Commercial + Film + TV + New Media
Magazine | Directory
2012
Production Directory
Oregon crew, talent, production companies, and resources P. 33
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Explore how shooting in Oregon can save your production money P. 9
ANIMATION MECCA
A Different, Special Place
Discover why Oregon is the leader and future of TV, commercial, and film productions NBC’s Grimm capitalizes on Oregon’s unique character. Uncover why the dark forest is so special. P. 12
From the pioneers to the modern day frontier our state leads the way P. 19
VIRTUAL REALITY
Find a hidden place unlike any other with a hotbed of video game talent P. 23
ONLINE AT SOURCEOREGON.COM
SourceOregon
acTinG • STunTS • SinGinG • voicE ovEr • backGround • STand in
THE WORLD’S FINEST TALENT IS AVAILABLE LOCALLY Stretch your budget — save on travel expenses! EnSurE
quality. HirE a professional.
Screen actors Guild
The american Federation of Televison and radio artists
Northwest Br aNches
Portl aND local
ph: (206) 402-5958 / fx: (206) 402-3489
ph: (503) 279-9600 / fx: (503) 279-9603
DENA BEATTY Branch executive Director
NATHANIEL APPLEFIELD National representative
serviNg the Pacific Northwest
serviNg the state of oregoN
email: dena.beatty@sag.org
email: portland@aftra.com
SAG.org
AFTRA.com
From the Governor
2012 SourceOregon COMMERCIAL + FILM + TV MAGAZINE | DIRECTORY
Contributors
Managing Editor Lynn Torrance Redlin Correspondents Peter Fulford Doug and MacKenzie Freeman Stanton Hall Gary Kout Bob Schmaling Jay Tormohlen Proofreader David Freedman Web Developer Greg Jorgensen Data Processor John Reinhold Marketing Designer Julianne Fleming Photographers Deneb Catalan Frank DiMarco Limbo Films James WilderHancock
raphy
nk DiMarco Photog
Photo Courtesy of Fra
Print Production Coordination Richer Design
Publisher
Greetings from Oregon Welcome to the premiere issue of the SourceOregon Magazine and Directory. Inside you’ll discover why Oregon has become a haven for creative professionals and the ultimate destination for savvy media producers from around the globe. In addition, you’ll find a comprehensive list of companies, crews, equipment and support services, all with the talent and experience you need to make your projects a success. More and more, Oregon is being called home by this shining industry, and we will do all we can to encourage you to continue your work here and utilize our extensive film, television, commercial, and new media production resources. I encourage you to visit “The Confluence” blog at oregonconfluence.com as a place to share news and events about Oregon’s thriving industry throughout the year. I’m proud of the production industry’s celebrated achievements in Oregon, and the evergrowing roster of award winners is too extensive to list, even in this mammoth magazine directory. The past five years have shown record year after record year of production business, and in 2011 we saw the amount of feature film and television spending exceed $100 million for the first time, a true bright spot for Oregon’s economy and for Oregon jobs. Thank you for joining us. Together we can make 2012 even brighter.
Oregon Media Production Association Tom McFadden, Executive Director Jessica Beer, Administrative Manager 901 SE Oak St, Ste 104 Portland, OR 97214 info@ompa.org www.ompa.org Advertising and Circulation 503.228.8822 Listings www.sourceoregon.com/getlisted
Contributing Organizations
Governor’s Office of Film and Television www.oregonfilm.org IATSE Local 488 www.iatse488.com Mid-Oregon Production Arts Network www.mopan.com Oregon Media Production Association www.ompa.org Pacific Northwest AFTRA www.aftra.com Portland Mayor’s Office of Film and Video www.pdc.us/film Screen Actors Guild www.sag.org Southern Oregon Film and Television www.filmsouthernoregon.org
Make the Governor’s Office of Film & Television your first call www.oregonfilm.org 503.229.5832 John Kitzhaber Governor, State of Oregon
4 SourceOregon 2012
Oregon Media Production Association assumes no liability for content, errors, or omissions of any listing or advertisement beyond the cost of said listing or advertisement, whether the result of accident, negligence, or any other cause. Product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed with soy-based ink on 10% recycled stock. Copyright ©2012 by Oregon Media Production Association. All rights reserved.
Made in USA. Produced in Oregon.
Gales Creek Insurance Services Over 20 years specializing in the film industry Local • National • International Our team of experts service film clients and equipment providers including: • Documentary, Industrial, Commerical, Educational (DICE) Producers • Feature Film Productions • Short-term Film Productions – Apply Online! • Camera, Grip and Lighting Rental Companies • Post Production Services
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2012 SourceOregon
CONTENTS COMMERCIAL + FILM + TV MAGAZINE | DIRECTORY
9
26
OREGON FILM
TALENT
12
28
The rich legacy and bright future of commercial and entertainment production in Oregon
Oregon gives you one contact to help you
The 10 essential benefits of shooting in Oregon
HISTORY
18
Oregon’s deep pool speaks with one voice
LIAISONS & Permitting
30
LOCATION
EQUIPMENT
Oregon is geared to go
Get inspired with our diverse shooting climates
19
145
The magic at the center of our universe
Predictable, consistent production process in Oregon
ANIMATION
STANDARDS & PRACTICES
23
VIDEO GAMES
The world-class standard for game design and development
25
CREW
Photo Courtesy of James WilderHancock
Spotlight on southern Oregon professionals with killer credits
2012
Production Directory
Oregon crew, talent, production companies, and resources P. 33
Award-winning cinematographer Walt Lloyd shoots Follow the Prophet at Timberline Lodge.
World - class post, Portland style.
editors / artists / colorists • missioncontrolinc.com
Award-winning audio with a Portland vibe. mixers / sound designers / composers • digone.com
Oregon Benefits
OREGON FILM
FREE MONEY*
I
Top 10 essential benefits of shooting in Oregon
magine producing with no permitting hassles… friendly, accessible contacts at all levels of city and state government… financial incentives that support your bottom line. You’re not dreaming – you’re shooting in Oregon! Oregon has a well-deserved reputation as a center for creative business and technology where talent and producers serve up engaging entertainment and enlightening business solutions. Imagine the stories you can tell…
1 20% Rebate on Goods and Services AND 10% REBATE ON LABOR COSTS
Offered through the Oregon Production Investment Fund. Enjoy a no per-production cap, includes any cost related to production that is paid to an Oregon-based company. Call The Governor’s Office of Film & Television for more details 503.229.5832 (subject to availability.)
Make the Governor’s Office of Film and Television your first call 503.229.5832
* Nice, but nuthin’ when you add up the real value of all Oregon has to offer.
SourceOregon 2012
9
Oregon Benefits
3 FEE-Free state parks
2 Oregon production payroll rebate
It’s all on the house – 96,000 acres of scenic forests and desert and 362 miles of dramatic coastline. We’ll even throw in a friendly and knowledgeable park ranger.
4
6.2% rebate on all production payrolls for work done in Oregon. It’s simple, with no per-production cap, and it covers all employees, including Oregonians and non-residents, for any film, television or television commercial production company spending $1 million plus over a calendar year.
Fee-Free Cities
27 cities and 3 counties around the state of Oregon charge no permitting fees. From the quintessential Pacific NW to Anytown, USA, these communities not only understand and appreciate the economic benefits your project brings, but make sure your experience with them takes “film-friendly” to a whole new level.
LOCATION. LOCATION. LOCATION.
Oregon offers the diverse locations other regions can only dream about. We have the mountains, beaches, ghost towns, deserts, lakes, rivers, streams, small towns, modern cities and apocalyptic lava flows to prove it. Check our exhaustive online location files to make your vision a reality (and your life a lot easier.)
10 SourceOregon 2012
Photo Courtesy of Frank DiMarco Photography
Check out more locations online at www.oregonfilm.org/locations
Oregon Benefits
6
8
Local CREW
Lodging tax waiver
Oregon is proud of our strong, consistently excellent and growing number of talented crew and support personnel who work year-round on feature films, television and advertising.
Oregon lodging taxes are waived for rooms held longer than 30 days.
