Amador County Film Commissioner Tom Blackman will approach the county's board of supervisors soon to request money on behalf of the commission, which is in danger of going under due to lack of funds.

Photo by: Bethany A. Monk

Fred Willard was the master of ceremonies at the 14th annual California On Location Awards at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina Del Rey Oct. 19. The event honored production companies and location professionals in the film industry for scouting and securing film locations throughout the state.

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch

With its lush outdoor scenery and authentic Gold Rush towns, Amador County is a great place for filmmakers, according to Amador County Film Commissioner Tom Blackman.

Blackman has volunteered as the county film commissioner for 15 years, and says he does so because he loves the county and wants to help promote the area. He is the main liaison for filmmakers who want to film in the area and makes sure they're insured and have a filming permit. Blackman notifies county law enforcement officials, public works and other entities of filming schedules and locations. He's also the one who makes sure casts and crews "leave properties the way they found them."

In the last five of six years, though, major film projects have been decreasing not only in Amador, but statewide. It's oftentimes less expensive to film in other states or in places like Canada, he said. Amador County is, however, a continual hotspot for commercials like several of the "Chevy like a Rock" commercials and others.

There's a big effort to try to keep filming in California, Blackman said.

Why?

"Dollars," he said, "like any other industry."

"Amador has a lot of great locations," he said, adding that "you can get about anything." Elevation levels range from 400 to 8,000 feet above sea-level. Amador has passed for other states, too, including Iowa and Colorado. The county also has some of the most beautiful lakes, he added.

Nonetheless, the county's film commission may be put on hold, Blackman said, adding that he will approach the county's board of supervisors soon with a request for funds specifically for the commission. Not having a film commission in operation could dissuade potential filmmakers from venturing to the county, he said.

"They're going to go where it's easiest," he said, and without the ability to connect with a film commission, "filmmakers may go elsewhere."

Although Blackman enjoys meeting people in the entertainment industry, he's not starstruck. "I was in the industry since I was 15," he said. "It's just a job." Blackman starred in the 1960 movie, "The Half Pint," when he was 6. He worked here and there in the industry until he was about 15, he said.

In 1996, Blackman helped film crews navigate Amador County when they were in the county to film "Larger than Life," starring Bill Murray. "He was great," he said of Murray, remembering how he would wave and chat and thank people in cars who were stopped in traffic in between takes. The Discovery Channel and the Travel Channel have featured Amador County quite a few times. A couple years later, in 1998, the cast and crew for the movie "Letters from a Killer," starring Patrick Swayze came to Ione to film parts of the movie. Blackman and other Amadorians were extras in the film. "I got off a bus," he said of his "role" in the movie.

"For a while we had a big book of extras," Blackman said. "We had some casting calls. We just haven't had a demand for stuff" within the past few years.

"Right now I'm trying to push Sutter Creek and downtown Jackson," he said. Preston Castle in Ione is also a good place to film. In the past, filmmakers have used the castle to film low budget horror movies.

He's also been able to meet Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford, the latter who directed and filmed portions of the "The Horse Whisperer," in Amador. Mechanical horses for the movie were made in Pioneer. Several locals were hired on to place and pack "phony snow" upcountry for a scene in the movie. They worked all week and the night before filming it began snowing, Blackman said, with a chuckle. "And they got even more work," he said, adding that most were loggers who were out of work at the time.

When filmmakers come to Amador, it stimulates the economy: It gives people work, such as the loggers, and also promotes the area and "identifies a place."

After the movie "The Bridges of Madison County," people flocked to Madison County, Iowa, Blackman said. "The area's tourism increased by 1,000 percent."

Blackman has lived in Amador County since 1986 and is the owner/broker of Coldwell Banker Award Realtors in Jackson.

On Nov. 19. Blackman participated in the 14th annual California On Location Awards ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina Del Rey. The event honored production companies and location professionals in the film industry for their contributions to scouting and securing film locations throughout the state. The Amador Vintners Association donated hundreds of assorted wines to the more than 500 guests in attendance - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was among them. Robert Smirling of Renwood Winery in Plymouth presented magnums of wine to COLA top winners. For a list of COLA winners, visit www.californiaonlocationawards.com.