Oregon Loses Twilight Sequel New Moon to New Hollywood, Vancouver B.C

When it comes to movies being filmed in Oregon, lifelong citizens there can probably mention a few movies over the years that have an emotional connection to the state. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Stand By Me" and the TV movie "Promise" are some of those few made over the decades that have emotional familiarity with certain valley locations and with the people involved through the film's creation. In the last year, it's been "Twilight" that was filmed in small, little-known towns near Portland, Oregon where the town populaces weren't used to anything resembling Hollywood ascending on their property. Once "Twilight" finished filming in those places over a year ago, the townspeople started pinching themselves over the possibility their towns would be inundated with Hollywood over the next five years due to the fortunate situation of the movie being a multi-part saga rather than a one-shot experience.

After the initial experience of the first "Twilight" filming in those towns (specifically St. Helens and Corbett--along with some filming right in Portland), the citizens had to deal with another reality that's probably taken away any return to normalcy: Tourists wanting to see the locations where "Twilight" filmed that have since been ingrained into the imaginations of the film's loyal fans...assumedly forever.

Well, those imaginations may have to be reinvented as fickle Hollywood decides to film "Twilight's" sequel "New Moon" in Vancouver, B.C. this year instead of Oregon. It's a loss that might just throw the fantasies of every female fan into a tizzy who clamor to see the original filming locations where fantasy and reality blur. Of course, Hollywood will do the best they can to make the move seamless.

At risk here is the economy of Oregon itself that's already suffering exponentially with huge budget deficits and making due with the money doled out through President Obama's economic stimulus money. The film industry in Oregon has long been a crucial part of the state's economy--and when a major film franchise is filming here, the Governor's Office of Film & Television takes notice. This state-run organization deals with the enticements in bringing in as many mainstream films as possible to film in prominent locations. They also make sure the same production team get treated as well as possible so Tinseltown studios keep the area in mind for future film productions.

If only things worked that simply when Hollywood is dealing with production costs that aren't as unlimited as they used to be. Before Vancouver, B.C. became the most affordable and useful production center when Hollywood itself became too expensive and inconvenient to film in, Oregon was truly becoming the new Hollywood for a while. It's only been this decade where they've been competing directly with Vancouver, B.C. as a bit of an economic war between the borders. Yes, there may be an absurd streak to a U.S. state and Canadian city waving a flag for Hollywood to touch base for a major film project. But when movies started becoming a significant percentage of state and city budgets, it has nothing to do with being starry-eyed.

And, as I insinuated, the emotional connection to a film's locations makes a big difference in ensuring tourism (or adamant fanatics) for decades to come.
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For "Twilight", the most prominent landmark was Corbett, Oregon's View Point Inn where the crucial scene of the prom took place. You can also add PGE Park in Portland where Edward Cullen plays his hilarious Vampire Baseball--as well as other locations in St. Helens involving the high school and miscellaneous buildings fans can instantly recognize. With reports that the production crew of "New Moon" will recreate the familiar parking lot of the school in Vancouver B.C., they probably underestimate how fans will notice slight differences. Yes, it probably shouldn't surprise you that fans are out there paying attention to every morsel of detail and want the "Twilight" world to be real.

Rumors persist at least that the high school in St. Helens, Oregon may still be used in some capacity for "New Moon" and beyond. Other than that, Oregon is waving goodbye to a once assured fruitful film franchise that apparently proves Vancouver, B.C. as the new Hollywood indefinitely--hence leaving Oregon in a major bind in needed revenue. Considering more TV and movie productions are going on in Vancouver, B.C. as of this writing than any other place on Earth, it's obviously no secret to say that the tug-of-war between Oregon and Vancouver seems to be decidedly over.

Not that another major film won't come to Oregon soon. However, there really hasn't been a true high-profile film produced in Oregon in quite a while. "Twilight" was being played up in local media as the first box-office phenomenon since the days when "Stand By Me" or "Mr. Holland's Opus" filmed in the valley. Then again, you could look at "Twilight" as fluff compared to the past films done in Oregon that won Academy Awards. Chances are none of the "Twilight" movies will get Oscar nods in the way "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" did when it filmed in Salem, Oregon 35 years ago.

Oregon also has to remember that they have some home-grown studios that will now need to be nourished to keep the state a player in the arena of film. Having Phil Knight-owned Laika, Inc. producing the innovative and popular stop-motion masterpiece "Coraline" recently, there may be more worthy movie projects on the horizon for Oregon (at least in animation) than can be calculated at the moment. Independent film also continues to find Oregon appealing in locations because of the scenic diversity.

The only thing that would bring back a new tug-of-war between Oregon and Vancouver, B.C. would be the construction of high-end production studios here equivalent to what Vancouver has. Production facilities that quicken production schedules are what Hollywood seeks out, even though Oregon doesn't have the money for anything close at the moment.

In the meantime, Oregonians lamenting the departure of the "Twilight" film adaptations shouldn't count out the fans of the movie series. When those obsessive fans find out there's been a change in scenery, they may just cry foul and figure that Forks, Washington used in the story looks suspiciously changed.

If that works in bringing back a later "Twilight" sequel to Oregon, the state probably shouldn't let it slip that the Portland area stood in for the very real Forks, WA across the state border...

Sources:

http://oregonfilm.org/

http://fantrips.travel/twilightfantrips/

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1223859/take_a_tour_of_the_filming_locations.html?cat=40