Nat Geo recently collaborated with Mazda on, “Tasting Wild,” a new 5 part series that began streaming on Hulu, on October 25th. The #OregonMade episode features chef, Melissa King, foraging for nature’s smorgasbord of ingredients in Central Oregon – alongside National Geographic explorers and photographers as they “discover the flavors of the wild places.”
The Central Oregon Film Office was contacted by the National Geographic team and provided scouting and production services at Smith Rock and Whychus Creek. Sandy Henderson, Executive Director and Founder, Central Film Office, said she, “worked closely with the production to ensure they had the locations they wanted, and were able to climb Smith Rock. We also showed them Fort Rock which they loved, and which made it into the final episode. For the shoot, we handled location management (in 100-degree weather!) and brought in PA’s, medics, fire crew, and catering. The shoot stayed at the new Element Hotel in Bend, for around 250 room nights. They rented vehicles and hired rock climbing guides and a water truck to wet down the roads. You can see this to advantage in the drone shots over Whychus Creek (the red road with the canyon beside it).”
Sandy went on to say, “As always, we love to introduce the beauty of Central Oregon to production partners. Without fail, everyone is blown away by the varied locations we have, and by the majestic rocks, lakes, and rivers – all close to the heart of Bend. National Geographic and Mazda were no exception and have already expressed a desire to return. They were also incredibly appreciative of the work we did, in some instances finding locations with a 48hour turnaround. We loved working with them, they were incredibly professional on all levels, and delighted to be here. We’re incredibly grateful to Matt Davey, Park Ranger at Smith Rock State Park who made the whole permitting process so easy, and to Scott Brown at Fort Rock State Park who turned around a permit really quickly (which I know they hate to do)! I can’t stress enough how our relationships with the State Park Rangers and the Deschutes National Forest are invaluable for productions. Central Oregon is a stunningly gorgeous area with so many iconic sites to choose from, but we couldn’t make any of this happen without our partners.”
“Tasting Wild” is streaming now on Hulu.