How Oregon Businesses Profit From Local Productions
Michal Orczyk
Oregon Governor’s Office of Film and Television
Jacobsen’s Flowers
At 1 o’clock I get off my bicycle for an interview at Jacobsen’s Flowers, sweating like a steam pipe. I have to laugh a little because that earlier that day the Oregon Film office got a complimentary fleece lined sweater from the Hollywood Reporter. Its June 22nd, 80 degrees and I’m already wearing long pants and a long sleeved shirt –office policy. The gift was a little ill-timed, but maybe they figured that we sun-starved Oregonians would still make use of it. “Give it to the intern,” the office agreed during a staff meeting.
During the recent economic downturn, Brooke confesses that her business suffered like many others. “We had to sell our front show room,” she says, “and bring our advertising down to a minimum.” Nonetheless, they made it through the worst of times, and Brooke says things have been looking up in the last few months. She says that doing business with production produces a noticeable increase in revenue, and that producers will often refer Jacobsen’s to their Hollywood cohorts, adding to Jacobsen’s growing list of film industry clients. Patricia, the owner of the company, chimes in here adding that working with producers can be an exciting break from the average day’s work. Brooke agrees, and gets a little starry-eyed as she remembers meeting Morgan Freeman after Feast of Love was released in 2007.
So once the grip trucks roll away and the stars fly off to Los Angeles, can we say that any one in Oregon has benefited from a film or TV production? Besides the already large and still growing pool of talented professionals that gain consistent employment, and besides the companies immediately connected to the film industry, ordinary businesses like Jacobsen’s also get a taste of the money that the film industry brings to Oregon. “Bring more productions!” yells Brooke as I walk toward the door. “It’s a beautiful day out there,” I say, not having much else to add. “Oh really?” Brooke laughs, looking around the chilly, windowless grow-room she and Patricia spend their working hours in, “I guess we wouldn’t know.” Maybe I should leave the free sweater with them.
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