Hear From Your 2022 Oregon Candidates
Take this opportunity to learn more about what key candidates in this year’s local elections are doing to support the media industry.
We collect this information so you can be empowered to vote for candidates that are aligned with issues that are important to you. OMPA will not be issuing any endorsements; this information is to help you make your own informed decisions.
VOTER INFORMATION
- Register to vote (Deadline Oct. 18!)
- Check your voter registration status
- Find a ballot dropbox near you
LIST OF CANDIDATES
Click a name below to jump to that candidate's responses. Note: Only those candidates who returned a completed survey or submitted a statement are included here.
PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL
Rene Gonzalez
MULTNOMAH COUNTY COMMISSIONER CHAIR
Jessica Vaga Pederson
CLACKAMAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER CHAIR
Sonya Fischer
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Dacia Grayber, State Representative, 28th District
Rob Nosse, State Representative, 42nd District
STATE SENATOR
Jeff Golden, State Senator, 3rd District
Sara Gelser, State Senator, 8th District
RESPONSES
Rene Gonzalez
How does Portland’s media industry play into your economic development priorities? What steps would you take to attract more media production projects to Portland?
Portland is suffering a historic crisis to its livability locally, as well as its reputation nationally. That reputation once put us on the map culturally and economically in ways that attracted a broad and diverse range of talent and projects to the city. More than that, it projected our values and unique ethos outward to other cities and states. This has broken down, adversely affecting industry professionals across the board, and we need to be realistic about confronting our challenges and restoring the city we love.
We need lasting social change, but we also need to keep growing – culturally and economically – as we work to address these challenges, seen most readily in Portland’s violent crime rate and proliferating homeless camps. We can afford black or white, all-or-nothing, ideologically driven thinking no longer. No solution is perfect, but that doesn’t mean we stop trying or give up on livability in the meantime. The two goals are not at odds; we can do both, together. Arts, creativity, and family wage jobs are central to Portland’s recovery.
One of the most important things we can do on this score is engage with our local film industry at the policy level. Aside from bringing visibility to our city, there are many other adjacent industries that benefit from ancillary consumption and service-related activities created by media production projects, such as lodging, construction, food service and location assistance. Creating and investing in pathways for local youth to get involved, as well as focusing on equity, diversity and inclusion are also key priorities.
Our local media production industry has a large part to play in our recovery, and I believe this means local government should be responsive to and in constant conversation with it. I will work to establish a permanent liaison between my office and the OMPA to ensure Portland’s media industry always has a seat at the table and a voice at the center of the conversation.
The incentive program that we offer at the state level has helped create a strong production industry in Oregon. Would you support the development of a City incentive program to make Portland’s media production industry more competitive with other comparable cities?
I think that’s a great idea and would love to have that conversation with OMPA and the Portland Film Office. We need to target our investments in economic recovery wisely. High value-added projects and industries should be front and center of our attention in this regard. Why should we lose out to Vancouver or LA when we could be doing our best to incentivize new and exciting media projects right here in our own back yard? Excited to talk about this in more specific terms… after the election!
A couple of years ago, when funding for the Portland Film Office was at risk, our industry agreed to a temporary 40% surcharge on permits in order to help protect it. Now that the Office of Events and Film is funded through the general fund, would you be in favor of repealing the 40% surcharge the City added to permitting fees?
I generally believe measures adopted in good faith to help cope with funding shortfalls should be treated as such. The measure should be reevaluated when the pressure on the general fund, and its related funding of the Portland Film Office, is no longer under the strain it was when the surcharge was adopted – especially if the 40% increase in permitting fees is keeping existing projects from launch or holding back others from starting.
It is imperative that we support a diverse talent pipeline in this industry. How could you see your county supporting efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the media production industry?
