Northwest Production Blog

A movie called The Pregnancy Pact is currently airing on Lifetime Movie Network. The film dramatizes a Massachusetts high school teen pact to get pregnant together and raise the babies as a family without fathers.

But before The Pregnancy Pact there was BUMPS, produced in Portland and directed by filmmaker Bob Moricz. It was screened at Portland’s Clinton Street Theater in August of 2009.

The budget for the film was non-existent. The cast was composed of teen unknowns. The film was shot in three days. Yet BUMPS delves into the psychology and relationships of these teens in a far more succinct and dramatic manner than The Pregnancy Pact.

Here’s what a few critics have had to say about BUMPS:

“This is what independent cinema is really about.”
- Jeff Guay, PDX PIPELINE

“Intriguing.”
- Gary Morris, Bright Lights After Dark

“… mixes Larry Clark-style exploitation, Heathers-like satire and a willfully cheap aesthetic pioneered by the Kuchar brothers and Kenneth Anger.”
- Stan Hall, The Oregonian

The film is available to view for free on Vimeo at www.vimeo.com/899057. For more information, visit www.bobmoricz.com.

On Saturday, February 6, and Sunday, February 7, Women In Film is presenting a workshop with acclaimed writer/producer Brian McDonald. Here are the details:

WHO: Brian McDonald turned his award winning script of White Face into an award winning film. It won the Slamdance Audience Award for best short film and was picked up for distribution by Hypnotic Films and shown on both HBO and Cinemax.  McDonald, a sought after writing teacher, has taught a highly acclaimed story structure class at 911 Media Arts Center and the Hugo House.  Known in the industry as a “story” guy, he’s also taught several  6-week seminars on story  construction at Pixar, as well as at the George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic company.

WHAT: Learn the secrets of Dickens, Steinbeck and Billy Wilder in this popular workshop.  The seminar is for screenwriters, novelists, playwrights or anyone who is telling a fictional story.  This master class is to a writer what anatomy class is to an illustrator.  You will learn how to construct a story from the ground up by examining classic films and stories.

Pricing structure: $195.00 for Professional Members, $235 for Associate members, friends/students, $245.00 for non WIF-members. Brunch will be provided.

WHEN: Saturday, February 6 (11am – 4pm); Sunday, February 7 (10am – 1pm).

WHERE: Spitfire (back room), 2219 4th Ave., Seattle, WA 98121; (206) 441-7966.

For additional information, e-mail Vanessa Eng at vanessarocks@gmail.com or register online now at www.womeninfilm-seattle.org.

This just in from Pyramide Productions, a Kirkland, Washington-based video production company:

“We are looking for editors with specialties in Vegas (3+ years of experience required).

We hire our editors as Independent Contractors on an hourly basis ($20 - $25/hr). We will be in immediate need of editors at the beginning of February but will also hold editors in our database for future use—our business ramps up in Feb through the summer and anticipate needing 3 solid Vegas editors.

Again, 3+ years of experience is required.

Please send us your resume and (if applicable) a link to your reel so we can see your work (as an editor).

Thank you!

Pyramide Productions”

If interested, contact Cassidy Dimon at cdimon@pyramideproductions.com.

Portland filmmaker Brian Belefant unveils his latest film, Burning Passion, tonight, January 19th, at the Bagdad Theater as part of Northwest Filmmakers Night.
The event, which features short films by regional filmmakers, begins at 7pm and is open to all ages. The cost at the door is $3. For more information on the event, visit www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=9&id=1117&eventid=75217, and for more on Belefant and his films, visit www.belefant.com.

The hit television series Leverage, which will begin shooting its third season in Portland this March, has some casting opportunities for “athletic or burly men to play cops, security guards and thugs.”

Lana Veenker Casting is organizing a “Leverage Thug Informational Meeting” for adult males who fit the profile and want a job as a background performer on the show. Veenker says that martial arts and military backgrounds are in high demand, as well as ethnic diversity, for the thug and cop roles. Height is not important (in fact, in some cases, shorter men are at an advantage), but an athletic, burly or muscular frame is.

Details are as follows:
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
7:00-8:30 PM

University of Oregon - Portland
White Stag Block
70 NW Couch Street
Portland, OR 97209

Attendance is free, but interested parties must RSVP at leveragethug.eventbrite.com in order to be admitted, as space is limited.

EMP|SFM in partnership with SIFF will present the fifth annual Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival (SFFSFF) on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at the Seattle Cinerama Theater. The festival brings together industry professionals in filmmaking and the genres of science fiction and fantasy to encourage and support new, creative additions to science fiction and fantasy cinema arts. 10 short films will screen in the first session (4:00pm – 6:00pm); 10 short films will screen in the second session (7:00pm – 9:00pm). An awards ceremony follows the second session. Films have been posted to the website. Tickets are available now online to purchase.