7
9
Local CAST
SO Close yet so close
Almost every production that comes to Oregon ends up hiring more local cast than initially anticipated. Why? It’s the depth of our experienced talent pool. We also have a number of local talent agencies ready to provide a wide variety of talent services.
We’re conveniently located close to LA while strategically far enough away to dim the buzz of leaf blowers, traffic and helicopters. With three Oregon cities (Eugene, Medford and Portland) providing direct service to the LA area, we’re a mere two-hour flight away.
10 No Sales Tax ON ANYTHING
Look again. We don’t mean some waiver if you fill out a bunch of paperwork. Oregon has no sales tax on anything! That means no upfront costs for your production, no nit picky records to keep and no administrative hassle trying to get a sales tax refund.
Make the Governor’s Office of Film & Television your first call www.oregonfilm.org 503.229.5832
• Experienced with film crews • Tugs, barges, & floating cranes • All equipment clean & well maintained • Truckable vessels for remote locations • Qualified, licensed, courteous operators
503.289.2669 Email: kurt@dmipdx.com Web: www.DMIPDX.com
CALL DMI FOR ALL YOUR MARINE TRANSPORTATION AND SUPPORT NEEDS SourceOregon 2012
11
OREGON HISTORY
Yep, we did that. Film, TV, Advertising. We’ve been a leader for a long time.
For outsiders, Oregon conjures certain images and ideas: Rain. Clouds. Trees. Coffee and Beer Snobs. Putting a Bird on It. But for media people, Oregon is a great place for film. In 2007, the total direct economic impact of Oregon’s film and video industry was over $700 million. With movie projects on the rise and three popular TV series set and filmed in Portland, the figure now approaches $1 billion. For many reasons-a culture of creativity, consummate government attention to permits and subsidies, and a convergence of big business, hightech and advertising with state-of-the-art animation and traditional productionOregon is an inspired place uniquely suited to stage the craft and business of storytelling today. Filming in Oregon, however, is hardly a new concept. NBC’s Grimm capitalizes on Oregon’s unique character and perfect filming climate mixing police investigations with dark fairy tales. The landscape of Portland and the forests surrounding it evoke the Germany of the days when the Brothers Grimm were writing the stories of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and others. 12 SourceOregon 2012
History
A different, special place With three current television shows—Grimm, Leverage, and Portlandia—being both filmed and set here, an innovative and accomplished community of independent filmmakers, animators, documentarians, talent and crew; an evergrowing number of studio productions being filmed at gorgeous, versatile locations; and a firm commitment from state government to provide incentives for that next great movie or TV show, Oregon is a leader in the future of filmmaking. Even after more than a century of successful media production, Oregon is still a different, special place to make motion pictures, television, and commercials. Check out the latest Oregon television news at www.oregonconfluence.com
IFC’s Portlandia popularized the signature quirky flair of Oregon’s largest metropolitan area.
Beginnings: A “salubrious climate” for film Commercial productions have been choosing Oregon for over a century, starting in 1908 with the Astoria-filmed The Fisherman’s Bride. The state’s prime twentieth-century resources, timber and those skilled at working with wood, had a major role in attracting its first shot at a big-time production that would become one of the undisputed classics of the silent film era. Buster Keaton’s action-comedy The General, about a daredevil train engineer’s deeds in service of the Confederate army, was filmed in Oregon for two reasons, as reported in the June 6, 1926 issue of the Portland Oregonian: “…its mild, equable summer climate, a decided advantage to the cinema artists, and the fact that it provides most closely the scenic backgrounds required to match the Blue Ridge Mountains and Cumberland hills of Kentucky and Tennessee.” Studio plans for The General were extensive: creating six towns resembling the Civil War-era South, using two vintage railway trains and equipment, and building a temporary rail bridge for a climactic, train-crashing collapse. Only 35 professional crew members were imported from Hollywood, creating a need for local labor that was satisfied by a legion of regional workers. The production’s construction superintendent made the prescient observation that “in (the) future, the Pacific Northwest is likely to reap a financial harvest through the knowledge of its wonderful scenery and salubrious climate…” Read more 414 SourceOregon 2012
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History
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, filmed at the Oregon State Hospital with the participation of some actual mental patients as extras and support crew, won every major Academy Award in 1976 including Best Picture, Best Director for Milos Forman, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress.
It was the Deltas against the rules… the rules lost!
THE SAFEST DARN GRIPS AROUND Media industries became a crucial job source for a state that suffered double-digit unemployment in the early 1980s, hitting timber workers especially hard. “Many of the Grips on the productions here have backgrounds in local forestry,” says location scout Beth Melnick. “From their experience, they are very resourceful.” Oregon Grips are more detail-oriented than most, Melnick notes, because in their old jobs inattentiveness could result in serious injury or death.
1970s: From Kesey’s nuthouse to “Animal House” Oregon author and countercultural figure Ken Kesey’s work in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest turned out to be the most prestigious motion picture made in the state since The General. In the end, Kesey disavowed director Milos Forman’s adaptation of his novel, but the movie, filmed almost completely at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem, proved to be a classic, richly human tragicomedy that won five Oscars at the 1976 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The next major Oregon movie project was National Lampoon’s Animal House, a less refined but enormously successful and influential comedy movie. Filmed on the University of Oregon’s fraternity row—with the full cooperation of UO and the communities of Eugene and Cottage Grove—the 1960s-set college-fraternity laugh riot kept costs down by filming in authentic environs and employing locals as extras and crew. This resulted in a fantastic profit margin when the movie became a box-office smash. On set of the 1985 cult classic film The Goonies.
1980s: More work for a growing industry Film, television, and documentary production numbers tripled over the previous decade, just as Oregon’s traditional economic engines of timber, fishing and agriculture hit hard times. It heralded a transition to an economy based on technology and creativity.
Johnny
5 Lego
replica
The 1980s saw several prominent Hollywood productions filmed in Oregon, including the Steven Spielberg production The Goonies; Rob Reiner’s evocative coming-of-age drama Stand By Me; and the romantic-comedy-with-a-robot Short Circuit. But movies like Unhinged, The Quarterback Princess, Fatal Revenge, and Girl of the Limberlost signaled a groundswell of activity. From an industry standpoint these and other low-budget horror, action, and TV movies positioned Oregon as a production destination. A place where actors, location scouts, grips, editors, technicians, and UNG A H 1 other media professionals could work year-round. 1 9 y RACK
b
This valuable experience still pays off today. Shadow Play, a 1986 supernatural mystery-thriller released by New World Pictures, includes crew credits for now-prominent Oregon filmmakers Gus Van Sant, Jacob Pander, Sue Arbuthnot, and Brian Lindstrom.
Something wonderful has happened…No. 5 is alive! Excerpt from Short Circuit 14 SourceOregon 2012
ASTORIA: JUST THE RIGHT CHARM A town of about 10,000, Astoria hosted The Goonies, a teen-oriented adventure-comedy co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Richard Donner, directed by Donner. According to a 1984 Daily Astorian article, Northwest native Harvey Bernhard persuaded Donner to do location scouting along the Pacific coast from Northern California to Washington. “This [Astoria] is the place for the picture,” Bernhard told the newspaper. “It has all the romantic charm.” Mac Burnes of Astoria’s Oregon Museum of Film says, “Astoria can be a lot of things. It can be a river town or an ocean town. It’s got Victorian architecture, 1920s architecture, and an old-time America look.” That charm, beauty, and crucial sense of authenticity still exist today, making it an ideal filming location. See a full history of projects filmed in Oregon at www.oregonfilm.org/history
History Advertising Fuels image and creative class In 1982, Dan Wieden and David Kennedy’s fledgling Portland ad agency met a local athletic shoe and apparel company that saw no point in television advertising. Bolstered by the agency’s visionary sense of image and branding, Nike would become a global icon. By the 1990s, Wieden+Kennedy was an enormously powerful and influential independent agency. Its success, along with that of Nike and hi-tech companies like Intel focused attention and helped fuel the image of Portland as a unique, innovative home for creative talent. Oregon has varying topographies that can all be traveled to within a few hours of each other. Check out Oregon roads at: www.oregonfilm.org/roads
Portland’s rise in the advertising world also paid off in unexpected ways. Just consider the high number of automobile commercials filmed in the state. “Advertisers want to show their car can work in all environments,” says Melnick. “It can be a city car, a small-town car, can operate on tight, winding roads, can drive near the ocean, and in deserts. Oregon has varying topographies that can all be traveled to within a few hours of each other. (And moisture in the air) makes for extraordinary light. “ Filmmakers like the muted gray cloud cover, which is consistent and softly diffuses light. Oregon’s natural versatility is key, Melnick says.
