Reed neighborhood again �goes Hollywood� for a day
By David F. Ashton

The Bee, Nov 22, 2007

The movie�s stars were well hidden away � but tons of movie-making gear was visible along S.E .34th Avenue in the Reed Neighborhood. (Photo by David F. Ashton)

David F. Ashton / THE BEE

When the forthcoming motion picture �Management� was filming in the Reed neighborhood on October 30th, trucks full of moviemaking equipment lined the streets near the intersection of S.E. 34th Avenue and Raymond Street.

Electric power generators whirred, workers scurried about carrying lights and stands, and caterers were standing by to feed the multitude.

However, none of the neighbors with whom we spoke managed to catch a glimpse of either of the motion picture�s stars, Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zhan.

Bud Frimoth, a Reed neighbor since 1993, who lives a few houses away from the home used for the shoot, admitted, though, �I don�t think I�d recognize Jennifer Aniston if I did see her.�

When we visited Frimoth at his home a few days after the production had come and left, we saw he�d indeed had a front-row view of the production from his living room.

�About two days in advance,� Frimoth told us, �A young woman came by and told us that a motion picture production crew was going to be filming in the area.�

On October 29th, at about 10 pm, trucks and semi-trailers started to arrive and line the residential street. A big electric power generator started up and ran all that night and into their actual filming day, October 30th.

�They set up their gear,� Frimoth said, �Went about their business, and were, overall, very pleasant. The only problem is that people use S.E. Raymond as a through street. At the intersection of S.E. 34th Avenue, there were two big trucks parked along there.�

On the day of the shoot, we�d arranged to meet with the Unit Publicist, Guy Adan. As we walked to the brown, ranch-style ranch house on S.E. 34th Avenue being used as the day�s set, Adan gave us some details about the movie under production, �Management�.

He said that the Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Temple Hill Productions film, slated to be released in 2008, is a romantic comedy about a traveling saleswoman of corporate art (Aniston) who has a chance encounter with a young man who is stuck managing his parent�s roadside motel (Zhan). He follows her, resulting in a surprising cross-country relationship.

We snap our photos of the production, and then are escorted off the block.

That evening, Frimoth said, he stepped into his front yard to take his own snapshot of the production � and a security guard rushed up and told him he couldn�t take pictures. �I�m standing in my own yard,� Frimoth reminded the guard, �and, I�m the one that brought you cookies this afternoon! �They were OK with it all.�

Originally, the production company told neighbors they�d �wrap� the production by 11:30 p.m. �But,� reflected Frimoth, �When I went out about 10:30 pm, they were gone � just like they were never here.�

Movie cast, crew wind up filming
$10 million movie benefits economy

Wyck Godfrey, the producer of "The Management," talks to a group of first-graders at Metolius Elementary Nov. 16.

By Holly M. Gill

Two weeks after the start of filming, the cast and crew of "The Management" packed up on Monday and left town, a couple days short of their original timeline.

Weather prevented one last scene from being filmed at the Madras Airport. Instead, the airport scene was expected to be filmed at the airport in Molalla.

In spite of the rain that rolled in over the weekend, producer Wyck Godfrey, of Los Angeles, said that overall, they were pleasantly surprised by the weather. "Considering what we were expecting when we came to shoot a movie in Oregon, we really lucked out," he said.

Ostensibly set in Kingman, Ariz., Aberdeen, Wash., and in the suburbs outside Baltimore, Md., the entire movie was actually shot in Oregon. "It's always cheaper to shoot a movie in one state," Godfrey said, noting that Oregon offered a tax rebate which will bring down the cost of the movie.

For the two weeks that the 100-plus members of the cast and crew were in Madras, Sonny's Motel was transformed into The Kingman Motor Inn.
Godfrey explained that they "bought out" the motel, "so any rooms we're not using for shooting or storing, we have people staying in."

The set was secured with a 15-person Metro Watch security force, hired from Vancouver, Wash. Officers kept paparazzi, curiosity seekers and others off the closed set. The closest they could get to the action was the sidewalk on the west side of Apple Peddler.

Just north of the Bi-Mart Shopping Center, trailers were set up in a circle, surrounded by hay bales -- stacked up to block wind and ensure privacy -- in the rented parking lot.

Even the hillside across U.S. Highway 97 from Sonny's was rented, to keep away the gawking public, and paparazzi, who followed one of the movie's stars, Jennifer Aniston, up from Los Angeles.

"It was certainly a hassle, nonstop," said Godfrey, noting that he would hate to be harassed like Aniston. "There's a big bonus to being behind the camera."

Traffic on U.S. 97 was controlled by flaggers provided by the production company, according to Peter Murphy, public information officer for the Bend office of the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Like other events that disrupt traffic, the production of the movie required a permit, which his department tried to accommodate.
"We want to be perceived as partners with people who want to come to Oregon to do business," he commented.

