Who is Melanie Olmstead, subject of Yellowstone finale title card?
Title cards are a great form a reverence from a production towards one of their own. They are meant to recognize someone who was beloved and contributed greatly to the success of a project. It’s a way to give them proper recognition after a saddening event; that way, their work is never forgotten. Since a title card is a part of the final cut of an episode, it will be included in future airings, repeats, DVD releases, and more. It is a tribute that will live on for however long a show like Yellowstone is watched.
In the case of Melanie Olmstead, the Yellowstone tribute is to a crew member, someone who worked on a variety of Utah-based productions. (Yellowstone films in both Montana and Utah.) Some of Olmstead’s prior credits include the movies Hereditary and John Carter and also the acclaimed kids’ television series Andi Mack, where her IMDb page credits her for 12 episodes. Olmstead passed away earlier this year, but the producers of Yellowstone may have waited until the finale for this dedication so that they could honor her in the most significant way. This is a tribute within the scope of the finale, but also the entire season as a whole.
Crew members become so much more than just colleagues to those who work alongside them on television sets; they are family. You see them for long hours and you go through a lot with them, including difficult weather conditions and stressful days. For many cast members, they are also traveling away from their own friends and family in order to work on the show. Local crew help to give them a lay of the land and an understanding of what it’s like to be in the area. Maybe it’s a chance to learn about the history of a given place, or maybe they can hand down recommendations to various places to visit.
It’s clear from this dedication that Melanie Olmstead meant a lot to the cast and crew of Yellowstone and, as the series progresses, we are sure that her contributions will not be forgotten. A season 3 of Yellowstone has already been commissioned by Paramount Network, and will air in 2020.
Our thoughts go out to all of Olmstead’s family, friends, and colleagues. (Photo: Paramount Network.)