Oregon Film: Quarterly Newsletter

Featured Location:
Central Oregon

Central Oregon is an unexpected mix of high desert, blowing tumbleweeds, snowy volcanic peaks, rugged lava flows and caves, rushing rivers, waterfalls and lakes, as well as sweeping western ranches and small towns.

The high country lakes on the eastern flank of the Cascade Mountain Range give way to high desert, Ponderosa pine forests, and then dry, desert lands. Central Oregon provides a variety of locations that is difficult to match anywhere in the state. The small city of Bend is the center of Central Oregon and, in addition to providing direct flights daily to and from Los Angeles, it is also this region’s center for cast, crew and equipment.
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Other "Central Oregon" articles this issue:

Central Oregon Resources (FOA)
Central Oregon Talent
RAGE Productions
BendFilm Festival
The Central Oregon Lifestyle


Put it on the Screen (continued) by Vince Porter, Executive Director CBS Films' first feature film, currently titled “The Untitled Crowley Project,” goes in to production in Oregon this spring. The TNT series “Leverage,” produced by Electric Entertainment, begins shooting its second season here this spring as well. We expect both projects to be a positive experience for the producers and for our state. When you do a project in Oregon, we look to not only help you with locations and incentives; we also want to be a marketing and PR resource for you when the project is completed. In Oregon we not only want to save you money, we also want to create value for your project. In this issue of the newsletter, we are featuring Central Oregon. I know when I left Los Angeles to take this position in the film office, I assumed that all of Oregon was wet and rainy. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. In Central Oregon you will find beautiful high desert landscapes that get sun over 300 days a year. Central Oregon has played host to several westerns in the past, and today it is a popular destination for outdoor recreation. There is also an energetic film community in Central Oregon headed up by Film Oregon Alliance (FOA), a local organization based in Bend. Lastly, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about doing business in Oregon. 2009 will be a record year for Oregon’s film and television industry and we are eager to show you everything we can do to help get your project on the screen. (back to top)

Companies:
Fluid Images

Fade in on a young couple as they lean into the wind at the bow of a 1912 luxury liner. The setting sun shines golden light on their beaming faces as they spread their arms wide like birds on the wing soaring above the ocean. The camera wraps dramatically around them and then sweeps over the foredeck filled with passengers and on past the massive smoke stacks of the ship as it makes its maiden voyage across the North Atlantic. – “Titanic”

Dip to black and back up on two climbers scrambling up the sheer face of a 70-foot rock wall in an extreme sports race to the top. The camera effortlessly and quickly ascends right along with them pulling the viewer into the excitement of the competition. – “ESPN X-Games”

Cut to a platoon of WWII American soldiers crouching low and slogging through tall grass on a mission to ambush the Japanese enemy at Guadalcanal. The camera sneaks along with them across hundreds of yards of thick vegetation, immersing the audience into the tension-filled moment. – “The Thin Red Line”

Fluid Images' Strada Camera Crane

Dissolve to a tranquil pond as the camera skims above the surface. It comes upon a cascading water feature and rises up the face of the falls, revealing a vibrant green where a golfer sinks a perfect putt. The camera keeps rising high above the beautiful course as he heads off to the next tee, the Cascades in full alpenglow in the distance. – “Pronghorn Golf Club”

These are just a few of the thousands of powerful visual experiences that create the montage capturing the 19-year history of Oregon’s own Fluid Images.

Company co-founders Rick and Bob Johnson and their entire production team have always had a passion for cool, creative ways to shoot motion pictures and are constantly developing innovative solutions to stay at least one step ahead.

What started near Oregon City in 1990 as the company that developed and manufactured the world’s longest camera crane has now turned into three interrelated businesses based in Sisters that blend creative services with inventive production techniques and visionary media display platforms. Fluid Images Film & Video designs video-based marketing tools from script to screen with style and originality. Stradacrane raises the bar on production values for features, event broadcasts and advertising with its proprietary camera cranes; at up to 100’, they’re still the industry’s longest and are used around the globe for major motion pictures, Olympics and X Games telecasts or wherever a camera needs to quietly fly long and low over the action or high above it. The company’s third division, Captive Media Solutions, offers novel digital signage content creation and playback/display system integration as well as kiosk design.