The state’s crew has increased over the past two decades with notable studio productions including Mr. Holland’s Opus, the successful Ring horror movies, Extraordinary Measures, and the first movie in the mega-grossing Twilight franchise.
Show creator Jonathan Krisel brings Portlandia to life with a sketch-style script and a nimble filming crew.
Executive Producer and Director Dean Devlin, here on the set of Leverage, researched locations and found, “Dollar for dollar, Oregon is the best value in the entertainment industry.”
TELEVISION SUSTAINS INDUSTRY VALUE TV movies-of-the-week fueled much of Oregon’s industry growth through the early 1990s and slowed by the end of that decade. Oregon’s innate natural qualities and the increasing value of producing television domestically prompted renewed investment in Oregon’s local infrastructure from both public and private partners.
Recent transplants from LA for the production of Grimm, David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf. Kouf and Greenwalt said Oregon’s film incentives options allow them to get more bang for their buck. “And there are great crews there,” Greenwalt said.
Today, between the availability of experienced local talent and crews, robustly outfitted equipment houses and the close proximity to LA, Oregon has become a popular location for series production. In fact, when Leverage Executive Producer and Director, Dean Devlin did the numbers on various cities to host his production, he confidently chose Portland, declaring, “Dollar for dollar, Oregon is the best value in the entertainment industry.” 416 SourceOregon 2012
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History Though not the first indie film in Oregon, Gus Van Sant’s compelling street-level storytelling in Drugstore Cowboy helped build Oregon’s distinct style.
Filmmaker Gus Van Sant and others help represent Oregon’s filmmaking community at several national film festivals, art houses, and multiplexes all over the world.
1990s and Beyond: Independent filmmaking takes off Oregon indie films did not begin with Gus Van Sant’s acclaimed Mala Noche and Drugstore Cowboy. Van Sant and cinematographer Eric Edwards both were crew on Penny Allen’s 1977 independently-financed, Portland-made feature film, Property, which was reviewed positively by the New York Times and made the festival circuit. However it was Van Sant’s distinct style and compelling street-level storytelling that garnered enormous critical attention with fresh new images of Portland and the Northwest. These days, Oregon’s filmmaking community is represented at several national film festivals, art houses, and multiplexes all over the world. Van Sant, Todd Haynes, and Oregon native James Ivory are most prominent, but a new generation of independent artists is gaining attention with made-in-state works, including Kelly Reichardt, Aaron Katz, Matt McCormick, Irene Taylor-Brodsky, Arnold and Jacob Pander, Calvin Reeder, Peter Richardson, Nick Peterson, and Todd E. Freeman. Oregon’s fertile grounds continue to grow and attract quality talent. Contact Oregon producers, directors, and writers see page 43
16 SourceOregon 2012
Equipment
Grip Trucks
Any driver can feel comfortable behind the wheel of the new Ford Transit Connect grip truck, no CDL required. Easy to maneuver in tight downtown traffic and cramped parking lots and with generous storage space, plus fuel economy, Pacific Grip has the perfect grip truck. Grip Trucks P. 99
Digital Video Forefront
ARRI ALEXA has the most film-like color reproduction of any digital motion picture camera. With the filming of NBC’s Grimm, Oregon camera equipment dealers are increasing inventories of the bodies. Camera Equipment P. 92
Oregon is “Geared To Go!”
Time to lower the lift gate, unlock the equipment room and discover what’s new and what’s just really interesting.
Linear Sliders Lightened-Up
Most heavy-duty portable mini-dolly/linear slider systems for camera rigs weigh up to a hefty 80 pounds. The Kessler CineSlider 3’ or 5’ is a practical, portable solution for quick, smooth short-run dolly shots, weighing in at just 10 pounds and delivering a camera travel distance of 35” or 51“. Camera Dollies P. 95
Bright Ideas in Lighting
Next Gen Video Editing
Now is the best time ever to be a video editor, with expanding choices and shrinking costs of robust software tools. Today’s filmmakers, broadcasters and professional video editors should compare features and workflows of all the major editing software tools–Apple Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere, and Avid Media Composer–before making a decision or believing the hype. All three programs are similar, with real-time or background rendering and 64-bit open architecture, but each has very different features. So whether you need a magnetic timeline, import from Adobe After Effects, or have multiple shared ‘B’ reel libraries, choosing the right product to make your workflow efficient has never been more exciting. Computer/Software Equipment P. 97 18 SourceOregon 2012
The D50 TD is a new line of energy-efficient lights affordable enough to buy and easy to rent. The BiColor 1’x’1 LED panel features include a barn door and Gold Mount battery power source with AC power adapter and is available in 20‑watt and 10‑watt on‑camera versions. Dimmable and switch-able from daylight to tungsten and controlled via DMX or on-board manual controls, this is one versatile light. Lighting Equipment P. 101
“Top of the Line” from Canon
Canon 7D and 5D DSLRs virtually eradicate the line between video and still cameras. Broadcast commercials and smaller feature films have found these cameras produce excellent images for less cost, weight and logistical overhead. Canon 7D and 5D bodies accompanied by Canon “L” Series lenses are rugged with ultra-low dispersion glass and relatively large apertures. Camera Equipment P. 92
Animation
LAIKA’s Oscar-nominated stop-motion animated film, Coraline (2009). HIVE-FX “Big Whale” commercial for the Colorado Lottery.
BENT Image Lab’s recent Bing commercial.
LAIKA’s new stop-motion feature ParaNorman opens August 17, 2012.
M
aybe there’s some magical residue within the mist. Perhaps we reside in a vortex of artistic preeminence. Whatever it is, the animation work coming out of Oregon is no longer a secret. Some even say it is the center of the animation universe.
HIVE-FX “Bigfoot” commercial for the Colorado Lottery.
Today, many leaders in stop-motion, 2D, 3D, motion graphics, and digital effects who call Portland their home base are creating high quality animation work that’s as good or better than what’s being produced anywhere else. “Internationally, Portland is known for animation,” says Mark Shapiro of Laika. “The region is nearly always represented at animation festivals and events worldwide. And, from an animation perspective, you’ll often find folks talking about what’s going on here.” Projects are across the board – large-scale features, TV commercials, high tech work, and even special effects for network TV shows. All this notoriety begs the question: How did Portland get to be so good at animation?420
LAIKA produces animated features, commercials and shorts. Its entertainment division creates stopmotion films. LAIKA/house produces commercials, branded entertainment and content in several formats, including stop-motion, CG and 2D.
Oregon Animation
Draws
Global Interest
HIVE-FX is a group of passionate artists who create top-quality animation, visual fx, CGI, motion graphics, photography and live action sequences for commercials, film, television, web, and print.
BENT IMAGE LAB is a production company specializing in stopmotion and CG animation for both short and long form projects. Bent also produces music videos and visual fx for TV and feature films.
For a list of animation production companies see page 47.
SourceOregon 2012
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Animation
From the mid‑’70s until 2005, Will Vinton Studios created ground-breaking animated shorts and commercials, including the “iconic” California Raisins ads.
The 1974 short film Closed Mondays was the first Portland-made movie to win an Academy Award.
A Rich Animation History
O
regon has a long history of animation success, dating back to the late 1800s.
• Homer Davenport was an editorial cartoonist in Silverton, OR and one of America’s first media superstars in the 1890s and early 1900s. • Vance DeBar “Pinto” Colvig (Jacksonville, OR) was the director of the first animated color feature Creation which was released in 1919. • Basil Wolverton (Central Point, OR) was a self-taught cartoonist who pioneered the Mad Magazine style of gross-out distortion drawing. • Mel Blanc (Portland, OR), the man with a thousand voices, lent his voice during the Golden Age of American Animation to cartoon characters for Looney Tunes, The Flintstones, and The Jetsons.
