The Confluence – Page 22 – The Oregon film community's official blog.

Case Study: Making Indie Movies in Oregon

“So, Why Make Movies in Rural Oregon? And Why La Grande?”

It’s a perfectly fair question for H. Nelson Tracey, whose directorial debut Breakup Season was shot entirely in La Grande, Oregon. Especially considering Nelson’s background: he’s from Denver, Colorado, and has lived in Los Angeles since graduating college.

“I was going to find a way to direct my first feature one way or another. It’s so hard to make a movie to begin with, and I was looking everywhere for pathways to plausibility.

Who We Are and What We Do (June 2025)

Every year around this time we take a moment to reflect on the work we do and why we do it.

First of all, the basics: Oregon Film (a/k/a The Oregon Film & Video Office) is a four person semi-independent state agency that is focused on fostering the economic development potential of the film and media industry in Oregon. Established by Gov. Tom McCall in 1968 to aid the permitting process for “Paint Your Wagon,” Oregon Film, as far as we know, is the oldest state film commission in the US.

#OregonMade “A Simple Machine” to Premiere June 7

The locally produced feature film “A Simple Machine” will premiere at the Lighthouse International Film Festival on June 7. The film tells the story of Nick, an indecisive young man, who, in order to get out of debt, makes a series of radically frugal lifestyle choices without telling his girlfriend that he will be homeless and living off the grid.

Written and directed by Mark Alan Hoffman and starring Richard Blackmon, Gabriela Quezada and Brad Carter the film was shot in Portland.

Oregon Director Wins at LALIFF

Karina Lomelin Ripper took home the prize for “Best Latina Director” for a live action short at the LA Latino International Film Festival this past week.

“Directed with an unshakeable sense of tone” the short film, developed and created through the AFI Conservatory, “There’s a Devil Inside Me” demonstrates the depth of talent living and working in Oregon.

Karina is a previous recipient of the “Tell Your Story Grant” awarded in conjunction with Oregon Film, the OregonMade Creative Foundation and the Creative Opportunity Program.

Goonies Weekend Celebrates 40 Years of #OregonMade Classic

June 7 is officially “Goonies Day” in Astoria and that day will anchor an entire weekend of celebrations for the film’s 40th anniversary called “Goonies Weekend.”

“The Goonies,” produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner, was released in 1985. For Astoria, where the film was set and where much of it was shot, Goonies-related tourism has long been touted as an important component of the local economy. Anniversary celebrations have drawn reliable out-of-town crowds ever since the 25th anniversary and Goonies merchandise sprouts up regularly at local shops.

#OregonMade “Nora” Premieres on VEEPS

Anna Campbell’s “Nora” is now available on VEEPS. Watch the film and get bonus content, music videos and more on the VEEPS online platform.

The journey of self discovery isn’t always easy. Returning to her hometown after abandoning her music career, Nora finds it diﬃcult to settle into the new demands of suburban motherhood. When her husband goes on tour and leaves her solo-parenting their precocious six-year-old, Nora is forced to evaluate her current circumstances and the dreams she left behind.

#OregonMade “Outdoor School” to Premiere at American Black FF

The #OregonMade feature film “Outdoor School” will premiere at the American Black Film Festival in Miami on June 11. Portland’ Ime Etuk’s feature loosely based on Vin Shambery’s experiences features local cast, crew and locations.

A tree can be a home and a forest can be a school, but raised in the wilds of 90’s Portland, Vin must first learn to be a child. A transformative true story about the search for shelter and the power of being seen.

Find out more here.

New Podcast: Oregon Indie Film

Oregon is the Indie Film Capital

Oregon Indie Film is a video podcast shining the light on Oregon’s independent film industry.

Interviews with filmmakers, producers, directors, actors, film crew, festival coordinators, and the many other industry professionals, offering insights into the creative process, challenges, and triumphs of making independent movies in Oregon.

Hosted by Dawn Sellers and produced by Broken Toe Productions.

Find it on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Interested in being a featured filmmaker or filmmaking organization?

Rights & Clearances for Creative Projects – Free Session

This is a free virtual session from Oregon Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts on June 5.

Join OVLA volunteer attorneys Ryan Mauck and Chris Weathers for an engaging exploration into the realm of Rights and Clearances for creative projects across various mediums, including fine art, photography, media, film, television, video games, etc. This workshop delves into the essentials for creatives looking to use anything belonging to someone else in their projects. We’ll cover key considerations for licensing and using third-party artworks, using individuals’ names, images, and likenesses, working with trademarks and logos, the use of generative artificial intelligence, and avoiding defamation in your work.

Portland Post Production Grant Awardees

The Portland Events and Film Office, in partnership with Travel Portland, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Post Production Grant to four feature films.  The funding is designed to encourage the completion of a local feature-length film and position local producers to build toward larger, more resourced productions. Past recipients of the Post-Production Grant include Trash Baby, directed by Jacy Mairs (which premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival), and G. Chesler’s documentary Connection Isolation (which will be hosting several upcoming screenings with interactive programming nationwide).

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