Although the company has nearly finished shooting the movie, editing will likely continue into May, Godfrey said, with the first showing of the film at "one of the fall film festivals -- Toronto or New York."

"It will probably be released next October, November, or December," he said. "It usually takes about a year from finishing the film to seeing it in theaters."

About 100 local people were hired to take part in the filming. "That's been fun," Godfrey said. "The entire shoot has gone remarkably smoothly. Everybody has had a good time."

The film is a romantic comedy about an antiques saleswoman (Aniston) who travels around the country and meets the owner of a small motel ( Steve Zahn), who falls in love with her and pursues her cross-country.

"Mike, the character that Steve Zahn plays, just has this optimism in the face of all these obstacles he comes against in trying to pursue this woman, who, by all intents, wants nothing to do with him," Godfrey explained. "Yet he perseveres and he keeps a good attitude about him."

"I like to make films that have positive values, are kind of fun and optimistic and uplifting," said Godfrey, who also produced "Daddy Day Care," "I Robot," "Flight of the Phoenix," and "Alien Vs. Predator."

Most recently, he produced "The Nativity Story," and "Eragon," both of which came out at Christmastime in 2006.

Hometown similar to Madras
Godfrey grew up in a small town in Tennessee "that is not dissimilar to Madras." He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in English, and then moved to New York for an internship with New Line Cinema.

"I just started there reading screen plays for them and writing them up for the executives there, doing whatever, making copies -- any odd jobs they wanted -- and eventually, kind of worked my way up, and moved to Los Angeles and worked with them on some of their older (movies), `The Mask,' `Dumb and Dumber,' and the `Nightmare on Elm Street' movies," he recalled.

He counseled young people interested in moviemaking to continue "reading stories and reading books and learning to appreciate narrative."

Magazine claims false
Godfrey countered a story in a national movie magazine that claimed that Aniston was "upset and lonely."

Aniston, who stayed at the Inn at Cross Keys Station, along with other members of the cast, had a good time in Madras, he pointed out.
"The crew has had a fantastic time," he said. "I mean every night, they have gone to ... Silverado, the bowling alley three times, eaten at Mazatlan, Ding Ho, Mexico City."

The cast and crew enjoyed the local Mexican food, he said, and ate at Mexico City regularly. "We ate there almost every night," he said, adding that Aniston even signed a few autographs there.

Besides visiting restaurants and lounges, the cast spent money at grocery and hardware stores, gas stations, the liquor store -- all over the community.

"They had a terrific impact and I know that they had a terrific time," said Holli Van Wert, executive director of the Madras-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. "They were well received and treated well."

Van Wert expects to receive followup information on the economic impact of the local filming from the Oregon Film and Video Office within the next few weeks.

Godfrey said he would consider the Madras community for future films. "The people of the town have been extraordinarily open and sweet," he said. "They made the stay wonderful."

Van Wert echoed his sentiments. "I can't wait for the next movie," she said.

celebsSTAR MAGAZINE, YOU'RE ON NOTICE!


It's one thing for the celeb mags to plaster paparazzi pics of Jennifer Aniston all over their covers. But when they start insulting our fair state, well, that's going too far! I'm referring to a recent, typically ridiculous edition of Star magazine, which splashed a photo of Aniston -- who's been in Portland and Madras filming the romantic comedy "Management" -- above a hysterical headline ("Jen Breaks Down!"). In addition to the usual nonsense was this cover line: "Tearful nights alone on set in Oregon." So I flip inside, and what do I find? Major Madras dissing. According to "an insider," "Portland was bad enough, but now she's in Madras, which she feels like is the end of the earth." Hey, Star magazine, don't mess with Madras! Some of those central Oregonians carry firearms, know what I mean?

Kimmel films makes Canada deal

Equinoxe will distribute films in all media
By DIANE GARRETT

Kimmel Intl. has inked a two-year Canuck distribution deal with Equinoxe Films.

Under the pact, Montreal-based Equinoxe will distribute all Kimmel Intl. films in all media -- theatrical, pay and free TV and homevid -- in English and French in the country. Agreement covers Sidney Kimmel Entertainment production and Kimmel Intl. acquisitions.

Among the upcoming pics: "Management," a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn and Woody Harrelson; "All God's Children Can Dance," starring Joan Chen; and "Ye Olde Times," a comedy set at a Renaissance Faire starring Jack Black.

Earlier this year, Equinoxe inked a deal to distribute three SKE films in Canada: "Lars and the Real Girl"; "Married Life," which Sony Classics will distribute Stateside next year; and "Charlie Bartlett," a comedy about a high school teenager that MGM will release in the U.S. in February.

Equinoxe produces films and TV projects and distributes films in theaters and on TV and homevideo. Kimmel Intl. was formed in 2005 as an international sales arm for features. It also acquires third-party projects.