• Matt Groening (Portland, OR) created The Simpsons and co-developed Futurama.
But it was Will Vinton who put Portland animation, Claymation™, and stop-motion in particular, on the world map. “I really just liked the community sort of vibe of Portland,” Vinton remembers. “There’s a totally different kind of spirit here than in LA, San Francisco or New York.” Originally Vinton was inspired to be an architect. “I got into architecture because I wanted to build monuments or something,” says Vinton. “I quickly discovered that as an architect you don’t get many chances to build the Guggenheim Museum. At least with filmmaking, you can create what you want.” Soon, he put his drafting pencils and T-squares away and focused on animation and filmmaking. Vinton found it relatively easy to find like-minded artists who wanted to collaborate.
Oregon post-production companies bring NBC Television show Grimm character designs to life through digital effects.
World-Class Animators Grow on the Trees in Oregon
T
oday, the roster of famous and awardwinning animators who were either born in Oregon or reside here now could encompass an entire wing of the Animation Hall of Fame. Claymation pioneer Will Vinton, screenwriter and director Brad Bird, cartoonist and producer Matt Groening, clay painting innovator Joan Gratz, New Yorker cartoonist Shannon Wheeler, independent animator Bill Plympton are just a few of the industry’s heavy hitters that have ties to the state. Teresa Drilling, veteran of Laika’s Coraline and Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit, was hired by NBC in 2011 to develop the celebrated stop-motion episode of the cult TV show Community. While Portland continues to be a hotbed of stop-motion talent, there are also many motion graphics and special effects designers in the area. The skill sets for various animation techniques are vastly different, meaning each project requires people with specialized capabilities. To staff their jobs, many businesses turn to places like the Art Institute of Portland for talent. “The Portland Art Institute has been a great partner for us,” says Roland Gauthier, Partner and Executive Producer at Hinge Digital. “It highlights the creative community aspect of Portland and is a really good basis for creating and developing a creative animation industry here. We’ve found a lot of our crew there.” One thing that’s prevalent in the talent is the idea of craftsmanship. From the legacy of Will Vinton to the work of Laika and hundreds of others, all place high quality work above all else.
20 SourceOregon 2012
“You can tell people are enjoying themselves through the work they do,” adds Gauthier. “And that comes across in the quality and nature of the projects coming out of Portland.”
Animation
Where There’s Talent, There’s Opportunity
T
here seems to be an ideal constellation of production companies, agencies, and clients in the Portland area that feed off each other. Large consumer goods companies like Nike, Adidas, and Columbia Sportswear; high-tech businesses like Intel and HP; and worldwide ad agencies like Wieden+Kennedy all tap into the animation talent that resides here. Even television productions out of LA—Grimm, Leverage, and Portlandia—come to town and rave about the animation work, giving Portland a lot of publicity as an entertainment hub and a source of great talent.
BENT Image Lab’s recent commercials with the Merman for Diet Dr. Pepper and Oregon Lottery’s “Turkeyzilla.”
“Some people in LA might think: Portland is just a small town, no one knows what they’re doing,” says Gretchen Miller, Executive Producer and Partner at Portland-based Hive-fx. “But once they come here and find the level of professionalism and the experience and talent, they start to take Portland more seriously.” Holly Peterson of Bent Image Lab adds, “Personal handcraft and quiet expression is more valued here, creating a community of animation introverts who find each other and grow strong together.”
“There’s a magical quality to the Portland area,” says independent animator Bill Plympton. “With the fog and mist rolling in, the area lends itself to fantasy. It’s a great place for animators to create these fantastic worlds. That’s sparked a lot of great animation over the years.”
It seems there’s just something about Oregon that inspires artists, animators and production industry types to want to be here. Project by project, success after success, the world is taking notice of the region’s abundance of animation talent. For a list of post-production animation studios see page 118
OREGON ANIMATION
Explore Animation and VFX in Oregon Oregon’s Photography/Video Store & Rental www.oregonanimation.com
1112 NW 19th Ave, Portland Oregon | www.prophotosupply.com SourceOregon 2012
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We are thinkers. Our films win awards. We are everywhere.
You’ll enjoy working with us. People will notice you. Everybody wins.
Two Penguins Productions is a full-service visual media lab equipped to execute all phases of motion picture and post production. 434 NW 6th St. Ste. 202 | p. 503 914 2724 | www.twopenguins.com | stump@twopenguins.com | PDX • NYC • LA Clients include: GQ Magazine | Stoli | Banana Republic | Widmer | Wieden + Kennedy | Nike | Gilt Groupe | Macy’s | MTV UK | Chase Bank
A Real World Place For
Video Games
THE VIRTUAL WORLD Culture and Convenience “When it comes to doing business, [we’re] in the Pacific Time Zone,” says Ed Kuehnel, owner of EGK Interactive, an independent video game writer who creates characters, story and dialog in Portland. “All things being equal, if publishers are trying to decide between a studio in Portland or one in Minnesota, if they need to make conference calls or want to fly there to check on their investment, they’ll pick Portland every time. They can fly out in the morning, meet, and be back home in time for dinner.” Much of the state’s explosion of capable, creative video game companies was sparked by the demise of Eugene’s Dynamix Inc. in 2001. Today, “Oregon offers world-class development,” says R.D. Wegener, Executive Producer at Buzz Monkey Software. The company website says it all: “Escape the concrete jungle and join an elite tribe of game developers living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest… An ideal location for making games, raising a family, and recharging your batteries at the beach, on the slopes, or on the many rivers and lakes…” Dan White, Studio Technical Director of Pipeworks, says, “The cost of doing business (here) is relatively low. It has a skilled work force and is accessible to Los Angeles and the Bay Area. People often forget games are ‘culture.’ You don’t want to outsource to foreign countries.”
If you could design a virtual world as the best place to move or start a video game company, it would look like Oregon. And for good reason.
Quality of Life Stefan Henry-Biskup and Darren Bartlett, VPs at Liquid Development in Portland, are perfect examples of people glad they moved their company. According to Bartlett, “We were doing work for clients in one of the most expensive places in the U.S. (the Bay Area). We took a trip to Portland and were charmed. We moved within six months. Finding Portland was like finding a complete hidden gem. It has none of the headaches of the rest of the west coast cities. I have everything I want. It’s big enough for what we need as a company, but small enough I feel part of the community.”
Henry-Biskup interrupts, “Gaming can be a high-pressure environment. People start young, but can phase out as they get a family. [Oregon is] a place that can support both.” Bartlett agrees, “As a commuter in bigger cities, I was disgusted. It’s important to have a high quality of life, where I can feel safe, where I have beauty. I’m blown away. [Here] I can be a very short distance from the hub of the vibe of the city and still have all of this.”424 Deadliest Warrior: Legends developed by Pipeworks
“It’s easy to retain talent because of the way of life here. We’ve found some great diamonds in the rough,” he continues. “Game development is location-less, so it’s not a problem not being in [California]. To companies that hire us, we are local (vs. outsourcing). We work remotely but in their time zone.”
Fallout 3
Liquid Development provided modeling and asset production for the popular Fallout series published by Bethesda Softworks.
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Mass Effect 2 published by BioWare and produced by Liquid Development.
Video Games
Oregon Video Game Highlights Rinth Island
Published by Chillingo The publishers of the popular Angry Birds contracted Buzz Monkey for development of their new game. Buzz Monkey is an elite force of talented simians who have contributed to the AAA series Syphon Filter, Ratchet & Clank, NFL Street, Tomb Raider, Tony Hawk, and Army of Two.
Education Many Oregon video game developers are graduates of the University of Oregon (UO) and Oregon State University (OSU). “About a third of our program is media production,” explains Ted Kesterson, OSU Senior Instructor. “Within that, we have components of 3-D modeling, 3-D animation, video game concept development and video game production classes using the Unity game engine. We have a strong audio production component and a very high-end Vicon performance capture system [with] eight cameras.” Mike Bailey, OSU Professor of Computer Science, helps students learn to write computer games. He says, “We have three ways for students to get a degree in Computer science: Applied, Technical and Business. We created a version of the Applied option called ‘Simulation and Game Programming,’ which involves computer science, graphics, physics and math.”
