PORTLAND, Ore.—The state of Oregon has suspended funding for the Portland-based Oregon Film & Video Office for the remainder of the biennium (March 1 through June 30), according to Robin LaMonte, a principal analyst in the state’s Legislative Fiscal Office, Salem, Ore.
According to LaMonte, the funding suspension was one of several cuts that had to be made to rebalance the state’s budget—Oregon, which is on a biennial budget system, is by law not allowed to go into deficit. "We have to have a balanced budget, so every time the revenue picture changes, budgets get cut to balance the shortfall that has been projected," LaMonte explained.
Veronica Rinard, executive director of the Oregon Film & Video Office, confirmed that her office lost $86,000 in funding for the fourth quarter. "Our original budget [for 2001-’03] was $972,508," she said. "Budget cuts in earlier sessions combined with this one create a total of a hundred and fifty-thousand dollars in cuts over the biennium."
Despite the budget cuts, the Oregon Film & Video Office, which is entirely funded by the state, is still operating. "We are open and continue to provide our key services, including location assistance, permitting and logistical assistance for productions interested in filming in Oregon," Rinard said, noting that money-saving measures—like reducing and rotating staff hours to keep the office open full time, and cutting back on travel and marketing promotions—have been taken. "[However,] we will be at the Locations trade show next month, and we are still able to conduct scouting trips in Oregon with clients," she added.
There is concern among some members of the local production industry that perhaps politicians don’t realize the value of the film office. Andrew T. Collen, producer/director at Happy Trails Animation, Portland, maintained that at a time when Oregon needs money, it doesn’t make sense to cut funding for a film office that brings in millions of dollars a year into the state.
"It’s not a major expense [to fund the film office], and with the revenues from one film the state far exceeds that money," Collen said, noting that The Hunted, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Toro was lensed in Oregon.
According to figures provided by Rinard, the film office brought $16 million in direct spending into Oregon in ’02, $34 million in ’01 and $28 million in ’00. Rinard admitted that she was disappointed to learn the film office would lose funds, but she doesn’t fault the legislature for making the cuts. "The legislature had to find three hundred million dollars in savings with just four months of the biennium left," she said. "They basically had to look at every agency, even those that are revenue-producing. This was not personal to the film and video industry, and in fact, most legislators remain very supportive of the industry."
"Cautiously Optimistic"
The legislature has yet to begin debates on the ’03-’05 budget, but funding for the film office is in Oregon governor Ted Kulongoski’s recommended budget, according to Rinard, who added that she is "cautiously optimistic about funding for the next biennium."
Dona Jennison, executive director of the Oregon Media Production Association (OMPA), a 20-year-old Portland-based nonprofit association dedicated to promoting the interests of the film, video and multimedia industry, said the loss of the film office would be catastrophic for the state’s production community. "We would be losing a tremendous amount [if the film office closed]. Commercials would probably continue to be produced," Jennison said, pointing out that Portland in particular is a major spotmaking hub, "but the thing is the crew base can’t survive on commercials only. They need the small independent films and the features."
Like Rinard, Jennison said she is hopeful that there will indeed be funding for the film office in the ’03-’05 budget. Meanwhile, she reported that OMPA is actively lobbying the state legislature to pass Bill 79—an incentive program for production. Jennison explained the specifics of the bill: "What we’re asking for is a two million dollar fund to be set aside, and any production that comes in and spends a minimum of one million dollars and uses Oregon crew and talent and vendors would get ten percent of their spending back up to two hundred and fifty-thousand dollars."
Currently, Bill 79 is in committee. "The governor has targeted film and video marketing as part of his economic strategy, so he’s really onboard," Jennison said. "He wants this."
