their primary shooting locations in the city, the empty wing at Hillcrest Hospital at 1202 North Muskogee Place. “We ended up shooting here because it is rare,” noted Scott Clark. “Doctors’ offices are either empty and abandoned or they see patients all the time.” The third important location where scenes have been lensed for ‘A Thousand Tomorrows’ is the Perfect Bride Boutique at the NeMar Shopping Center at 999 West Will Rogers. Scott noted that the local community at Claremore has been a treat to work with. Even the police department had been supportive of the work that the production team was doing. In addition to ‘A Thousand Tomorrows,’ Claremore has been utilized for filming projects such as ‘Reservation Dogs,’ ‘A Christmas Present,’ ‘Unplugging,’ and ‘Run with the Hunted.’
Read More: Catch of the Day: Filming Locations and Cast Details
