Sunday, June 20, 2010

Help Film Action Oregon

* received this e-mail today. let's help them out!*



Hello friends of Film Action Oregon and The Hollywood Theatre,

In just over a month I will celebrate 13 years with Film Action Oregon and the Hollywood Theatre. When I joined the organization (known then as the Oregon Film and Video Foundation), I could have never imagined the wild ride that would have gotten us to where we are now.

With the support of our patrons and volunteers, we have transformed the Hollywood Theatre from a neglected second-run movie house to one of the most exciting film venues in the country. There is a reason that the Sundance Institute named us as one of only 18 venues in the U.S. to be a part of the Sundance Art house Project. Where else can you catch a documentary premiere with the filmmaker and subjects in attendance (180ยบ South), followed by an acoustic concert with the film’s composer (Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse)? Or attend a fundraiser for a local film festival that gives you a chance to meet the director that a few months later will make history by being the first woman to ever win the Oscar for Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow with her film The Hurt Locker)? Or go on a bike ride around the Hollywood District with a touring filmmaker before the screening of his acclaimed film (Nick Peterson with Field Guide for November Days)? Or have Oscar winner Miche l Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) leave a message on your boyfriend’s voicemail because he couldn’t be here to see his film The Thorn in the Heart (trust me, it happened)? Where else can local short filmmakers see their film’s name in lights on our marquee, right up there with the most recent David Lynch or Werner Herzog film or a restored masterpiece like The Bicycle Thief?

And though the Theatre is our most visible project, Film Action does so very much more. This Monday, we launch our seventh year of our summer documentary program Project Youth Doc, with a session at New Columbia serving at risk and underserved youth. We recently started a year-round animation workshop in partnership with Laika which has given hundreds of kids the chance to bring their artistic talents to life. Several of the 22 films which are currently being produced under our non-profit umbrella had their premieres this year and found their way into the world including Wetlands, Forge and Raw Faith. And then, of course, there is our unique Women’s Film Initiative, which was founded to help both aspiring and experienced female filmmakers to realize their vision.

It is obvious that I love this building and am passionate about all that this organization does. And from the e-mails I receive from many of you on a regular basis, you do too.

So, here is the pitch you have been waiting for. I will try to sound as little like public radio as possible and cut to the chase. We need to raise $25,000 by Friday, July 16th.

Here’s where you come in. Our e-mail list currently has over 28,000 people on it. If everyone on this list were to donate just a single dollar we would exceed this goal. If everyone donated just $5 (roughly the cost of a large soda at a Regal multiplex) we could easily finish our multimedia classroom and our new box office, allowing us to offer year round educational programs and to make everyone’s ticket buying process more pleasurable (as well as offering our first ADA accessible restroom). If everyone on the list donated $10 (that is less than $.03 a day!) we could finally afford to put in the new and expanded restrooms whose plans have taunted us over the years. And a whopping $20 per person (this gets my pulse racing!) could fund the complete restoration of the marquee and the Hollywood’s unique signature terra cotta tower.

As a special thank you, those of you that donate $50 or more between now and July 16, 2010 will receive recognition on the big screen before all regularly scheduled Hollywood Theatre film programming for one year. And since FAO is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization, your gift is entirely tax-deductible.

Contributions of any size make a big difference. Help us prove that there is strength in numbers!

Donate today via our secure website, or save us the credit card fees and send a check to:

Film Action Oregon
Attn: Appeal
4122 NE Sandy Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212

Thanks for your continued support. And a Happy Father's Day to everyone!

Sincerely,

Richard Beer
Artistic Director

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