PORTLAND - While we're enjoying our summer, television shows are back in production, getting ready for the fall.
'Portlandia', 'Leverage' and 'Grimm' will all be shooting in Portland and Oregon in July.
National press is starting to take notice of why our state is great place to make TV and films.
The answer is pretty simple: Oregon can be a lot of different places on film .The natural beauty
alone is appealing for a lot of producers. But, it's also about incentives.
With three major national television series produced here, 'Bloomberg Business Week' took notice and asked what makes producers so interested in shooting here.
It's about what the state can offer in order to bring production here.
The tax breaks and cash rebates make it financially practical to land a series or feature film to produce here.
Oregon has one of the lowest incentive pots in the country at $6 million.
The incentives are based on how much a production spends . But, Oregon is in competition with 40 other states to bring projects here.
"2009 was a record year," Vince Porter, Executive Director, Oregon's Office of TV & Film said. "When it happened we had over $62 million spent in the state on film, television, and television commercial production. In 2011 we more than double it with $130 million."
Oregon benefited from $20 million alone last year from television commercials. Bent Image Lab in Southeast Portland is one of the top animation houses in the country.
Animators produce commercials and full-length movies. 'Jingle' a Christmas movie for the Hallmark Channel is in the works.
"The better the crews you have, the more work you can take on and the more people are willing to come to Portland," said Ray Di Carlo, Executive Producer and partner in Bent Image Lab.
And starting July 9th through July 16th, individuals and companies can be part of the incentive program through an auction. The highest bidders will get a tax credit.
