Oregon Film Office
History
The Oregon Film Office, also known as the Oregon Film and Video Office or the Governor's Office of Film and Video, was established by Governor Tom McCall in 1968, making it the oldest state film office in the United States. Originally created as a response to the production needs of the musical western Paint Your Wagon, which was filming near Baker City, it focused on recruiting Hollywood productions to shoot on location in Oregon.[1] During the 1970s, this meant major feature films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and Animal House(1978). By the 1980s, films included productions such as The Shining (1980), The Goonies (1985), and Stand by Me (1986). [2]
The Film Office eventually evolved from just recruiting temporary location shoots, to building a permanent and sustainable local film and television industry. It began to focus on attracting long-running television series, such as Grimm (which filmed 123 episodes in the state) and Portlandia, to achieve its goals of stable, multi-year employment for the local workforce. [3]
Incentives and Economic Impact
The Film Office is also charged with administering the state's media incentive programs. These have been instrumental in transforming Oregon into a multi-million-dollar sector. Between 2005 and 2019, revenue generated by the state's film industry grew from approximately $5 million to $200 million annually. [4]
The programs include the Oregon Production Investment Fund (OPIF), which was established in 2006. This fund provides cash rebates on production-related costs. The program is funded through an annual auction of Oregon income tax credits to taxpayers. By 2022, the annual cap for this fund was increased to $20 million to meet rising demand from major productions. [5]
The Greenlight Oregon Labor Rebate (GOLR), launched in 2005, offers an additional 6.2% cash rebate on in-state payroll for productions spending more than $1 million. Unlike the OPIF, the Greenlight program is an uncapped fund linked directly to Oregon withholding taxes paid by the production. [6]
To encourage filming outside of the Portland metropolitan area, the agency manages "Regional" OPIF (R-OPIF) uplifts, which provide additional rebates for travel and lodging expenses in rural communities. In order to specifically support indigenous Oregon filmmakers, a"Local" OPIF (L-OPIF) also exists with lower spending thresholds.[7]
Film Tourism and Cultural Impact
In 2018, the agency expanded its mission to include film tourism initiatives, capitalizing on the high volume of "set-jetting"—travelers visiting locations featured in popular media.
Developed in partnership with Travel Oregon, The Oregon Film Trail initiative is the first statewide network of its kind in the United States. It consists of more than 40 physical markers placed at iconic filming sites to commemorate their role in cinematic history. Notable markers include the "jailbreak" site for The Goonies in Astoria, the "escape" harbor from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in Depoe Bay, and rural sites for contemporary films like Lean on Pete in Harney County. [8] [9]
The economic Impact of "set-jetting” tourism has been substantial, contributing an estimated $150 million annually to the Oregon economy.
The Film Office also maintains an ongoing project to record oral histories from local community members who participated as extras or crew in historic productions, with the goal of preserving the local perspective of Oregon's filming history.
Related Links
External links
References
- ↑ "Oregon and the Film Industry". www.oregonencyclopedia.org. 2014-04-30. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ James, Tyler (2016-01-28). "Here's 12 Movies You May Not Know Were Filmed in Oregon". That Oregon Life. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ Oregonian/OregonLive, Kristi Turnquist | The (2019-12-30). "A decade of TV in Portland: 'Portlandia,' 'Grimm,' 'Leverage' and more". oregonlive. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ Gusinow, Sander (2019-11-06). "The Producer". Oregon Business. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ www.bizjournals.com https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2017/01/13/databank-as-grimm-exits-film-incentives-open-up.html. Retrieved 2026-05-19. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "Oregon Film Tax Incentives". Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ "Entertainment Law for Film and Television". deepfocus.law. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ "Movie buffs can now take a journey on a growing Oregon Film Trail". opb. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ "America's First 'Film Trail' Is A Cinematic Road Trip Packed With Movie Magic (And It's Not California)". Yahoo Travel. 2026-04-21. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
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