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<strong>The city’s intent is to lure more commercial and advertising shoots to the city, which some insiders say is a long time coming and could go further. </strong>
When Portland filmmaker Ali Godil was working on his short film, the close-to-home Americanistan, he didn’t expect to immortalize the final days of one of the area’s most iconic institutions: a McDonald's on Swan Island. “We filmed out front, the workers didn’t care,” Godil told the Mercury. “A month later that McDonald’s shut down.” The front of a McDonald's may not sound like the most exciting place for a shoot, but Godil said he choose.
What makes Ashland so attractive as a movie-making location?
“The number one thing I always say makes Ashland special is that you can point your camera anywhere and get a great shot,” said Gary Kout, an Ashland-based film & video producer and co-founder of Film Southern Oregon. “The town, the surroundings, the whole area is just so beautiful and photogenic.”
Kout also praised the regional acting community, anchored by OSF and other regional and local theatre groups that provide on-camera talent for local productions.
“No other place this size and in the middle of nowhere can provide that,” Kout said. Meanwhile, many business owners, homeowners and other community members are “film-friendly” as Kout puts it, and excited to see their properties or businesses on the big screen.
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At the Start of the Pandemic, the City Council Almost Completely Defunded the Portland Film Office. It Would’ve Put Brian Lord Out of a Job. During the pandemic, Lord has also become something of a health and safety ambassador for out-of-town productions. (Courtesy of the Homebound Ranger) WW
presents Distant Voices, a daily video interview for the era of social distancing. Our reporters are asking Portlanders what they re doing during quarantine.
According to Portland Film Office manager Brian Lord says there’s at least one benefit to being part of a film production team during a pandemic.