With its team’s distinct experience at all levels in the film and video industry, excellent attention to service and a sharp focus on “keeping it fresh”, Fluid Images is an Oregon original.

View a video of Central Oregon shot from Fluid Image's Strada camera crane here.
Find out more and view other clips by visiting www.fluid-images.com.
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Shot in Oregon:
"Management"

“Management” is a romantic comedy that chronicles a chance meeting between Mike Cranshaw (Steve Zahn) and Sue Claussen (Jennifer Anniston). When Sue checks into the roadside motel owned by Mike’s parents in Arizona, what starts with a bottle of wine “compliments of management” soon evolves into a multi-layered, cross country journey of two people looking for a sense of purpose. The film also stars Woody Harrelson, Fred Ward, and Margo Martindale and was directed by Stephen Belber.

“Management” was shot in Oregon the summer of 2007. In addition to the Portland area, the film shot in the high desert town of Madras for several weeks. The entire town of Madras opened up its arms to host this project and the film even helped raise money for the local high school theater.

The film premiered in last year’s Toronto Film festival and was well received by the critics. Joe Leydon of Variety said, “Neatly mixing whimsical quirkiness, straight-faced absurdity and affecting melancholy, ‘Management’ is a slight but likable dramedy that signals a promising directorial debut for playwright-screenwriter Stephen Belber (‘Tape,’ ‘The Laramie Project’). Pic benefits greatly from appealing perfs by Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn, who deftly apply darker emotional shadings to their characters when necessary, and equally fine work from a small ensemble of solid supporting players.” Due in theaters this May, “Management” will be presented by Image Entertainment and distributed through Samuel Goldwyn Films.
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Featured Location: Central Oregon (continued) Within 30 miles of Bend you might find yourself in: Mexico and Southwest Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne, Madras Wild West Sisters, Shaniko, Crooked River Railroad, Ghost Rock Ranch, Antelope grasslands, Lake Billy Chinook, the Painted Hills of the John Day National Monument Moonscapes and Alien Landscapes McKenzie Pass lava flow, Smith Rock State Park, Hole-in-the-Ground Northern China Crooked River ranchlands and Gorge, Madras The Great Plains Madras area ranchlands Canada white water and tranquil stretches of Deschutes and Metolius Rivers Small town America Old town Bend High Mountain Lakes of the Sierra or Rocky Mountains Sparks Lake, Devil’s Lake Rivers of the Southwest Deschutes River Desert roads of Nevada and New Mexico Central Oregon Highway, Juniper Canyon Rd. , Alfalfa Market Rd. With direct access by air to Bend and the variety of locations listed above, Central Oregon provides great value for the production dollar. (back to top)


Crew (continued) by Charles Carlsen - IATSE Local 488 IATSE Local 488 represents the film, television, and commercial technicians in the jurisdiction of Oregon, Washington, Northern Idaho, and Western Montana. Covered classifications include: Art Department, Craft Service, Costumers, Electrics, First Aid, Grip, Greens, Make up and Hair, Paint, Plaster, Office Production, Prop makers, Props, Set Decoration, Script Supervision, Sound and Video, Special Effects, and Studio Teachers. Local 488 prides itself in our spirit of cooperation. Members of every classification work cohesively to create a positive production atmosphere. We have two production centers, Seattle and Portland, in which any of the 400 members residing in our jurisdiction can work as a local hire under the Non-Maryland area standard rates. Local 488 is unique with a reciprocal agreement with Vancouver’s Local 891. Under this agreement, productions signatory to both Locals can travel 20% of their crew into each jurisdiction. This helps maintain continuity and greatly reduces time issues with immigration. Local 488 also has agreements with every Stage and Wardrobe IATSE Local throughout Alaska, Montana, Washington, Idaho, and Oregon that allows for members of those locals can work as permits under any Local 488 contract. There are two on-call 488 Business Agents; Bob Riggs in Seattle (206)448 0668 bobriggs@iatse488.com, and Charles Carlsen in Portland (503)232 1523 charlie@iatse488.com. Together we represent over 60 years of IATSE experience and can answer most jurisdictional and contractual questions. As the IATSE has national contracts to fit every budget level, we will readily provide the applicable numbers to help in your early budgeting process. (back to top)


