AWARD-WINNING TOWN: Ashland Named Best Place To Live And Work As A Moviemaker

For the sixth year in a row, MovieMaker Magazine has named our scenic town of Ashland, Oregon in its annual ranking of the best places to live and work as a filmmaker in the United States. This year, Ashland placed sixth in the magazine’s Small Cities and Towns category, competing well against larger markets including New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

The magazine chose Ashland due to its picturesque filming locations, such as Lithia Park and Mt. Ashland, and because of the increase of moviemakers and actors moving to the area. Film students in the region can also take advantage of the Digital Cinema curriculum in the Communication program at Southern Oregon University.

“Because Ashland is a small, connected community, our students get tremendous benefits by learning filmmaking here,” said Digital Cinema professor Andrew Gay. “Filmmakers in the region enthusiastically support our student population with internships and PA gigs, helping them build skills that transfer to sets in larger markets such as Portland and Los Angeles.”

Gary Lundgren produced Calvin Marshall in the Rogue Valley in 2009, and has always seen Ashland as a welcoming community for filmmakers. Lundgren himself tries to contribute to Ashland’s positive and welcoming vibe by hiring a few first-timers whenever he’s assembling a crew for one of his films, such as his latest project Phoenix, Oregon.