“We train the developers so the companies who come here won’t have to look around,” Bailey continues. And because gaming companies like Buzz Monkey and Pipeworks contribute to OSU’s curriculum design, “we have students who can fill those jobs.” Eric Wills from UO appreciates how video game industry leaders support education: “We provide a guideline list of courses recommended by Buzz Monkey and Pipeworks. They give career mentor talks and industry perspective to ensure students are learning what will be useful getting a job. They offer internships that lead to fulltime jobs.” “Games are the next evolution of media for humanity. It’s in its infancy. Oregon is an amazing opportunity,” says Henry-Biskup. Welcome to the real world of video game creation in Oregon. What’s keeping you away?
For a comprehensive list of video game developers see page 126.
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The Gunstringer
Published by Twisted Pixel Games One of EGK Interactive’s recent projects. They specialize in story and narrative design, especially on video games with a lighter touch. Clients include Sony, Paramount Digital, Disney Interactive.
Deadliest Warrior: Legends
Published by 345 Games The newest release of the top selling game, developed by Pipeworks Software, an independent developer of fun console games commitmented to create high-quality software with absolute dependability. Active developers for PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii.
Kinect Adventures
Published by Good Science Liquid Development creates content for next-generation video games. Their team produces characters and creatures, animation and effects, world building, social games and more, contributing to hits like Fallout 3, Firefall, the Rock Band series, and the Mass Effect series.
Crew
SICK CREDITZ SOUTHERN OREGON’S
“What crew do we need to bring?” Gary Kout, Executive Director and founder of Southern Oregon Film and Television (aka SOFaT) and a producer of quite a few local productions, tells all visiting producers and directors the same thing: Bring only who you want because you don’t need to bring anyone. In other words, Southern Oregon’s got you covered! How do you do this? Well, like all decentsized population centers (Southern Oregon has a population above 300,000), we have our own media industry. And thanks to the digital age, we have many emerging filmmakers within the community or coming out of the film program at Southern Oregon University, and nothing is going to stop them from making their dream projects. We have working professionals to cover all of those commercial and corporate productions, local TV and news shows, and independent narrative and documentary projects from scripting and development, into production and all the way through post.
Are you well trained and up-to-speed? We have no shortage of national level work. Thanks to our beautiful environment, mild climate, convenient location, and film-friendly attitude, producers and directors often come to Southern Oregon for their projects. We’ve assisted in our share of TV fare and reality shows for the Discovery Channel’s Jesse James, Food Network’s Rachel Ray, NBC’s America’s Got Talent, as well as, commercials for Disney, Mercedes, LG, and many more. Since 2005, we’ve seen over a dozen high-quality feature films ranging from micro-budget to over $2.5 million.
How about specialty crew? Admittedly, there are some specialty positions you won’t find here, but those wouldn’t be found anywhere but the major film centers. We do have some surprises like the Line Producer for Indiana Jones IV and an Academy Award-winning designer of motion control equipment. In general, people from the outside have always been impressed with our high-level skills, extensive experience, and our productionfriendly attitudes. No matter where you are in Oregon – North, Central or South – we’ve got what you need. Crew listings start on page 57. SourceOregon 2012
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Talent
A Universe to
Discover Oregon is healthy habitat for star-quality talent A Single Voice
Oregon’s diverse group of talent speaks harmoniously about why nearly every production ends up hiring more locals than anticipated. Actor Robert Blanche says, “Our environment attracts a lot of genuine down-to-earth people. By nature Portland is a small town in a big town. You’ll see connectivity and a sense of responsibility.” Character actor Todd Robinson, who has a knack for physicality and dialect, adds, “We help each other get ready for any project.”
The Trifecta
Mary McDonald-Lewis, president of AFTRA, believes Oregon is the winning bet for film, TV, commercial and new media productions for three big reasons: a film-friendly environment, with sensible incentives and a Governor committed to industry growth; a rich, experienced pool of talent and crew; and access to the greatest, most versatile back lot anywhere. Billed by the Hollywood Reporter as “one of the eight must-knows for an Oregon shoot,” Lana Veenker (CSA, ICDN) of Cast Iron Studios handles casting for three TV series currently filming in the state. “When (producers) scouted the area they were pleasantly surprised. We’re a small market, with high standards.”
The 43-year veteran actor, producer, and director Alexander (Sandy) MacKenzie describes Oregon talent’s sense of community: “The talent is rich because of the quality of life. Friendly. Adventurous. Adaptive. Fun. Clean. Beautiful. Overall a unique personality.”
Can-Do Spirit
Niene Pugliano, one of Oregon’s star-quality actresses, awaits her cue. 26 SourceOregon 2012
Photo Courtesy of Deneb Catalan
Actor Mike Prosser follows up, “People aren’t jaded [here]. They’re excited and passionate about what they are doing.” “Oregonians are westerners with the pioneering can-do spirit. They bring that to the camera,” echoes Harold Phillips, 25-year professional of film, television, theater and new media. Mercedes Rose agrees, “We live here because we want to, not because we have to.” Katie O’Grady continues, “Oregon is about the work, not the glory. We’re balanced with our lives; work, family, art community, and love of nature.”
Find headshots on page 82 or at www.sourceoregon.com/talent
Emmy© award-winning actor and producer Christopher Toyne sums it up, “Portland is number one (for) collaboration and applauding their successes, which sets Oregon apart from New York or LA.” No surprise that the starship Hollywood can no longer resist the gravitational attraction of Oregon talent.
Talent
Shooting in Oregon? Let our world-class casting company handle all of your principal talent needs. Oregon Casting Directors of Grimm, Leverage, Twilight, and many more. castironstudios.com Actor Henry Hopper on the set of Restless with Director Gus Van Sant
Universal Stars
Oregon is rich in experienced talent, with many notable names. Besides co-founding Alcove Productions, Katie O’Grady has starred and produced in Rid of Me as well as guest-starred on Leverage and Portlandia and filmed with many A-list Hollywood stars. Oregon born and raised actress Mercedes Rose juggles commercial, voice and film work along with producing and starring in the hit series Haunted Sunshine Girl. She has appeared as Princess Rosalina for Nintendo
Wii and in national commercials. Character actor Robert Blanche has appeared in over 60 film and TV projects, with recurring roles on Leverage and Grimm. Mike Prosser has co-starred on NBC’s Grimm and the film Wake Before I Die, and plays the lead role in the upcoming movie, The Weather Outside. Mary McDonald-Lewis is a dialect coach for Leverage, Grimm, Falling Skies, and Being Human. She helped Rob Pattinson craft his dreamy American accent for the Twilight movie series.
CAST IRON STUDIOS FORMERLY LANA VEENKER CASTING CSA, ICDN
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Permitting and Liaisons
IT PAYS TO HAVE
CONNECTIONS ONE BIKE. EIGHT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONE PERSON.
T
he indie film script called for a bicycle to be launched off the Burnside Bridge into the Willamette River. It sounded simple. But before that bicycle could meet its watery fate, no fewer than eight government agencies had to be involved in the permitting process. A nightmare for the production company? Not here. They made one phone call to the Portland Mayor’s Office of Film and Video who facilitated the entire permitting process.
The Portland Connection Shelley Midthun is the first point of contact for anyone who wants to shoot a film, commercial or other production in Portland. She helps streamline the process to quickly generate city permits. Frequently, she coordinates communication between film productions and neighborhoods. “I enjoy helping production companies figure out how to get things done,” Midthun says. “Here in Portland, we’re invested in working with productions and go the extra mile. We’re film-friendly.” In another instance, Midthun facilitated obtaining a waiver on the holiday film moratorium in downtown Portland for Bobby Warberg, Locations Manager for the TV show Grimm. Warberg comments, “It worked out nicely and we got the look that was integral to the script.”
Film Producers’ Concierge Bob Schmaling, with the Governor’s Office of Film and Television, likens his work to a concierge. The Governor’s Office of Film and Television assists production scouts with a customized package that includes photos, maps, and access to the extensive location database, Reel-Scout.