Central Oregon Resources Film Oregon Alliance (FOA), is a nonprofit trade and economic development organization that aims to create opportunities for Central Oregon film, television, radio and new media professionals, and helps attract production of feature films to the region. One such project that has looked at Central Oregon recently is “Refresh, Refresh”. The writer, Sundance Institute Lynn Auerbach Screenwriting Fellow James Ponsoldt, is set to direct his prize-winning adaptation of a short story by a native Central Oregonian in the coming months and plans to shoot it in Prineville and other areas of Central Oregon. Ponsoldt's script, "Refresh, Refresh," is based on Tumalo native Benjamin Percy's tale of the same name. The fiction, which won a prize from the prestigious Paris Review, focuses on two troubled teens whose fathers leave their small Central Oregon town to fight in the Iraq War. When the film makers were looking to scout the region, FOA was able to provide the film makers with guidance on locations, crew, talent and other resources they will need in this film friendly area of the state. Drawing such production to the region means potential employment for the more than 160 production companies, directors, producers, actors, writers, crew members and suppliers listed in FOA's website, www.filmoregon.org. Dozens of individuals and firms are being hired as a result of initial contact by production companies with the www.filmoregon.org website. FOA not only celebrated its first anniversary in Bend this past January, but offered a series of workshops, lectures and conversations throughout its first year on such topics as acting, directing, filmmaking and marketing independent film. As a part of FOA’s educational outreach programs, the organization co-sponsored a personal appearance of Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke in Sisters last November, and a “Conversation with Catherine Hardwicke” at the co-sponsoring Sisters Art Works. FOA executives have also worked closely with the Governor’s Office of Film & Television and OMPA to gain support for for Senate Bill 621, an increase in the Oregon Production Incentive Fund (OPIF) and to help sponsor legislation that sets aside five percent (5%) of OPIF to allot to in-state production companies. The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 863 initiates the Indigenous Oregon Production Incentive Fund (IOPIF), designed to support lower budget projects crafted by Oregon based production firms. Whereas any production company filming in Oregon must meet a $750,000 production budget minimum to qualify for OPIF funds, the IOPIF proposal, if passed into law, would fund projects with production budgets one-tenth that amount (or not less than $75,000), provided the production firm were Oregon-based. Current FOA president Stan Roach and past president Craig Richards met with executives of the OMPA and others last December to help shape and support the proposed legislation. Mr. Roach and Mr. Richards presented the legislation to Senator Chris Telfer of Bend and through these efforts along with help from OMPA, Senator Telfer has agreed to sponsor the IOPIF legislation. About Film Oregon Alliance: Film Oregon Alliance (FOA) is an independent economic development and trade organization whose mission it is to unite, promote and market Central Oregon as a desirable film location in cooperation with the Governor’s Office of Film & Television and other industry trade organizations. FOA is the largest organization of its kind in the state and has nearly 400 registered member subscribers who reside both east and west of the Cascades. Current board members are Stan Roach, President; Monterey Morrissey, VP; Patricia West-Del Ruth, Director of Education; Bonnie Kamin Morrissey, Secretary and Mike Reidy, Director. For more information, visit www.filmoregon.org or email contact@filmoregon.org. (back to top)


