Holiday Shopping Is Here - But Who Are YOU Buying From?

www.madeinusaforever.com

Hey everyone

I know, right?  Two blog posts in two weeks?  I haven't blogged this much all year, it seems... but hey, I've got a couple of minutes before I have to be at my next appointment, and what am I going to do... eat lunch?  Ha!!

So, my dad occasionally forwards me emails.  Yeah... he's turned into that guy.  Now, don't get me wrong - I don't get 50 emails per day with cute photos of dogs and "funny" videos and such (well, not 50...) Honestly, he's pretty selective about what he forwards around.  He's been on the receiving end of those email barrages, and he doesn't want to clog anyone's inbox with things they don't care about. 

He sent one recently that I think all of us ought to care about, though.  I didn't write it, so don't ding me for the language or spelling errors... but the sentiment is right-on-target in my book.  Oh, I may have added a couple links of my own into the text...

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods  - merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in
a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates
from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift
certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about
a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this
isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town
Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.




My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave
your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet atyour hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that
China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion
groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in
your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations,
and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Ok, so I don't know that this is a "NEW" American tradition... in point of fact, Trish and I have always tried to buy American (and buy LOCAL) when it comes time to give a gift.  It's not easy - go into any Target, Wal-Mart, or other "Big-Box" store and you'll spend an hour searching the shelves to find an American-Made product... and make no mistake, when you do find one it'll probably be a little more expensive.  That extra money you spend buying a Cuisinart instead of a Sunbeam, however, is going to factory workers in this country - not factory workers in places like China or Taiwan.

I was glad to see that the emailer suggested supporting your local arts groups when thinking about giving LOCAL gifts.  When he forwarded this message, Dad made sure to mention that giving the gift of locally-produced films is another good idea - and you know, I couldn't agree more.  There are over twenty Oregon-Produced films in my Oregon Film and TV Market Amazon store, and several more locally-produced films available through other retail outlets. Giving your friends and family members a DVD this Christmas puts money in the pockets of people working in Oregon's film and TV industry, and allows them to produce that next feature and hire even more of your friends and neighbors for it.

One last note - You can still buy American when you shop online.  www.MadeInUSAForever.com has over 29,000 American-made products (many produced by small businesses around the country) that are ready to ship out anywhere in the country. 

Look, guys, it's the "season of giving." We want to make the holiday season bright for our friends and family, but we also feel a little more prone to help those who haven't been as successful or fortunate this year.  In some cases that means bringing cans of food to the food bank or dropping a couple coins in the Bell Ringer's kettle... but this year, you have the chance to keep someone employed - and maybe even create a few more jobs once the receipts are tallied.  It's certainly worth taking a couple extra minutes to think about where the product you're purchasing was made, and checking to see if there's a domestically - or locally - produced alternative.

Hope you're all doing well...

-Harold

Oregon Film & TV Workers: Get To Know Your Friends In The State Legislature!

Hey everyone... it's me, rabble-rousing again, and urging my friends in Oregon's film and TV industry to get involved now in the upcoming state election. Remember, the governor's race isn't the only political contest happening this year (and besides, Dudley and Kitzhaber have both - finally - told us where they stand on supporting the film and TV industry.) There are also campaigns happening state-wide for seats in the Oregon House and Senate.

The other day, I got a fundraising letter in the mail from my state representative, Mike Schaufler. Mike was a BIG supporter in the push to get SB621 passed in the waning days of last year's Legislative session - he shuttled back and forth from the lobby to the House Floor in between every vote working us to make the bill work, and get the votes from his colleagues in the Oregon House.

I was happy to drop a small check in the mail to Mike's reelection campaign, because we need friends like him in the legislature. Here's a copy of the email I sent him last week:

Dear Mike

I got your fundraising letter in the mail yesterday, and of
course I'll be sending you a check - it's the least I can do after all the hard
work you did to help the Oregon film and TV industry get SB621 passed last year.
I'm also more than happy to put a sign up in my yard, and if you want an
endorsement, just ask (I signed that spot on the flap of the donation envelope.)

You might also consider visiting a new web site -
http://www.oregonfilmandtvdollars.com/ - and clicking the "Share Your Story"
link. We'd love to feature your support for the industry on that site; jot down
a few notes about what the industry brings to your district, the part you played
in increasing the OPIF cap with SB 621 and the "Local OPIF" (SB 863), and
forward a photo to me at this address - I'll be sure to highlight your work on
the site.

