Top Secret Club Wrap Party & Awards

Over the past six weeks five panelists composed of professional writers/filmmakers/actors have read and scored all of the 2023 Top Secret Club scripts.

We are excited to say that the winners of the 1k grants made possible through the Creative Opportunity Program have been selected and we are excited to announce them on Monday November 13th at Desert Island Studios!

The evening will be a celebration of the entire year of Top Secret Club writers and the community that gathered for each event.  Continue reading... “Top Secret Club Wrap Party & Awards”

Consent on Set Workshops – November and December

Are you prioritizing safety and inclusion in your creative production?

My 4-hour, in-person workshops will teach you how to build consent into the foundation of your film, theater, live performance, and other artistic endeavors.

While humans can create beautiful and profound works of art, we may inadvertently create unsafe work environments if we fail to be mindful of consent and boundaries.

As a Certified Consent-Forward Artist with over 20 years of experience as a Producer and Director of film, digital, and live events, I have created these workshops to provide you with practical knowledge and tools to make your creative productions safer and more inclusive. Continue reading... “Consent on Set Workshops – November and December”

Creatives of Color Mixer & Union Seminar

Join us on October 24th for a special networking event hosted for the Creatives of Color Oregon. Afterwards, dive into the world of entertainment unions with an informative session on joining a Union, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet and learn from representatives of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 488 (IATSE 488).

From 5-6pm OMPA presents a COCO networking mixer. A vibrant networking social hour designed for Creatives of Color. Continue reading... “Creatives of Color Mixer & Union Seminar”

Top Secret Club – Live Script Readings October 19

Join us Thursday, October 19th from 6 PM to 10 PM at Desert Island Studios, 1316 SE 12th Ave. Portland. As always, the evening will feature live table reads of a cut from each script, plus a facilitated feedback session, drinks/snacks, and networking.
This month we are delighted to host the work of playwright Brianna Barrett and screenwriter Masami Kawai.
About Masami

Masami Kawai is a Los Angeles-born filmmaker who lives in Eugene, Oregon. She’s of Ryukyuan descent from the island of Amami. Continue reading... “Top Secret Club – Live Script Readings October 19”

Media Bias? Creator Bias?: “Free Willy”

On the Surface: “Free Willy”

The Mere Exposure Effect Workshop
Media Bias? Biased Creators.

It’s great to watch movies set in your hometown.  For many of us, Free Willy is a childhood favorite. This Sept. 22nd, when attending the #OregonMade film event, pay close attention to the implicit biases that show up in this film. The last time I watched “Free Willy” two scenes left me shaking my head in disbelief.  How had I not noticed these scenes before?  Today, it’s my job to turn a critical eye toward all media and unpack biases. Continue reading... “Media Bias? Creator Bias?: “Free Willy””

Bystander Intervention Webinar

A 2023 Oregon filmmaker survey found that 1 in 3 respondents have either witnessed or experienced something non-consensual on professional film sets. And if they said something it was not addressed.

When harassment happens at work, people are almost always around–and if they aren’t around, they can be quickly summoned to show up. Our goal is to reduce instances of workplace harassment by giving employees the tools they need to disrupt those perpetrating the harassment.

Join us for this free, 90-minute online presentation, and learn how to be an effective bystander amid workplace harassment using the proven “5Ds” methodology.  Continue reading... “Bystander Intervention Webinar”

Cine | Seen is Back – Sept 7

A night of shorts films showcasing the talents of filmmakers from the PNW. We are highlighting the unique perspective and films of underrepresented artists. Join us in creating a space for creative celebration here in Oregon.

Find out more here.

Hosted by: Katie Nguyen

Sounds byDJ Aquamarine

Presented by: OMPA

Produced by: YGB Portland

This event is being made possible in part through the Creative Opportunity Program from Oregon Film.

Continue reading... “Cine | Seen is Back – Sept 7”

Meet the First Confluence Filmmaker Fellows

Alana Tiikpuu Walker

Seven talented Indigenous storytellers have been named Confluence Filmmaker Fellows, as the nonprofit Confluence launches its inaugural program to showcase emerging Native visual artists. Thanks to a generous grant from Oregon Film and the Creative Opportunity Program, Confluence is able to support Indigenous filmmakers in achieving their visions through cash prizes and

Marcos Alatorre

new film equipment to take their craft to the next level. Last spring, Confluence put out a call for submissions and received proposals from many creative and thoughtful filmmakers! Continue reading... “Meet the First Confluence Filmmaker Fellows”

BendFilm Launches BIPOC Women Production Film Grant

On-screen representation affects cultural understanding of BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+ characters. Barriers need to be broken down until equal representation is achieved on-screen and behind the camera.

BendFilm’s Grant will support a BIPOC women artist with $20,000 toward making their short or feature film. The grant supports storytellers who are working to tell creative and complex stories told from a point of view that is unique and authentic.

Filmmakers who have been underrepresented are less likely to have the funding support to produce their first films to jumpstart their careers. Continue reading... “BendFilm Launches BIPOC Women Production Film Grant”

“Consent-Forward Creativity” – New Workshop from PAM CUT

Join us for a workshop and in-depth conversation with Certified Consent-Forward Artist and Filmmaker Windy Borman MS, as she guides participants through a look at what it means to create storytelling in a consent-forward environment.

This is a part of the Creative Opportunity Program from Oregon Film.

Six years into the #MeToo Movement, discrimination, harassment, violence, coercion, and abuse still occur in arts and entertainment. The missing piece is a reckoning about consent: what it is, how to request and give it, and how to foster a consent-forward environment. Continue reading... ““Consent-Forward Creativity” – New Workshop from PAM CUT”