This issue is really important to me on a personal level. It must be more than a slogan –the media production industry is where efforts toward diversity, equity, and inclusion gain real and immutable substance. The work being done on this score by the OMPA should be a model for other groups and organizations: it isn’t just about “ticking the right boxes” to get a leg up on tax incentives, but rather, about ensuring stories and experiences beyond the dominant group’s “line of sight” are heard, honored, and therefore inform our larger cultural conversation. One way to the City can support OMPA’s efforts in this regard is to integrate them into (and therefore expand) the City’s existing targeted outreach opportunities for economic development and apprenticeship opportunities among minority communities and historically marginalized groups.
The Portland Film Office is essential to Portland’s production industry as they are the key promoters of Portland as a production destination and manage productions’ needs once they arrive. Would you support the current resource allocation for this office?
Yes, at minimum. I would even consider expanding if it proves a key tool in our economic recovery.
Our industry has unique needs and aren’t always neatly met. Can we call upon you to help us navigate bureaucratic challenges as they arise?
Of course! I look forward to establishing a permanent liaison between OMPA, the Portland Film Office, and my office for this exact purpose. The voice of this important industry must be accounted for in the local policy making process.
Would you commit to making sure that your campaign ads and live events provide jobs which use Oregon based production companies that pay living wages, provide health benefits and follow current safety standards?
Yes. I have been honored by the endorsement many local trade unions and remain committed to using union shops for our campaign materials and event needs. Similarly, I will gladly commit to relying on Oregon-based production companies that maintain high employment standards through the campaign for our media needs.
How can City Council ensure that City funds being spent on production services - such as Trimet and Travel Portland media production and advertising budgets - are hiring local media production companies and talent?
It starts with communicating and being responsive to local trade unions in the policy making process. Many have confided in me they feel a lack of responsiveness and prioritization from City Hall. More than that, they struggle to be heard while also lacking meaningful, ongoing communication with their elected representatives. As a result, it is no surprise that many projects with union and apprenticeship requirements are satisfied by out of state labor, with apprenticeship requirements regularly abrogated. This is one of the first things I will change as your next commissioner: maintaining a permanent liaison with local labor unions and key industries like OMPA is the first step to closing these loopholes by involving them in the policymaking process so their needs and concerns are addressed BEFORE policies are set and projects are underway.
In order to maintain and grow the production industry here in Portland, the industry needs infrastructure that attracts and retains production including a sound stage. How would you support the development of the Portland Expo Center into a sound stage and creative campus?
I think these are great ideas for down the line and certainly look forward to exploring them. Presently, however, the challenges of the unsheltered require large spaces to house, feed and congregate mental health and addiction services for the most vulnerable among us. The expo center has been under discussion in this regard for some time. Hopefully, as we work to transition folks to permanent housing, this space will free up again and we can put it to exciting use! I will of course be available and looking forward to having this conversation!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us that would be relevant to the members of our industry?
Our city is at an inflection point. Things have gotten pretty bad, but together we can do better. I’m running to bring people together after the divisiveness that has plagued the city in recent years. Please know that no matter your politics or who you choose to support in this race, my door will always be open to you. Your concerns will always be given time, clearly heard and taken seriously by my office.
Jessica Vega Pederson
How does Oregon’s media industry play into your economic development priorities? What steps would you take to attract more media production projects to your region?
Walking through the PDX airport the other day, I was struck by the sheer number of films and television shows - many of them iconic - that have been made in Oregon. This is something we should all be proud of and development of our media industry is something we need to embrace. Oregon and Multnomah County have the opportunity to benefit greatly from the increased jobs, investments, and economic development opportunities the media industry brings to a region. Our world-renowned beauty is a key resource for our state, and it draws many films and television shows. We also have a large population of talented and creative artists, musicians, actors, technicians and other media professionals, all of which leads me to believe that a stronger relationship with the media industry needs to be pursued as a key part of regional and state economic development. Policy aspects such as tax credits for the media industry are primarily a responsibility of the state legislature - and something I supported as a member of the Revenue Committee when I was a state representative. As Chair I will advocate for those opportunities in Salem, and I will look forward to a strong relationship with OMPA as Chair in working together to bring more media industry investment to our region.
