As 2018 drew to a close, so did the tenure of Nick Maniatis as New Mexico Film Office director. In an open letter, Maniatis reflected on his tour of duty. He wrote, “It has been my absolute privilege to work with the film community in this state. Coming in eight years ago I was greeted with much warmth (and some skepticism!), but I immediately knew I had made the right decision to be here. 

“Over the years I have watched as filmmakers grew and flourished across the state, crew members who started out as PA’s came into their own careers and started working regularly, and more and more companies began to know the talent that New Mexico had to offer. One of the highlights of my job was welcoming and introducing new productions to our State and hearing how impressed they were by the talent and infrastructure that existed here.  

“For whomever takes over the directorship of the New Mexico Film Office, I know they are in the extremely capable hands of the New Mexico State Film Office and of the entire New Mexico film community. I look forward to watching the New Mexico Film industry continue to flourish in the coming years.

“Thank you all for being a part of my journey, and I hope to bump into you on my journey to come.”

HAPPY FILM TRAILS TO YOU
The Historic Oregon Film Trail (HOFT) has officially begun.

The Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Oregon Film Office developed the initial concept of HOFT and identified Astoria movie locations, in partnership with the Oregon Film Museum, that represent the beginning of the Trail. The Oregon Coast Visitors Association provided additional funding and support for the signs.

The Historic Oregon Film Trail, has been designed to showcase iconic locations in the state, and the first official group of signs was unveiled at Alameda Park in Astoria. The group of three signs feature facts and anecdotes from the The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop and Short Circuit--all #OregonMade films shot on Oregon’s North Coast.

One sign in particular has been positioned at the East End Mooring Basin near the Astoria Riverfront Trail to give an alternative view of the “Goonies House” in an effort to eliminate trespassing on the hill of the privately owned residence. Goonies fans, it turns out, never say die, or no, to a photo opportunity. While the sign signifies a location for that viewpoint, the sign copy shares information about the nearby Astor Elementary School which was featured in Kindergarten Cop.

The lesser-known Alameda Park offers a great viewpoint of the Astoria-Megler Bridge and it is the topic of the Short Circuit sign located there. The sign for The Goonies is located by the Oregon Film Museum and speaks to it and the Flavel House’s roles in that film. “Historical markers are typically about famous people and events. Movies filmed here are also an important part of Oregon’s history and culture, so ours offer a twist on that convention.” said Tim Williams, executive director, Oregon Film.  

LOCATION LENSING RISES IN L.A.
On-location filming in greater Los Angeles rose 5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, a strong finish for a year in which local film production came close to record highs. Area filmmakers logged 10,359 shoot days in the fourth quarter, and 38,795 shoot days for all of 2018.
Reasons for the 1.3 percent year-over-year annual increase include double digit increases in feature film (up 12.2 percent), TV drama (up 10.6 percent) and TV pilot (up 15.2 percent) production, plus a strong showing for commercials (up 8.7 percent).