The Confluence

Variety recently featured numerous articles on the #OregonMade “Dream Factory” LAIKA, its present projects and its future ambitions.

Twenty years ago, Laika decided to re-invent stop-motion animation from its boutique-style studio in Portland, Ore.
“Here we are 20 years later, and during that period, we’ve transformed ourselves into a global storytelling powerhouse,”says David Burke, the studio’s chief marketing officer and chief operating officer.

Laika’s lineup of beloved and innovative stop-motion features started with 2009’s “Coraline” and was followed by other handcrafted delights such as “ParaNorman,” “The Boxtrolls,” “Kubo and the Two Strings” and “Missing Link.”

The OMPA has announced its annual showcase which will be held at the Vance Hotel on December 11. You can find out more about the details and how to submit your work on Instagram @OregonMediaProduction.

“The Netflix crime thriller ‘Night Always Comes’ was always going to be set in Portland, Ore., like the Willy Vlautin novel from which it was adapted. But it wasn’t necessarily going to shoot there.”

And yet it did shoot in Portland!

Variety’s Todd Longwell spoke to producer Chris Stinson about production in Oregon and tells us why it makes sense on a number of levels.

Check it out here.

From October 25-28, Laika’s “ParaNorman” will be back in theaters in remastered 3D, along with an exclusive new short, “ParaNorman: The Thrifting,” featuring Anna Kendrick returning as Courtney and a brand-new character voiced by Finn Wolfhard.

“ParaNorman” follows 11-year-old Norman Babcock (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee), who has to use his unique paranormal powers to save his town of Blithe Hollow after it’s overrun by zombies. Thirteen years after its release, the film has cemented itself in cinephile circles as one of the best scary movies and one of the best animated movies of the 21st century, thanks to the unique stop-motion technology from LAIKA Studios, lovable characters, and a reverence for the history of horror cinema.

The latest episode of “Portland’s Famous” from the Portland Events & Film Office highlights Klamath born and #OregonMade documentarian Skye Borgman.

Skye is an award-winning documentary director and cinematographer whose work has captivated millions worldwide and she talks to Elyse Taylor Liburd about her powerful approach to true-crime storytelling.

Known for her work on Netflix hits like “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish,” “My Father, the BTK Killer,” and “Abducted in Plain Sight,” Skye brings a blend of truth, empathy, and cinematic vision to every story she tells.

Last month our friends at Travel Oregon highlighted the autumn as a great time to get out, see all of Oregon and watch films.

Film buffs already know that Oregon is a great place for a movie. Filmmakers have shot more than 700 films in the state, including beloved classics like “The River Wild,” “Free Willy,” “Goonies” and “Stand By Me.” You can find many of the sites on the Travel Oregon-sponsored Oregon Film Trail on a road trip, or you can cozy up inside and check out some of Oregon’s latest, most creative releases.

The New Times Times recently focused on Oregon’s North Coast and its deep connection to movie making.

Decades’ worth of fans have made pilgrimages to Astoria, Ore., the small town where “The Goonies” was set and mostly filmed. For the 40th anniversary of its release, an estimated 10,000 people gathered in Astoria over one June weekend this year.

Astoria, in turn, has mostly embraced the fans of the movie — which has a Facebook page with more than two million followers — aiming to turn them into a boost to the local economy.

“Bampire” – The Bambi horror movie your mom warned you about and weird uncle loves, just released the first official trailer.

The story of Bampire revolves around a hapless professor and a pack of misfit students who head into the woods in search of a legendary fanged deer; they instead unleash a bloodthirsty half-deer, half-human nightmare in a 90s throwback horror comedy where nobody passes survival class.

Bampire was filmed in Oregon in late 2023 and was completed in August of 2025.

The Sundance Institute has revealed the 10 projects selected for the inaugural 2025 Sundance Institute Filmmakers Fund.

Eugene based Filmmaker and U of O assistant professor Masami Kawai was among the grantees. Kawai received the grants for her feature film “Valley of the Tall Grass” which was also recently announced as a winner of the inaugural Oregon Film Impact Grant.

Sponsored by Chase Sapphire Reserve, the fund awards $120,000 grants to artists from various backgrounds working on feature films worldwide.

Join us for a special Oregon homecoming of “Twinless,” the darkly funny new film from James Sweeney. Presented in partnership with PAM CUT, the Tomorrow Theater and Oregon Film, this free community screening celebrates the local creative talent that helped bring the film to life.

Reserve your seat NOW!