The incentive program that we offer at the state level has helped create a strong production industry in Oregon. Would you support the development of a city or county incentive program to make Oregon’s media production industry more competitive with other comparable cities?
I would be open to discussing this with OMPA, the City of Portland, state leadership and other partners to understand how we can eliminate obstacles and attract production opportunities in our region. I’m sure there are other local incentive programs in other states and I would love the opportunity to learn more about how these work.
It is imperative that we support a diverse talent pipeline in this industry. How could you see your county supporting efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the media production industry?
Our region is lucky to have several higher education institutions such as PCC, MHCC, and PSU that serve diverse populations of students and could better serve as entry points into industries that are important to our region, such as the media production industry. That’s why I partnered with higher education institutions when developing Preschool for All, a groundbreaking program that will ensure every child can access high quality preschool, to strengthen our community’s programs that help people seeking to enter the early childhood workforce or open their own preschool program. As Chair I would be willing to convene similar discussions with those and other partners on how we can accomplish similar goals in the media production industry. Multnomah County also works with several culturally-specific organizations in the programs and services we offer, and our relationships with these organizations could help create new pathways into the media production industry for more diverse talent.
Do you support having someone on staff responsible for facilitating the needs of our industry as they come up at the county level?
As the chief executive of Multnomah County, the Chair has many responsibilities for managing the day-to-day operations of our organization, and the limited resources available limit the number of staff the Chair can have. The current Chair does not have a business/economic opportunity staff position, but this is something I would change as the new Chair. Working with the media production industry to help facilitate your needs could be a part of their portfolio. As Chair, I will always have an open door for your industry and any other that has a policy idea that could strengthen our community or if there are obstacles that my office can assist in overcoming.
Our industry has unique needs and aren’t always neatly met. Can we call upon you to help us navigate bureaucratic challenges as they arise?
Absolutely. As I said above, my office will always have an open-door for your industry to contact us if there is anything we can do to assist you in navigating bureaucratic challenges.
Would you commit to making sure that your campaign ads and live events provide jobs which use Oregon based production companies that pay living wages, provide health benefits and follow current safety standards?
Yes.
How can the county ensure that county funds being spent on production services - such as department production and advertising budgets - are hiring local media production companies and talent?
Multnomah County is lucky to have an in-house production team consisting of county employees who produce outstanding content to educate our community about significant issues and the work we do every day. Whenever we need to bring in outside production assistance, I will always seek to ensure that local companies and talent are given the first chance to work with us. Over the past few years, we have greatly increased our work with culturally-specific media companies in response to COVID and making sure critical information is reaching as many communities as possible, especially those most at risk.
In order to maintain and grow the production industry here in Oregon, the industry needs infrastructure that attracts and retains production including a sound stage. How would you support the development of the Portland Expo Center into a sound stage and creative campus.
With the Portland Expo Center being a Metro-owned and managed property, I would use my role as Chair to help facilitate and participate in conversations about how this resource can be best used to support our economic growth and opportunity. I do not know much about the ideas for this project, so I look forward to working with OMPA to learn more about it and see how the County can play a part.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us that would be relevant to the members of our industry?
As a state representative in the Oregon legislature, I took a keen interest in working with the Oregon Office of Film and Television (now OregonFilm) to find ways to support our film, television and other media production industries. I had the opportunity to visit film and television sets, tour sound stages, and meet with industry members to discuss how we can grow media industry investment in our state. With the move to local government work at Multnomah County, and because of the impacts on the industry because of COVID, there have not been many opportunities to do this work. So I was very excited to receive this questionnaire and look forward to a renewed and strong relationship with OMPA going forward.
Sonya Fischer
How does Oregon’s media industry play into your economic development priorities? What steps would you take to attract more media production projects to your region?