Thanks so much for everything you do for the district, and for
all of us here in Oregon. I'm VERY happy to support your re-election campaign!

Harold
http://www.haroldphillips.net/

I'd encourage everyone in Oregon's film and TV industry to contact your state Senators and Legislators (http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/) - and the candidates running to replace them! If you're reading this outside Oregon, then hey, do the same in your state!

Drop supporters of the industry a few bucks if you can afford it (believe me, I can't afford to send Mike a lot of money... but $25 makes more of an impression than $0...), and if you're not sure - ask them where they stand on supporting our industry!

Encourage them to use http://www.oregonfilmandtvdollars.com/ as a platform to share their support for the industry - it can be a good way for them to get the word out about their campaigns AND to help raise the visibility of our industry... so we all win!

But don't wait... now is the time to get involved, and get the candidates (and incumbents) thinking about everything our industry does for Oregon. Remember, the OPIF "sunsets" in 2012; we need as many friends in the legislature as we can get so the program is renewed. Now's the time to make sure those friends get elected.

Besides... it's Independence day weekend. Can you think of anything more patriotic than getting involved in the process?

Have a great weekend...

-Harold

And Now, Something NEW: OregonFilmAndTVDollars.com!

So you remember this post from a couple weeks ago? It's actually gotten quite a bit of attention... it was even re-posted in The Oregonian's online "The Stump" section, and garnered a couple of comments (one of which was fairly critical of the Oregon Production Incentive Fund... I hope I didn't make an enemy at the Oregon Center for Public Policy with my response :) ).

As I mentioned in the article, a lot of states are scaling back or cutting their film incentive programs. Given the woeful state of Oregon's economy, our next governor (and legislature) might be tempted to do the same thing - it's a politically expedient thing to do, after all... many people see the OPIF as a "give-away to rich Hollywood filmmakers," without looking at the milions of dollars and thousands of jobs the program brings in to the state.

If we don't want to see that happen, we in the Film, TV and New Media industry need to raise our visibility... we need to keep reminding everyday Oregonians that this industry provides jobs to lots of people - not just actors and crew members, but drivers, carpenters, electricians, and so many more... we need to remind them that the money these productions pay filters throughout the entire state, not just the urban areas... we need to remind them that our industry is vital, growing, and providing opportunities to everyone state-wide.

So... I've started a new web site: http://www.oregonfilmandtvdollars.com/. As I say in the "About" section, there are lots of sites that talk about Oregon Film… this site is something different. It's focused on highlighting the economic benefit our industry brings to the state - we'll be re-posting news stories, writing editorials, and most importantly sharing the stories of people in Oregon who have benefitted from the money our Film, TV and New Media Industry brings to the state.

So... here's where I ask for your help, Oregonians. I'd really appreciate it if you could:

>> Spread the word - tell everyone you know about http://www.oregonfilmandtvdollars.com/.

>> Subscribe To The Site - In the upper-right of every page is a button to "subscribe" - clicking this button and registering will send you an email every time a new post is published. I promise I won't overdo it... hey, you see how often I post on this blog!

>> Send me your stories - Have you gotten money - even $1.00 - from the Film and TV Industry here in Oregon? We want to hear from you - visit the "Share Your Story" page and let us know about it! If you have a photo you'd like to attach to your story, feel free to email it to me. While you're there, scroll down and place a pin on the Oregon Film And TV Dollars Google Map - show everyone how Film and TV dollars filter through the entire state.

>> Show The State (and the World) You Support The Industry - Yeah, this one's gonna cost you a few bucks... but only a few! You'll notice a box in the upper-right corner of each page leading you to my Zazzle Store, where there's a variety of T-shirts, Caps, bumper stickers and bags (more products will be coming in the next week or so) telling everyone how you use Oregon Film and TV Dollars. Spend a few bucks and let everyone know that it's not just "rich Hollywood filmmakers" that benefit from Oregon Film and TV Dollars - YOU use them too!

There ya go, folks... start spreading the word, and start sending me material for the site. With your help, we can keep the film and TV industry here in Oregon first-and-foremost in people's mind when they're looking at ways to heal Oregon's ailing economy. You and I know that the film industry, one of the few industries growing in Oregon, has a lot to offer the state's economy... now it's time to let everyone else know about it!

Hope you're all doing well...

-Harold