In addition to personalized location packages, they provide contacts to production companies for wherever they want to shoot in the state including Chamber of Commerce representatives; a list of key grips in the metro area; or where to find a trained zebra.
So, what can Oregon’s liaisons do to help launch your project? See page 140.
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Photo Courtesy of Frank DiMarco Photography
“There’s a breadth of locations people can get here in Oregon,” Schmaling says. “Most people think of [Oregon only as] the Cascades to the coast. They may not know about the high desert, rolling hills or even buffalo herds. Almost any shot you want is in Oregon, all within a few hours of one another.”
Romance Waiting to Happen
Diverse Locations
Filming of Twilight. Photo Courtesy of Twilight Production
Photo Courtesy of Frank DiMarco Photography
Photo Courtesy of Frank DiMarco Photography
Urban or suburban, from Columbia Gorge wilderness to Hood River Valley orchards, any season of the year you’ll find lots to love in the Portland area with our generally mild year-round climate. Summer temperatures can rise to the high 80s and 90s.
Towns that have it All!
From oceans to lakes and forests to fertile fields, count on coastal towns like Astoria, Cannon Beach and Warrenton. Yearly temperatures are fairly mild – summers average 60 to 70 degree temperatures, with warm, calm autumn weather.
Siberian Wilderness
Photo Courtesy of Limbo Films/Portland
Snow in July? You’ll find the cool on Mt. Hood, from prehistoric ice-age glaciers to hot, hip ski slopes just a 1½ hours drive from Portland.
ant Films
sy of Merch
Photo Courte
Deep Dark Forest
It may look scary, but you’re in Eugene, home to the University of Oregon and mild temperatures that seldom fall below 25 degrees in the winter or rise above the 80s in summertime, with typical fall days clear and dry.
Sahara 30 SourceOregon 2012
High Plateaus
Central Oregon delights in clear skies and warm days, where even an occasional cloudy day is punctuated by warm sunshine. Hot summers are muted by low humidity and evening cool-downs. Winter brings deep snow to the higher elevations.
Medford is your desert oasis! Sheltered by the Coast and Siskiyou mountains, here you’ll find moderate temperatures and sunny days, with common winter snowfall in the Klamath Falls pine forests.
Photo Courtesy of Limbo Films/Portland
Diverse Locations
GET INSPIRED IN OREGON
Scottish Highlands
Aye, ‘tis another phenomenal sight to shoot in Oregon – The Dalles, protected from precipitation by the Cascade mountain range and boasting warm days, cool nights and mild winters.
sy of Limbo
Photo Courte
nd
Films/Portla
Blue Ridge Mountains and Kentucky Bluegrass
Pendleton offers more than its famous Round-Up Rodeo. Nestled in a valley, surrounded by rolling hills and fertile cropland, it has generally mild weather in a dry climate with lots of sunshine.
Across the state, discover the incredible diversity of locations that have lured filmmakers to the region and thrilled audiences for decades. Cityscapes. Scenic vistas. Intimate park lands. Vast plains. Seething ocean tides. Bubbling streams. Lighthouse-dotted coastlines. Covered bridges. Gritty streets. Winding mountain roads. We know you will find your “place” in Oregon, too. Find a location scout on page 70
The Great Plains
On the old Oregon Trail, Baker City sits at the base of the rugged Elkhorn Mountains, surrounded by national parks and forests. Summertime usually means hot, dry weather. Winter brings powdery snow to the higher elevations, with crisp, cold temps in the valleys.
We make it easy for you to find the location of your dreams when you access an ever-expanding searchable database with thousands of desirable Oregon location photographs. We have a complete listing with maps, weather reports and visual overviews of some of Oregon’s most picturesque places! For details about all the great locations Oregon has to offer, visit us at www.oregonfilm.org/locations.
1840’s California
Burns, in Harney County, is one of the nation’s driest regions, with less than 10 inches of rain annually. That means 250 to 300 gloriously sunny days, with brilliant spring wildflowers, summers in the 80-100 degree range and sparkling winter freezes. The mean temperature here is a mild 53 degrees.
Kelly Reichardt’s acclaimed 2010 pioneer drama Meek’s Cutoff was filmed in Harney County, home to some of America’s most remote looking spots. SourceOregon 2012
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Liaisons & Reference
Children’s Employment Guidelines The following is a brief interpretation of the Oregon Administrative Rules regarding the employment of minors. The Governor’s Office of Film & Television recommends contacting the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Wage and Hour Division, for a packet containing complete information. Write to or call the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries office.
4. Safety and Comfort
Dan Gardner, Oregon Labor Commissioner
P 971‑673‑0761
800 NE Oregon St #1045 • Portland, OR 97232 www.boli.state.or.us
Definitions Minor: Anyone under the age of 18. Minors under the age of 15 days (babies/newborns) shall not be employed.
It should be noted that as soon as a production company makes the decision to film in Oregon and wishes to hire minors, the wage and hour division should be contacted. Necessary paperwork could cause delays if this is not taken care of early in the production schedule.
Working Conditions
Workday: Fixed period of 24 consecutive hours. Workweek: Fixed and regularly recurring period of seven consecutive workdays. Long-term Employment: Employment lasting or contemplated to last more than five working days. Short-term Employment: Employment lasting or contemplated to last five working days or less.
General Permit Information
Liaisons & Reference4
Five days or more Entertainment industry employers who plan to hire minors (14 to 17 years of age) for long-term employment must obtain and file an employment certificate form. Minors 14 to 17 no longer need a work permit; minors under 14 need a special under-14 permit. Necessary forms are available at all Bureau of Labor and Industries offices and State Employment Division offices.
Five days or less In the case where an employer is hiring 10 or more minors for temporary short-term employment, a short-duration permit can be obtained through the Portland office of the Bureau of Labor and Industries.
More than one film a year In circumstances involving the employment of minors in short-term employment, and when the employer plans to film more than once a year, application may be made for a registration certificate. All registration certificates expire on June 30th, at which time application to renew the certificate should be submitted. Registered employers are then required to notify the Wage and Hour Division no less than 24 hours prior to the employment of minors for short duration.
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1. Hours No employer shall employ minors to work more than the maximum hours listed below or more than six consecutive days, including days when the minor attends school. Exceptions may be made if a special hours variance is applied for by addressing a letter of application to the Portland BOLI office.
The work area provided must be sanitary and safe with room for both rest and play. It must have adequate lighting, ventilation, washrooms and toilet facilities. Other safety considerations include worker’s compensation insurance coverage in accordance with laws of the state, transportation available to the nearest medical facility providing emergency services, and on-location return transportation must be provided promptly upon dismissal. The employer must also provide appropriate care and supervision of each minor at all times during the minor’s employment. As a general rule, one supervisor for each nine minors employed is considered adequate.
5. Meal Periods and Rest Periods
Work (production) hours are defined as hours when a minor is directed by any member of the production company to travel, make-up, wardrobe, rehearse, light, stand-in, etc.
Except where otherwise indicated in state regulations, an appropriate meal period consists of not less than 30 minutes; an appropriate rest period means a period of rest of not less than 15 minutes for every 4 hours worked.
2. Working Hours for Minors in the Entertainment Industry
6. Education
Ages 14–17: 11 hours a day including rest & meal breaks. Ages 10–13: 10 hours a day including rest & meal breaks. Ages 6–9: 9 hours a day including rest & meal breaks. Ages 4–5: 7 hours a day including rest & meal breaks. Up to 8 hours a day if the minor is transported. Ages 2–3: 6 hours a day including 3 hours of rest & meal breaks. Ages 1–2: 5 hours a day including 21⁄2 hours of rest & meal breaks. Ages 6 months to 1 year: 4 hours a day including 2 hours of rest & meal breaks. Ages 15 days to 6 months: 2 hours a day, no more than 20 minutes of which shall be spent as work time. Under 15 days: Cannot be employed.