Media production should be a strong part of the County's economic portfolio both because it attracts significant outside investment and because Clackamas County's diverse urban, rural and wildlands offer great opportunities for accessible locations. Finding opportunities to support production facilities and incentivize production companies to site projects here would round out our offerings to producers and help create opportunities for local production companies and talent to make a sustainable living. Attracting more media production projects to our region really does start with increasing the diversity of jobs within the industry, so we must ensure that offering ample employment opportunities within Clackamas County remains a priority. Lastly, while being environmentally conscious, we must recognize our current lack of production infrastructure in the county and develop or reinvent existing infrastructure that attracts and retains production long-term.
The incentive program that we offer at the state level has helped create a strong production industry in Oregon. Would you support the development of a city or county incentive program to make Oregon’s media production industry more competitive with other comparable cities?
Yes, I would support a county incentive program to help make our media production industry more competitive with other comparable counties, while increasing the diversity of the job market for Clackamas County residents. The compensatory rebates referenced in the attached Oregon Film incentive program FAQs would be a useful tool to draw producers and filmmakers to the region and increase our industry’s competitiveness.
It is imperative that we support a diverse talent pipeline in this industry. How could you see your county supporting efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the media production industry?
Racial justice and equity go to the heart of what it means to serve the public. Clackamas County’s estimated percentage of white residents is about 74 percent, which has traditionally silenced the needs and challenges of our BIPOC residents. I have been and will continue to be committed to breaking this historical erasure. One way that we are aiming to honor this commitment to racial justice and equality is through the Clackamas County Research Justice study; this study aims to better understand the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Clackamas residents within city limits and outside of those jurisdictions to the surrounding areas and began with an Environmental Scan. This report provided critical insight into the state of racial justice in Clackamas County and highlighted the need for meaningful change in Clackamas County. I look forward to continuing to engage with this research as phase two commences and have begun to implement the initial recommendations of the report into my role as a policy maker and advocate. I believe we can and should partner in this work with the private sector, including Oregon’s media production industry.
Do you support having someone on staff responsible for facilitating the needs of our industry as they come up at the county level?
Absolutely. In fact, we have an Economic Development department at the County who has worked with local film makers like Mike Richardson, from Dark Horse Comics. I am working with Mike currently to get his suggestions on how the state can better incentivize film makers to work here in Clackamas County and I have been garnering legislative support for when he is ready to move forward. This relationship and collaboration between our county officials and folks who work in the production industry is essential to ensuring the needs of the media industry at large are facilitated here in Clackamas County.
Our industry has unique needs and aren’t always neatly met. Can we call upon you to help us navigate bureaucratic challenges as they arise?
Yes, you can call on me. I am seeking re-election to the Clackamas County Commission because my leadership reflects the values of our community and my ability to forge consensus is critical during this time. You can count on me to have an open door and to be an advocate for your needs.
Would you commit to making sure that your campaign ads and live events provide jobs which use Oregon based production companies that pay living wages, provide health benefits and follow current safety standards?
Yes, increasing the diversity of job opportunities and economic security for people of every age, with training, good benefits, and a living wage remains a huge priority of mine on the campaign trail. In fact, Team Sonya is already partnered with an Oregon-based full-service political consulting and media firm specializing in cutting-edge strategies for progressive campaigns. They have been fully responsible for our digital plans, shooting our campaign ad, and getting us on broadcast and social media.
How can the county ensure that county funds being spent on production services - such as department production and advertising budgets - are hiring local media production companies and talent?
I love this question. At the county level, we have our own team of in-house professionals who do media production as well as contract professionals who are local. I am overly impressed with the quality of what Clackamas County produces and am proud of the public/private partnerships that support the work.
In order to maintain and grow the production industry here in Oregon, the industry needs infrastructure that attracts and retains production including a sound stage. How would you support the development of the Portland Expo Center into a sound stage and creative campus?