SFFSFF 2010 Website
www.empsfm.org/filmfestival

SFFSFF 2010 Trailer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl-G31ZaYFs

SFFSFF Purchase Tickets
http://www.siff.net/presents/seriesDetail.aspx?FID=159

SFFSFF Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_Fiction_Fantasy_Short_Film_Festival

WashingtonFilmWorks recently launched a YouTube channel, which includes videos from their 2009 Viral Video Campaign. The campaign solicited local filmmakers to create 30- and 60-second commercials promoting Washington State as a great place for motion picture, commercial and television production.

Final videos from Mark O’Connell, Will Chase & Lucien Flynn, Staci Bernstein & Ilona Rossman Ho, and Philip Rezek & Michael Welty are available for viewing.

For more information, visit www.washingtonfilmworks.org and to view the videos, visit www.youtube.com/user/Wafilmworks#p/u/3/owW4vIzXzCU.

It’s the giving season and Film Action needs your help!

We’ve trimmed expenses to the bone, and managed to do a lot with very little, continuing to program the best cutting-edge films from around the world, host dozens of community events for nonprofit organizations, and offer vital services for emerging and established filmmakers.

We need to raise at least $10,000 by January 15, 2010. And there are many ways that you can help:
* Make a tax deductible contribution before the end of the calendar year. You can do it online or send a check to Film Action Oregon, 4122 NE Sandy Boulevard, Portland, OR 97212.
* If making a large contribution is a strain to your pocketbook, you can make a monthly gift of $5 or more that is charged directly to your credit card. It’s simple and you can cancel at any time.
* Give the gift of film to someone special this holiday season! You can purchase a tax-deductible membership here for yourself or that special film-lover in your life and receive discounted $4 admission at the Hollywood Theatre and invites to exclusive members only events.

We’re also offering some special offers for donating this year:
* Donate $25 by December 31, 2009, and receive a complimentary invite for you and a guest to our Academy Awards nomination breakfast on the morning of February 2, 2010, at the Hollywood Theatre. A light breakfast will be served and early-bird, discounted VIP tickets to our Oscar® Night America party in March will be made available exclusively for Hollywood Theatre supporters.
* Purchase a Supporting Actor level membership or above by December 31st and receive a free Hollywood Theatre ornament commemorating the Theatre’s 80th birthday.

The Governor’s Office of Film & Television has announced that the TNT series Leverage, produced by Electric Entertainment, will return to Portland in early 2010 to begin shooting its third season.

“What we have come to love about Portland is that the city has everything to offer that a big city can offer, but Portland still has the heart and soul of a small town,” said the series’ executive producer, Dean Devlin. “It’s this environment and spirit that makes Portland a great place to produce a series like Leverage. We’re thrilled to be returning to Portland for our third season.”

One key element to recruiting productions like Leverage to the state is the Oregon Production Investment Fund (OPIF). The Oregon Legislature in its 2009 session increased OPIF to $7.5 million per year, which has resulted in a continued increase of interest in Oregon as a filming destination. In addition to its diverse locations, Oregon has been able to remain competitive for high level productions through its rebate programs.

“The purpose of the OPIF program is to not only develop and grow the local film industry, but to also put people to work,” said Vince Porter, executive director of the film office. “Millions of dollars are spent in the state when productions film in Oregon. In this year alone Leverage recorded nearly 100,000 hours worked by Oregon residents who were employed by the production. We’re grateful to have partners like Electric Entertainment and TNT, and we look forward to a repeat performance in season three.”

Recent films recruited through the OPIF rebate program have included CBS Films’ Crowley and Summit Entertainment’s Twilight.

On November 6, 7 & 8, Tom Kane is bringing a three-day intensive Film/Video Workshop to Seattle.

Tom has had a long and distinguished career in the film and television industry. As a producer, production manager, and assistant director, his clients have included Twentieth Century Fox, Miramax Films, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros., ABC Motion Pictures, Universal Pictures, Turner Network Television, CBS, NBC, ABC, and Hallmark Entertainment.

The intensive workshop will teach you how to successfully plan, organize and manage a film or video production. You will break down a feature script, create a shooting schedule, production board, and day-out-of-days. Also go on a location scout to learn the professional approach to detail for each location. This workshop is ideal for aspiring producers, production managers, assistant directors, screenwriters, actors, and anyone wishing to explore a career in film and video production. And beginners are welcome. A 20% student discount and a 10% industry discount are available.

Location: Victory Studios, 2247 15th Ave. W., Seattle, WA 98119; 206-282-1776; www.victorystudios.com

For more information, log onto www.filmtvworkshops.com, e-mail tomjkane@mind.net, or call 541-324-3364.