Central Oregon Talent: FOA Education Programs *by Isaac Testerman, Delve Films and FOA Member* Film Oregon Alliance is starting to get noticed, and for good reason. After a little more than a year, they have established themselves as one of the premier film industry trade organizations in the Northwest. One of FOA’s main objectives is to develop leading educational programs. FOA has offered many workshops to help local filmmakers, students and actors develop their talents and give them the tools needed to take their passion to the next level. Patricia West-Del Ruth is the director of FOA’s Cinema Arts Education. She possesses a lot of experience in the film industry on both the acting and educational side. She has appeared in the feature film Quicksilver and several television series. Her educational experience spans from ABC’s talent development program in the 80’s to her own award winning cable television show “Cinema Scene” that featured professionals in the film industry. Her husband Thomas Del Ruth also works closely with Patricia in FOA’s Cinema Arts Education. Del Ruth is the renowned cinematographer who has worked as the director of photography for such films as “The Breakfast Club”, and “Mighty Ducks.” He has also worked on the Television series, “The X Files,” “ER,” and “The West Wing” to name a few. “I have been fortunate to be able to draw upon my previous experience with ABC television in having been a member of their Talent Development Program.” says Patricia. “What I learned quickly was that the industry is a business and needs to be pursued as such.” Patricia, along with FOA, has created a Talent Development Program that is training talent here locally and preparing them for the many opportunities that are coming to Oregon. “The goal in creating a Talent Development Program for FOA is to actually train actors to be ready to work as professionals in the film and television industry. We are so blessed to have several feature films and television series being shot here in Oregon. With the FOA’s Education Program we are now developing the talent locally that will be able to fill the growing needs of the film industry here.” FOA’s Talent Development Program is one of a kind here in Oregon and is sure to make its mark on the industry. Right now, FOA is in the middle of a 3 week intensive acting workshop. Patricia says the training you receive here is groundbreaking and unique. “Most actors have to be untrained before they can learn. Film and Television acting is completely different from stage acting. The most important aspect of this particular workshop, because we are focused on acting in front of a camera, is to teach actors how not to act. My job is to unmask all the bad habits that most people have developed and create an environment where people can explore their emotional range.” When you see what FOA has done in the past year, it is no surprise that they are on the forefront of taking filmmaking, television, and new media in Oregon to a new level. FOA’s Cinema Arts Educational Program is just one of many areas where they are making a significant impact in our industry. (back to top)


RAGE Productions RAGE Brings Home Festival Awards *Bend, Oregon* Rage Productions, a Bend Oregon based film company, gains recognition and an array of international film awards for their 2008 ski film release “Such is Life,” and their much anticipated documentary “Down Days.” In January, Director Sky Pinnick and Editor Byron Garth were flown to St. Lary France to accept the Best Image award at the Free Ride Film Festival for their ski movie “Such is Life.” The film festival tour continued with a Best Female award at the IF3 Festival for Jamie Burges appearance in “Such is Life,” and a Best Soul award for “Down Days” at the Cold Smoke Powder Festival in Bozeman MT. Rage went on to receive Industry recognition at X-Dance in Salt Lake City, the action sports partner to Sundance. After an impressive response from both films, Editor Byron Garth reflects on the experience, “It was incredible to meet so many filmmakers from around the world and to receive so much praise. It was a great year.” The Rage team has already begun production on their 09’ ski film which has yet to be named. “We usually decide on the title for the film part way through the ski season, we let the name evolve naturally. Usually an experience along the way or the athletes help us determine the appropriate name.” Sky explains. Currently, Sky is planning their next film trip to southeast Alaska where they will shooting with the RED camera on a heligyro. In addition to the annual ski and documentary films, Rage has built a reputation as a full-scale production house, equipped with a 1,500 SQF indoor green screen studio, boasting a 15ft ceiling grid with a 45-degree cyc. The studio has been used for a wide array of production projects, from shooting full sized automobiles, suspending actors and objects from the grid, to building full production sets. The perfect compliment to a great facility is a solid production crew. Rage has assembled a creative group of talented directors, producers, camera operators, sound engineers, and innovative and innovative perspectives. (back to top)