I am supportive of having a sound stage wherever we can. My first choice of course would be in Clackamas County. I know there was interest in utilizing space at Clackamas Town Center to create a sound stage. When Electric Entertainment was filming The Librarians, I met Dean Devlin and toured the studios. I was sad to see them leave, and it has been a priority of mine to get a soundstage back. I understand that Vancouver, BC is a better place to do business for filmmakers and I understand Electric Entertainment having their satellite office there, but I would sure love to have them and other production companies back in Clackamas County. In Clackamas County we do not have a business tax so doing business here is often better for the bottom line. But honestly, anywhere in the region is good. I support the development of a sound stage and creative campus to help grow Oregon’s capacity for production-based training and job placement programs, as well as increase support and development to specific communities, organizations and small businesses that are often marginalized in the industry and society at large. Using a space that is already standing is also of environmental benefit as we reuse resources and avoid unnecessary development waste by tearing down a sound structure that is already received interest for repurposing. Granted that the Request for Expressions of Interest has been extended to October, it is important for me as a community leader to be getting the word out about Storyteller Studios and the Expo Center project to build regional support for its development.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us that would be relevant to the members of our industry?
The media, production, and theater industries are incredibly close to my heart. My husband, Kirk Mouser is currently a member of SAG-AFTRA and is the Executive Artistic Director of Stumptown Stages, the resident musical theater company at Portland 5 Centers for the Arts. Making sure we have a robust media/production/theater industry for our community is essential and you can be assured that my voice and commitment is aligned with yours.
Dacia Grayber
How does Oregon’s media industry play into your economic development priorities? What steps would you take to attract more media production projects to Oregon?
I believe that Oregon has the ability to become a more prominent player in the media industry—we are after all the most beautiful state with the most talented people (I may be biased). Growing our media industry is another facet of creating a more sustainable and prosperous Oregon, and I was proud to support efforts around this in the last session. Creating incentives for local shoots, media industry businesses moving to this state, and robust policies that support and uplift our workers are paramount for moving forward successfully.
Oregon has built a reputation over time for being welcoming to film, television and commercial production. This is due to quality professionals and vendors, incredible locations as well as the bundle of incentives that our state offers. What is your general opinion of the Oregon Production Investment Fund (OPIF) and its related Regional aspect (rOPIF)? Would you support these programs and their continued development to ensure we remain competitive with other states and locations?
I absolutely support the OPIF fund and see it as integral to continued successful industry attraction and growth, and I will continue to do so in the upcoming sessions.
It is imperative that we support a diverse talent pipeline in this industry. This past legislative session, we created the Creative Opportunity Fund to allocate some funding from the state’s incentive program to fund projects, business development and workforce development with a priority focus on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the industry. How could you see the state supporting equity focused programming?
By continuing to sustainably fund the Creative Opportunity Fund, and working with the industry to highlight the success of this effort. Additionally I believe we could do a better job as a state making these pipelines for opportunity and growth better known.
The Oregon Film Office is essential to Oregon’s production industry as they are the key promoters of Oregon as a production destination and manage productions’ needs and incentives once they arrive. Would you support the current resource allocation for this office?
Yes. Especially as we build back from the pandemic and face a drop in both tourism and people moving into our state, highlighting the beauty, diversity and opportunity for filming in Oregon seems more important than ever.
Would you commit to making sure that your campaign ads and live events provide jobs which use Oregon based production companies that pay living wages, provide health benefits and follow current safety standards?
Absolutely! I use union shops for all my printing and media. I have not had the opportunity to record or film live media but would do so for that as well.
How can the Oregon legislature ensure that state funds being spent on production services - such as the Oregon Health Authority and Travel Oregon media production and advertising budgets - are hiring local media production companies and talent?
I think we can start improvements by addressing our procurement process for state-funded projects. My hope is that can be done by voluntary and contractual bargaining, but I am not opposed to legislation that puts Oregon talent and resources first.
In order to maintain and grow the production industry here in Oregon, the industry needs infrastructure that attracts and retains production including a sound stage. How would you support the development of the Portland Expo Center into a sound stage and creative campus?
I want to be very transparent—I don’t really know enough about this or have background with it to provide an accurately informed answer, but from what you have linked to that seems like it would make the most sense as a budget ask. The feasibility of large budget asks will be largely dependent of course on the revenue forecast and sustaining ongoing programs, but investing in projects that grow jobs and nurture talent should rise towards the top.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us that would be relevant to the members of our industry?
