This Sunday Extreme Makeover Home Edition is airing its episode featuring Oregon’s School for the Deaf. We covered this production back in September when the show was in Salem shooting the episode. Here are a few links to those posts:
Word from everyone who participated was that the shoot was a huge success. The Oregonian recently covered the story with a little more reflection on what the show did for the school. Here it is. I was particularly struck by two things in the article – the student’s communication skills are up since they took their trip to a special hearing institute in Minnesota and attendance is up this year for the school’s Nightmare Factory which is a big fundraiser for the school. Continue reading... “Oregon Episode of Extreme Makeover Airs on Halloween”
Every year we give a grateful shout out to people and businesses in Oregon who have been integral in helping production during the year. At our Annual Meeting in December (more details to follow) several awards and achievements recognizing the importance of innovation, vendors and services to the film and TV industry will be presented by Governor Kulongoski.
Innovation In Media Award – for progress and innovation across all mediums
Film Advocate – in appreciation and recognition for on-going support and leadership to the Oregon film and TV industry
Green Leader Award – an addition this year, for vendors or services that have contributed to making the film and TV industry more sustainable
Digital media, the Internet, games and mobile applications have opened up new channels of distribution for film and television and offer tremendous opportunities for enterprising companies. The traditional model of media production is rapidly changing and it’s more important than ever to develop plans to fully leverage film, video and interactive projects to reach audiences around the country and around the world.
“The Mountain Crumbles”, a feature drama by Portland/New York based director Matt Jay, will see it’s home state premiere this sunday, October 17th, at the 2010 Salem Film Festival.
The film tracks the events of a weekend camping trip between two brothers who appear to have grown apart over the years. The already fragile relationship receives it’s real test when the brothers meet and are joined by a mysterious young woman, whose presence changes the dynamic of the trip.
Oregon’s commercial, film and TV workforce development programs are due to “sunset” on January 1, 2012 unless they are renewed by the 2011 state legislature. The candidates running for your state House and Senate seats today will be making difficult budget decisions for the state, and will decide which tax credits are renewed, including the Oregon Production Investment Fund and the equally important Greenlight Oregon Labor rebate. Continue reading... “Town Hall: A Film & TV Political Party”
RJ Mitte who plays the son in the AMC series “Breaking Bad” appeared on KATU’s AM Northwest yesterday morning. Here’s the link to the piece. RJ is in town filming “House of Last Things” which is being directed by Michael Bartlett. “House of Last Things” was the third film to apply for the new iOPIF program.
Lauren Henry from Corvallis based Talented Animals was on KOIN’s show Studio 6 yesterday. Lauren has been a great resource for the Oregon Film community as she’s always out there plugging our state as a great place to film. I also happened to be in a meeting yesterday where I met John Sechrest from Corvallis and the one thing he mentioned relating to Oregon Film was this video. He helped the production secure a space for the video and spoke very highly of the experience. Continue reading... “Meet the trainer and dog behind the OK Go Video”
So I was doing the Oregon Film rounds Friday night (very rare for me). I first stopped by OMPA’s “Oregon’s Got Talent” event which was literally packed with talent. Then I headed over to a wrap party at the North Portland Chopsticks – equally fully with creative talent. At the party I heard producer Neil Kopp was at the bar celebrating the news that “Meeks Cutoff” got a distribution deal with Oscilloscope Laboratories. I went looking for Neil before my curfiew of 11:00 but could not find him to congratulate him on the news. Continue reading... “"Meeks Cutoff" gets distribution”