BendFilm Festival *BendFilm 2009 – Better than Ever!* Heading into its sixth year, the four day BendFilm festival, scheduled to run from October 8-11, 2009, has matured into an event that is drawing increasing acclaim from the film industry. BendFilm has restructured its operations this year, dividing the duties of the former position of the executive director into two formal positions (a director of operations and a creative director), an informal administrative director, and a 10 member board of directors. Five years of festivals have earned Bend acclaim from “Movie Maker” magazine and other industry publications. Luminaries such as filmmakers Gus Van Sant, John Waters, Mike Elliott and Tony Safford, and actors including Rosanna Arquette, C. Thomas Howell, Vera Farmiga and Saverio Guerra, have made BendFilm an essential part of American film culture. Terri Mintz, BendFilm’s director of operations, said the question she’s most frequently asked is, “What is BendFilm’s niche? What kind of films does the Festival specialize in?” “We care about the process and the product, not the genre,” Mintz says. “We don’t care what the topic or format is. If it grabs our attention and holds it, it’s a good movie.” “We strive to include films that appeal to all age groups and demographics,” she continues. “Whether you love our movies or despise them, we want you to think about them. We don’t care if it’s a movie about a troupe of Shakespearean actors composed entirely of convicted felons, a car that runs on blood, or one that shows how corn affects our bodies. All we care about is that your movie interests and affects us.” BendFilm presents movies in five categories: feature, documentary, short, student short, and conservation. The format is left to the filmmaker - live action, animation, even clay-mation. Awards are presented to the winners in numerous categories, including an award for the film deemed “best of show” by a jury of industry members. There’s also an audience award. In 2005, that award went to “Born into Brothels,” which went on to win the 2006 Academy Award for best documentary. Other BendFilm winners have also been nominated for, and won, Oscars. Director of selections Scott Ramsay promises this year’s programming will be deeper than in past years, with less duplication of films and a greater number of shorts. As in the past, the festival will open on Thursday night, continue with a full roster of movies on five different screens Friday and Saturday, and conclude with a “Best of the Festival” presentation on Sunday. As downtown Bend shows strong signs of an economic bounceback (three new restaurants and a boutique hotel will open this spring and summer) the BendFilm Festival already is generating new buzz in the community of 80,000 people. “We’re coming off a great screening year, and we expect great things to continue,” Mintz says. “We just opened for submissions, and we’re already getting a great response.” BendFilm will continue to accept submissions until August 1. Jim Bailey, President of the BendFilm Board of Directors, likes to observe that "whatever your particular area of interest or personal passion is, BendFilm has a film that relates to it. With every festival BendFilm brings the world to Central Oregon." www.bendfilm.org (back to top)


The Central Oregon Lifestyle *by Kristin McConnell, Central Oregon Visitors Association* Nestled in the base of the picturesque Cascade Mountains, Central Oregon offers a spectacular year-round setting. Famous for its high desert sunshine and high mountain vistas, this vacation paradise encompasses charming small towns, pristine wilderness and world-class resorts. Central Oregon’s beautiful scenery, sunny skies and dry climate have helped create the ideal setting for golf. Many of the game’s finest architects (most recently including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, and Bandon Dunes designers David McLay Kidd and Tom Doak) have taken that setting and made it a mecca for golf enthusiasts from spring through late fall. The area boasts over 25 courses (each unique and many with a championship rating) allowing Central Oregon to be named among the Top 50 Golf Destinations in the World by Golf Digest magazine. Come winter, sunshine and blue skies provide the backdrop for magical snow covered landscapes. Mt. Bachelor, a 9,065-foot volcanic cone offers world-class skiing and snowboarding from November through May. Famous for its deep, dry powder, the mountain annually plays host to Olympic hopefuls and international competitions, as well as families looking for winter fun. In addition to the world-renowned downhill skiing and snowboarding; snowshoeing tours, tubing, sled dog rides, and Nordic skiing are all offered on site. Thousands of acres of forest provide snowmobiling and backcountry adventures. Golf and skiing are only a part of the draw, however. With nearly 300 days of sunshine, outdoor recreation of all kinds beckons visitors throughout the year. Sparkling rivers and dozens of alpine lakes offer some of the finest fishing in the west. In addition, hiking, trail running, cycling, mountain biking, rafting, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing and more, are popular pastimes of tourists and locals alike. Choose your fare in downtown Bend, Central Oregon’s casually sophisticated center of activity, where palates are tempted by a variety of dining venues from grabbing a Brewery Burger and your favorite brew at the Deschutes Brewery to enjoying “Contemporary Comfort Cuisine” at The Blacksmith Restaurant, rated by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the Top 66 Restaurants in the World. Add that to Central Oregon’s busy cultural calendar including live music from all over the world, theater, and arts and cultural special events, and you have a destination for all ages and lifestyles to enjoy. Accommodations in Central Oregon cater to every budget and taste from intimate bed and breakfasts to luxurious Four-Diamond resorts to traditional Western dude ranches. Convenient commercial air service to Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) from San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Salt Lake City, UT; Las Vegas, NV; and Phoenix-Mesa, AZ, make this paradise accessible. (back to top)

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