I would love an in-person opportunity to learn and observe more about the industry and perhaps even tour some of the “major players” (or those willing to offer tours). I personally don’t know much about the production business, so being able to visit a site or production in process would be wonderful.
Rob Nosse
How does Oregon’s media industry play into your economic development priorities? What steps would you take to attract more media production projects to Oregon?
I think media is a growing part of our state’s economy. I hope that we can grow it more. The main way we do this is the Oregon Film and Media Incentive Program. I have always supported this tax credit, and I supported its expansion so we can attract media business to our state and build up the talent pool.
Oregon has built a reputation over time for being welcoming to film, television and commercial production. This is due to quality professionals and vendors, incredible locations as well as the bundle of incentives that our state offers. What is your general opinion of the Oregon Production Investment Fund (OPIF) and its related Regional aspect (OPIF)? Would you support these programs and their continued development to ensure we remain competitive with other states and locations?
I have a very favorable opinion. Yes.
It is imperative that we support a diverse talent pipeline in this industry. This past legislative session, we created the Creative Opportunity Fund to allocate some funding from the state’s incentive program to fund projects, business development and workforce development with a priority focus on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the industry. How could you see the state supporting equity focused programming?
It comes down to putting our money where our rhetorical mouth is so to speak. We can continue to support the Creative Opportunity fund but we can also support efforts at our schools and our community colleges and universities to expose people more diverse people to these careers and help them afford to get the credentials and training and exposure they need to develop in this line of work.
The Oregon Film Office is essential to Oregon’s production industry as they are the key promoters of Oregon as a production destination and manage productions’ needs and incentives once they arrive. Would you support the current resource allocation for this office?
Yes, and I would be willing to increase it. I am very open to talking with Business Oregon about this.
Would you commit to making sure that your campaign ads and live events provide jobs which use Oregon based production companies that pay living wages, provide health benefits and follow current safety standards?
Absolutely.
How can the Oregon legislature ensure that state funds being spent on production services - such as the Oregon Health Authority and Travel Oregon media production and advertising budgets - are hiring local media production companies and talent?
That is a great question. I am not sure. We do sometimes give preferences for local companies for other things. If we do not do this with Travel Oregon I would like to know why and talk about how we can change that or improve it.
In order to maintain and grow the production industry here in Oregon, the industry needs infrastructure that attracts and retains production including a sound stage. How would you support the development of the Portland Expo Center into a sound stage and creative campus?
I wonder if lottery bonds, that is the main grant style of funding the Legislature gives out for non-profit and community-based projects would be the best way to help with this effort. I would support an effort to secure lottery funds to help this effort.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us that would be relevant to the members of our industry?
Just that this is a wonderful industry and that people want to be involved in it and to the extend we can support it and create a pool of talent that is ready to take advantage of opportunities I am all in. We probably cannot take the place of Hollywood but can we be a place that does production in film and video and media frequently enough that we are always on the consideration list because we have talent and crews and production ready to go and take advantage of the next thing kind of like what has happened with sports apparel and shoes here in the Portland area.
Jeff Golden
Thanks for the opportunity to share my views. Because I’m just back from an overseas trip with a pile of crushing deadlines, please consider a brief statement in lieu of the full questionnaire. After a first round as a public television producer (I returned to that later with my series Immense Possibilities, which aired on about 25 PBS stations, 2011-2017) I became a Jackson County Commissioner during the collapse of the timber industry. As we hustled to develop post-logging economic opportunities for our folks, I approached then-Governor Neil Goldschmidt to pitch him on the potential of film and video for generating relatively good-paying jobs relatively quickly. He chose to create Oregon’s Film and Video Commission (1988, I think), and appointed me as one of six original people to serve on it. I learned a fair bit about what kind of production incentives were effective at the time, and what other jurisdictions we had to compete with (chiefly BC). My belief in the job-generating potential of film, video and digital media remains strong—it’s proven itself so consistently that not believing in it would be difficult—and I continue to advocate state support through Business Oregon. My shift to other issues in recent years (chiefly climate, wildfire and campaign finance reform) leaves me out of touch with the best current ideas on what that support should look like—which incentivizing approaches offer the best bang for the buck in terms of quality employment for Oregonians. If I succeed in retaining my Senate District 3 position and my seat on the full Ways and Means Committee, I would look for OMPA’s input on what does and doesn’t work well. I will add that we have brutally difficult choices coming up for our General Fund decisions, so I don’t want to give the impression that significant allocations a slam dunk. But the track record of film and video investments in Oregon will continue to speak loud and clear during budget negotiations.
