Following the successful effort to create a voice for the Oregon Film and Television community in this blog, we recently convened a group of Oregon animation and visual effects professionals that we know, and asked them how a site dedicated to their segment of the industry might be received. After lots of lively conversation and great ideas, it became clear that there was great interest, and that it would be very helpful for drawing attention to the fact that Oregon has more than just great locations, amazing acting and crew talent, and not to mention, a terrific film incentive program. Continue reading... “OregonAnimation.com Blog Premieres Tonight”
Most of the attention of late has focused on feature films and the renewal of the production incentives. The press loves to write about the “Leverages,” the “Grimms,” the “Gones” and the “Portlandias’ because they bring recognizable star talent to Portland. And because they have a mystique about them; they are, for all intents and purposes, “the movies,” “Hollywood.” But we don’t want to loose sight of that portion of the production world that has provided a reasonably steady stream of work for local crew and local vendors; the COMMERCIAL. Continue reading... ““Commercially Speaking . . .””
So the cat’s out of the bag – “Grimm” is committed to shoot in Oregon for it’s first season. Kristi Turnquist wrote about it today in The Oregonian. We are absolutely thrilled to know that three television series will be shot in Oregon this summer. In the coming weeks we’ll have more information on the production including a crew call.
I do want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this happen – Gordon Sondland and the film office board, Governor Kitzhaber, the Oregon legislature, Sam Adams and the City of Portland and of course the entire film and video community. Continue reading... “Grimm Confirmed to Come to Oregon”
Media Arts Education Fund Scholarships
Intel Grant offers $2000 student opportunity
Students pursuing careers as media professionals have more opportunity to fund their studies with the help of scholarships from the Oregon Media Production Association’s Edward Gustamante Media Arts Education Fund. The Fund’s objective is to encourage excellence in Oregon’s media production industry by providing financial assistance to those expanding their education in a media related field. The Media Arts Education Fund offers scholarships typically ranging from $300 to $1000 to Oregon students working in or studying journalism, film, video, audio, photography or new media. Continue reading... “OMPA – Intel Grant Offers $2000 Student Opportunity”

We are excited that Portland will be hosting “The Wheel Of Fortune” in the not too distant future. Kristi Turnquist blogged on OregonLive.com that Vanna White will be at Pioneer Courthouse Square tomorrow showing off the new Nissan LEAF as part of a promo for the show. Not only is Portland hosting this iconic show but they also are featuring the city as part of their “green week”.
-Jane Continue reading... “The Wheel Of Fortune To Make Stop In Portland”
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/23325702[/vimeo]
In addition to this week’s announcement of their two new feature film projects, Oregon’s LAIKA animation studio also rolled out a newly designed website including the beautiful video embedded above. The video provides unique insight into who LAIKA is, and how they combine a classic hand-made artisan craft with cutting edge technology to achieve spectacular results. And best of all, they are doing it all right here in Oregon!
We think this exemplifies what the storytellers of our local film and media industry aspire to do; to build on our knowledge and experience from the past while embracing the technology and promise of the future. Continue reading... “Hand-made in Oreogn: LAIKA’s New Website and Featured Video”

CORALINE PARTNERS FOCUS FEATURES AND LAIKA RETEAM FOR TWO-PICTURE DISTRIBUTION DEAL; 3D STOP-MOTION ANIMATED COMEDY THRILLER PARANORMAN OPENS AUGUST 17, 2012
NEW YORK and PORTLAND, OR, May 4, 2011 – Focus Features and LAIKA, the two companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline are reteaming for LAIKA’s next two projects. The first of the duo, ParaNorman, will be released nationwide on August 17th, 2012. The second, yet-to-be-named, picture will be released nationwide in 2014. Following the groundbreaking Coraline, ParaNorman is only the second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. Continue reading... “LAIKA and Focus Features Announce Two New Feature Film Projects in Oregon”
Are you a creative, fun-loving, fan of the internet whose thirst for knowledge will never be quenched? There is an event just for you! May 25-27, join Oregon Film at WebVisions, Portland’s own ‘creative conference for the web’. Oregon Film is proudly co-presenting: “Portlandia: The Story Behind the Series”. In this talk, Marie and Colin Moore of IFC and Andrew Singer of Broadway Video will discuss the “perfect storm”—driven via the web, social media and press—that elevated the show from a web series called “Thunder Ant” to the hipster chic hit cable series that will be entering its second season in January. Continue reading... “WebVisions: Explore the Future”
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Colin Kiley, Publicity Coordinator
(541) 510-2096 [email protected]
DISORIENT ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL OF OREGON CELEBRATES SIXTH ANNIVERSARY
April 29 – May 1, 2011 – Bijou Art Cinemas, Eugene, OR
EUGENE, OREGON – April 18, 2011. The Chinese American Benevolent Association is pleased to announce the sixth anniversary of the DisOrient Asian American Film Festival with a selection of highly provocative and unique quality films. DisOrient has grown from a grass roots film festival started in 2005 by Eugene native Jason Mak to an all-volunteer run community event that features films that support social justice themes and that break the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander stereotypes so often portrayed in mainstream media. Continue reading... “Disoriant Asian American Film Festival – Eugene, OR”

For all of you who haven’t seen “Meek’s Cutoff”, the film opens at Portland’s Fox Tower on Friday. Local Writer Jon Raymond and Producer Neil Kopp will be on hand for a Q&A session at screenings on Friday and Saturday night. Almost a month ago we held a screening of the film at the Elsinore Theater in Salem and the film was very well received. It is a stunningly beautiful film featuring great acting, great directing and great locations! Please do check the schedule of the Fox Tower later in the week to get more details about the show times as well as the times that Jon and Neil will be doing their Q&A. Continue reading... ““Meek’s Cutoff” Opens at Portland’s Fox Tower on Friday”