When school is in session and the minor is in first grade or above, an average of 3 hours of instruction must be provided. The employer must obtain a release from the Superintendent, or designee, of the school district in which the minor’s school is located when the employment requires the minor’s absence from school for more than five days. The employer must provide minors under 16 years of age with no less than three hours of instruction per day, excluding Saturday and Sunday. The instruction must be provided by a teacher certified to teach in Oregon. Since neither the Wage and Hour Division nor the Bureau of Labor and Industries has authority to certify persons to teach minors, interested persons should contact the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, 465 Commercial St. NE, Salem, OR 97301; (503) 378-3586.
3. Wages State minimum wage for minors is the same as that required for adults and will automatically be raised when the adult rate is raised. The present rate is $8.80 per hour.
Oregon Media Production Association
Southern Oregon Film and Television
Requests for waiver of stated regulations should be addressed in writing to the administrator of the wage and hour division, setting forth the reasons for the waiver request.
Mid-Oregon Production Arts Network
Central Oregon Film Alliance
Liaisons & Reference
Industry Standards & Practices The guidelines presented here are for the purpose of providing predictability and consistency to the production process. While adherence to the guidelines is voluntary, they shall, in the absence of any negotiations which result in alternative guidelines, be presumed to be in effect on productions carried by Oregon industry members. It is the responsibility of the parties involved to come to an agreement prior to the commencement of production concerning unique situations not covered in these guidelines. Any alternative guidelines must not fall below the standards set by state and federal statutes. These guidelines were endorsed in 1991 by OMPA, SOFaT and MOPAN.
Producer and Technician 1. Employer/Employee It is assumed throughout the body of this section that an employer/employee relationship exists between the producer and the technician. If it is believed that this is not the case, there is appended at the end of this document both state and the federal guidelines to aid in determining whether an employer/employee or an independent subcontractor relationship exists.
2. Rates Rates are based on a 10-hour day and set by the technician. “Work time,” that part of the day in which the technician may charge for his or her time, shall begin at the call time (or under conditions discussed in section 3) and shall end when the technician has discharged all duties for the day. Minimum call, 5 hours or less of work time, shall be billed at 60% of the day rate. Hourly straight-time rates are determined by dividing the technician’s daily rate by 10. Overtime Rates. Monday-Saturday: 10-12 hours=hourly x 1.5; 12-18 hours=hourly x 2.0; over 18 hours=hourly x 3.0 Sunday: 1.5 x Monday-Saturday rates Holidays*: 1.5 x Monday-Saturday rates
* New Years Day, Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving and Christmas.
If the workday commences between the hours of 2pm and 12 midnight and extends beyond midnight, or if it commences between 12 midnight and 5am, the technician shall be paid an additional 15% of his or her gross wages. Those required to work a split shift shall be paid straight hourly time for the period between those shifts; however, only those hours actually spent in production shall be counted toward overtime.
Oregon Media Production Association
“Prevailing rate” shall be defined as the technician’s applicable daily rate with the addition of any penalties for overtime.
3. Scheduling Postponement of Confirmed Days. Postponements will not be charged providing the technician is given notice of such postponement at least 12 hours prior to the intended call time and the project is rescheduled within 10 calendar days. If insufficient notice is given or rescheduling does not take place, cancellation policy will apply. Cancellation of Confirmed Days. Cancellations made less than 48 hours before shoot time will be charged a minimum call for labor and 50% of the day rate for equipment for all confirmed days, not to exceed 10 confirmed days. Additionally, the technician shall be reimbursed for all out-ofpocket expenses. Weather/Contingency. Work held up due to weather, illness, absence of irreplaceable production members or other conditions beyond the control of the production company shall be billed as follows: a. Minimum call if technician is released for day (or night). b. Time spent by the technician who is required to wait for weather/contingency situations to change shall be considered as work time and be billed at full rates. c. All direct and out-of-pocket expenses shall be reimbursed. d. Equipment held under such conditions shall be billed at full rates. e. If work is not resumed at the end of the contingent situation, postponement and/or cancellation conditions apply.
4. Travel time Travel to and from work in the area within a 25-mile radius of City Hall shall not be considered as work time. Travel outside the 25-mile radius on a day when no production occurs: • Shall be billed at the straight hourly rate set by the contractor, • Shall begin upon commencement of travel, and • Shall not constitute less than a minimum call (see Section 1).
Southern Oregon Film and Television
Mid-Oregon Production Arts Network
Travel time outside the 25-mile radius on a day in which production does occur shall be considered as work time. Such work time will commence at the 25-mile point and cease upon re-entering the 25-mile zone. The prevailing rate shall be applicable until the 25 mile zone is re-entered. Personnel required to drive production vehicles, regardless of what that vehicle is or who is the owner, shall have their work day begin at the commencement of travel in said vehicles and end when all duties have been discharged for the day.
5. Distant locations At a distant location (one outside the 25-mile zone and where the technician is lodged for the night), lodging shall be provided to the technician by the producer. When available, single room accommodations shall be required. The producer shall provide meals or a per diem commensurate with the standard of living in the area.
6. Meals The first meal break shall commence no sooner than 4 hours and no later than 6 hours from the beginning of the workday. There shall be no less than 4 nor more than 6 hours from the end of the preceding meal break and each subsequent meal break. A meal break shall be no less than 30 minutes, nor more than one hour in length. If the meal break occurs in less than 4 hours, the whole meal period shall be considered as work time. No employee shall be required to work during a meal break. If restaurant facilities are not reasonably available when on location, the producer agrees to provide a well-balanced meal at no charge. The meal period shall not be considered as work time. A grace period of 15 minutes to complete the shot in progress shall be allowed so long as all department heads are notified in advance. If no meal break occurs after this grace period, penalties shall continue to accrue from the point at which the 6 hour period was exceeded. The producer will be assessed a penalty according to the following schedule for each 30 minute period (or fraction thereof) of work exceeding the 6 hours between meals:
first half hour $7.50 second half hour $10.00 third & subsequent half hours $12.50
If more than one meal occurs in a work day, then all additional meals shall be hot meals.
Central Oregon Film Alliance
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Liaisons & Reference4
It is incumbent upon all parties involved to be aware of the fact that there are federal and state wage and hour statutes that cover situations not directly addressed in these guidelines. Statutes of importance cover the definitions of: minimum hourly wage, minimum weekly wage, rest periods, “work” time and meal periods.
Liaisons & Reference 7. Turnaround There shall be no less than 10 hours between the completion of the work time on one day and the commencement of work time on the next day, for the same project. Commencement of work time in less that 10 hours shall result in a penalty, in addition to the prevailing rate, according to the following schedule:
0–5 hrs. 5–10 hrs.
$50/hr. $25/hr.
8. Payment Invoices submitted within 5 (five) working days of completion of technician’s work will be paid within 10 days of invoice. A penalty of 1.5% per month (or maximum allowable by law) will be assessed against all overdue balances. Minimum penalty is $1.00 (notice must be printed on invoice for this to apply). A cash draw is requested for technician’s out-of-pocket expenses within 24 hours of expenditure. Because of the variety of accounting procedures, alternative arrangements may frequently be negotiated. It is strongly recommended that an agreement be reached prior to the commencement of production.
Producer and Client 1. Billing
Liaisons & Reference4
50–50 Plan. The following is based on the National Association of Independent Commercial Producers Guidelines. a. First billing: 50 percent of the contract price will be billed by the production company within 10 days of job confirmation. Since job confirmation has almost always been a verbal order, this first billing will be issued whether or not the production company is in receipt of a written contract, purchase order or letter of agreement. (Note: This provision reaffirms the verbal order to commence production and signifies that all proper agency and client authorizations have been attained and the production company is to begin spending time and money on the job). b. The remaining 50 percent will be billed upon approval of film or tape dailies (this applies only when contract does not include editorial completion), or upon approval of final edit.
⁄3-1⁄3-1⁄3 Plan. a. The first 1/3 will be billed by the production company upon verbal confirmation to proceed. 1
b. The second 1/3 will be billed upon completion of principal photography.
146 SourceOregon 2012
c. The final 1/3 will be billed upon approval of final edited program (this would be the cut work print in film, the off-line edit in tape or the final assembly in multi-image production).