Sara Gelser
How does Oregon’s media industry play into your economic development priorities? What steps would you take to attract more media production projects to Oregon?
I have enjoyed learning more about the diverse impacts of the media industry on Oregon’s economy and have particularly enjoyed visiting sets to see about the broad based benefits to everything from local trades (carpenters, electricians, etc) to catering and local retail. I believe we should continue to promote Oregon as a state with strong tax incentives, diverse scenery and settings and a ready workforce to support high quality productions.
Oregon has built a reputation over time for being welcoming to film, television and commercial production. This is due to quality professionals and vendors, incredible locations as well as the bundle of incentives that our state offers. What is your general opinion of the Oregon Production Investment Fund (OPIF) and its related Regional aspect (rOPIF)? Would you support these programs and their continued development to ensure we remain competitive with other states and locations?
I absolutely support this program and know that continuing it is essential to keeping productions here in Oregon and bringing even more our way.
It is imperative that we support a diverse talent pipeline in this industry. This past legislative session, we created the Creative Opportunity Fund to allocate some funding from the state’s incentive program to fund projects, business development and workforce development with a priority focus on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the industry. How could you see the state supporting equity focused programming?
I believe the state should facilitate connections between the industry and community based organizations that are filled with talent and energy around production. I am most especially interested in facilitating the participation of more individuals with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, in the industry. Whether working as performers, craft services assistants, runners, set crew, etc there is pool of talent that can diversify the industry while also contributing to the employment goals of Oregon’s disability services programs.
The Oregon Film Office is essential to Oregon’s production industry as they are the key promoters of Oregon as a production destination and manage productions’ needs and incentives once they arrive. Would you support the current resource allocation for this office?
Yes.
Would you commit to making sure that your campaign ads and live events provide jobs which use Oregon based production companies that pay living wages, provide health benefits and follow current safety standards?
Yes. I do have a relatively low budget campaign this cycle so I do not anticipate any film production. However, my primary film/video supplier is a locally grown Oregonian, Antonio Becerra of Alteza Films (https://www.altezafilms.com/). I am proud to have played a role in his growing business by introducing him to national contacts in 2008. As a result of those connections, Antonio is now working for many Oregon candidates but also providing film and media services to high profile national candidates such as Mark Kelly, Stacy Abrams, Deb Haaland and more.
How can the Oregon legislature ensure that state funds being spent on production services - such as the Oregon Health Authority and Travel Oregon media production and advertising budgets - are hiring local media production companies and talent?
I believe that we should require reporting and information about the vendor process and require that preference is given to Oregon companies and talent, just as we do through the tax credit program.
In order to maintain and grow the production industry here in Oregon, the industry needs infrastructure that attracts and retains production including a sound stage. How would you support the development of the Portland Expo Center into a sound stage and creative campus?
I need to know more about this before I can make an informed comment on this.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us that would be relevant to the members of our industry?
I have really enjoyed getting to know OMPA and have been very impressed by the results of its work in Oregon. It is a thrill to see Oregon landscapes, sites and talent on the big and small screen and exciting to see the opportunities the industry creates for so many people. Over the last several years, I’ve also been deeply impressed by the organization’s commitment to social equity through your initiatives to address sexual harassment and to improve diversity, equity and inclusion through mentorship and internship programs. Earning your endorsement would be an honor.
