Oregon has always been known as a great place for the independent film scene, and 2012 is no exception. Since July, there have been four independent films that have been accepted as a part of the Indigenous Oregon Production Investment Fund which was created in 2009. In addition, critically acclaimed director Kelly Reichardt is directing her fourth film in Oregon. The first one to go into production was “The A List”, which was produced in Lake Oswego. Next to go into production was the Portland based feature film “Wilderness of James” which was written and directed by Kamp Grizzly alum, Michael Johnson. On the heels of “James” is the feature “Child of God”, which is based on a David Sedaris essay about his experiences on an Oregon apple orchard. In Southern Oregon, there are not one, but two films in production (we believe this is a first). “Redwood Highway” is an iOPIF project starring Shirley Knight, Tom Skerritt, and James LeGros, and Kelly Reichart’s “Night Moves” has been filming for two weeks. “Night Moves” stars Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, and Peter Sarsgaard.
Most of these films tend to be a little under the radar because their crews aren’t as large as the TV series’, so the impact is less visible. There is no doubt, though, that collectively they are making their mark in Oregon. If you want to follow one of the films, I would suggest that you check out the “Redwood Highway” Facebook page. The team working on the movie is taking a forward thinking approach to building their audience with regular Facebook updates through prep and production. Let’s hope they have the energy to keep it up!
The past few months have also been a great time for projects already produced. A few that stand out are the films that the Freeman Brothers produced in Oregon. Here’s one post on our blog talking about some of the recent success of “Cell Count” and “The Weather Outside”. Also worth mentioning is former state legislator David Edwards’ film, “Nightscape,” which will be screening in the Portland area November 16 and December 14. These screenings are on the heels of a very successful premiere at the Montreal Comicon Horrorfest.
The diversity of these projects will hopefully show the wide array of stories that can be told here in our state. Let’s wish the best for all of their success!
-Vince
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