2. Payment First payment is due and payable within 10 days of receipt of invoice. All subsequent payments will be due and payable within 30 days of receipt of subsequent invoices. A penalty of 1.5% per month (or maximum allowable by law) will be assessed against all overdue balances.
3. Scheduling Postponement of Confirmed Days. Postponements will not be charged providing the project is rescheduled within 10 calendar days. If not rescheduled, cancellation policy will apply. Any out-of-pocket or non-recoupable expenses due to postponement shall be billed in addition to quoted job costs (e.g., equipment rentals, shipping costs, etc.). Cancellation of Confirmed Days. Cancellations made less than 48 hours before shoot time will be charged all out-of-pocket expenses plus mark-up plus all appropriate in-house expenses incurred by the production company. Cancellations made less than 48 hours before shoot time will be charged all out-of-pocket expenses plus a minimum call for all scheduled crew for all confirmed days, not to exceed 10 confirmed days, 1.5 day rate for equipment, plus all appropriate in-house expenses and mark-up.
Federal
c. All direct and out-of-pocket expenses shall be reimbursed. d. Equipment held under such conditions shall be billed at full rates. e. If work is not resumed at the end of the contingent situation, postponement and/or cancellation conditions apply.
Oregon Media Production Association
Southern Oregon Film and Television
6. Production Insurance
Employee vs Independent Contractor
b. Time spent by the contractor who is required to wait for weather/contingency situations to change shall be considered as work time and be billed at full rates.
The nationally accepted AICP bid form should be used in all competitive bidding situations.
Travel to and from work in the area within a 25 mile radius of City Hall shall not be considered as work time. Travel outside the 25 mile radius on a day when no production occurs shall be billed at the straight hourly rate set by the contractor, shall begin upon commencement of travel, and shall not constitute less than a minimum call (see Section 1). Travel time outside the 25 mile radius on a day in which production does occur shall be considered as work time. Such work time will commence at the 25 mile point and cease upon re-entering the 25 mile zone. The prevailing rate shall be applicable until the 25 mile zone is re-entered. Personnel required to drive production vehicles, regardless of what that vehicle is or who is the owner, shall have their work day begin at the commencement of travel in said vehicles and end when all duties have been discharged for the day. OMPA recommends that viable production insurance coverage be obtained by both the producer and the client and that the cost be openly discussed and confronted in the bidding of new work. We also recommend that the agency and/or client should share the liability equally with the producer. A waiver of liability should be obtained by the producer if the client is not willing to assume fair responsibility. This insurance can provide coverage on faulty film and/or tape stock, lab failures or damage, equipment failures, loss or damage of exposed original, weather days, etc.
Weather/Contingency. Work held up due to weather, illness, absence of irreplaceable production members or other conditions beyond the control of the production company shall be billed as follows: a. Minimum call if contractor is released for day (or night).
4. Bid Forms
5. Travel Time
Under common law rules, every individual who performs services that are subject to the will and control of an employer, as to both what must be done and how it must be done, is an employee. It does not matter that the employer allows the employee discretion and freedom of action, so long as the employer has the legal right to control both the method and the result of the services. An employer must generally withhold income taxes, withhold and pay social security taxes, and pay unemployment taxes on wages paid to an employee. An employer does not generally have to withhold or pay any taxes on payments to independent contractors. The 20 factors listed below have been identified to help indicate whether sufficient control is present to establish an employer/employee relationship. The degree of importance of each factor varies depending on the occupation and the context in which the services are performed.
Mid-Oregon Production Arts Network
Central Oregon Film Alliance
Liaisons & Reference
2. Training. An employee is trained to perform services in a particular manner. Independent contractors ordinarily use their own methods and receive no training from the purchasers of their services.
13. Expenses. An employee’s business and travel expenses are paid by an employer. This shows that the employee is subject to regulation and control. 14. Tools and materials. An employee is furnished significant tools, materials and other equipment by an employer. 15. Investment. An independent contractor has significant investment in the facilities he or she uses in performing services for someone.
3. Integration. An employee’s services are integrated into the business operations because the services are important to the success or continuation of the business. This shows that the employee is subject to direction and control.
16. Profit or loss. An independent contractor can make a profit or suffer a loss.
4. Services rendered personally. An employee renders services personally. This shows that the employer is interested in the methods as well as the results.
18. Offers services to the general public. An independent contractor makes his or her services available to the general public.
5. Hiring assistants. An employee works for an employer that hires, supervises and pays assistants. An independent contractor hires, supervises and pays assistants under a contract that requires him or her to provide materials and labor and to be responsible only for the result. 6. Continuing relationship. An employee has a continuing relationship with an employer. This indicates that an employer/employee relationship exists. A continuing relationship may exist where work is performed at frequently recurring although irregular intervals. 7. Set hours of work. An employee has set hours of work established by an employer. An independent contractor is the master of his or her own time. 8. Full-time work. An employee normally works full time for an employer. An independent contractor can work when and for whom he or she chooses. 9. Work done on premises. An employee works on the premises of an employer, works on a route or at a location the employer designates. 10. Order or sequence set. An employee must perform services in the order or sequence set by an employer. 11. Reports. An employee submits reports to an employer. This shows that the employee must account to the employer for his or her actions. 12. Payments. An employee is paid by the hour, week or month. An independent contractor is paid by the job or on a straight commission.
Oregon Media Production Association
17. Works for more than one person or firm. An independent contractor gives his or her services to a multiple of unrelated persons or firms at the same time.
19. Right to fire. An employee can be fired by an employer. An independent contractor cannot be fired so long as he or she produces a result that meets their contract specifications. 20. Right to quit. An employee can quit his or her job at anytime without incurring liability. An independent contractor agrees to complete a specific job and is responsible for its satisfactory completion, or is legally obligated to make good for failure to complete the job.
4. The individual or business entity providing labor or services has the authority to hire and fire employees to perform the labor or services. 5. Payment for the labor or services is made upon completion of the performance of specific portions of the project or is made on the basis of an annual or periodic retainer. 6. The individual or business entity providing labor or services is registered under ORS chapter 701, if the individual or business entity provides labor or services for which such registration is required. 7. Federal and state income tax returns in the name of the business or a business Schedule C or Farm Schedule F as part of the personal income tax return were filed for the previous year if the individual or business entity performed labor or services as an independent contractor in the previous year. 8. The individual or business entity represents to the public that the labor or services are to be provided by an independently established business. An individual or business entity is considered to be engaged in an independently established business when four or more of the following circumstances exist:
a. The labor or services are primarily carried out at a location that is separate from the residence of an individual who performs the labor or services, or are primarily carried out in a specific portion of the residence, which portion is set aside as the location of the business.
b. Commercial advertising or business cards as is customary in operating similar businesses are purchased for the business, or the individual or business entity has a trade association membership.
c. Telephone listing and service are used for the business that is separate from the personal residence listing and service used by an individual who performs the labor or services.
d. Labor or services are performed only pursuant to written contracts.
e. Labor or services are performed for two or more different persons within a period of one year.
f. The individual or business entity assumes financial responsibility for defective workmanship or for service not provided as evidenced by the ownership of performance bonds, warranties, errors and omissions insurance or liability insurance relating to the labor or services to be provided.
State Section 1. As used in various provisions of ORS chapters 316, 656, 657 and 701, an individual or business entity that performs labor or services for remuneration shall be considered to perform the labor or services as an “independent contractor” if the standards of this section are met. 1. The individual or business entity providing the labor or services is free from direction and control over the means and manner of providing the labor or services, subject only to the right of the person for whom the labor or services are provided to specify the desired results. 2. The individual or business entity providing labor or services is responsible for obtaining all assumed business registrations or professional occupation licenses required by state law or local government ordinance for the individual or business entity to conduct the business. 3. The individual or business entity providing labor or services furnishes the tools or equipment necessary for performance of the contracted labor or services.
Southern Oregon Film and Television
Mid-Oregon Production Arts Network
Central Oregon Film Alliance
SourceOregon 2012 147
Liaisons & Reference4
1. Instructions. An employee is required to comply with instructions about when, where and how to work. Even if no instructions are given, the control factor is present if the employer has the right to give instructions.