W+K PORTLAND

Portlandia

From the IFC website

IFC has greenlit "Portlandia," an original comedy series that lovingly skewers illustrates the people and values of Portland, Ore. We're guessing a lot of recycling, rain gear, and coffee drinking will be happening.

Fred Armisen of "Saturday Night Live" fame and Carrie Brownstein, the vocalist/guitarist from Portland band Sleater-Kinney (and former W+K employee) will star in the series, alongside guest stars Kyle "Twin Peaks" MacLachlan and Aubrey Plaza from "Parks and Recreation".

In the series' premiere, viewers will meet the owners of a feminist book store; a militant bike messenger; an artsy couple who put cut-outs of birds on everything; and a punk rock couple negotiating a "safe word" to help govern their love life. All presented with the trademark humor found in Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen's previous work. Yeah, we're talking about their brilliant collaboration Thunderant.

Armisen and Brownstein write the series with Allison Silverman from "The Colbert Report" and Jonathan Krisel of "SNL" and "Tim and Eric", who is also the series' director. The series is executive produced by Lorne Michaels. "Portlandia" begins production later this month and is shot entirely on location in Portland.

Rumor has it they may be filming at W+K!

Shane Jones

We're in for another authorial treat. Shane Jones, writer of an amazing, condensed, fairy-tale of a novel called Light Boxes is coming to the agency today.  

Recently, one of our favorite directors, Spike Jonez, purchased film rights to it. When you read Light Boxes, you can see how Spike might film it. 

It’s a perfect story for Portlanders: a fable about a perpetual February and a town going to war against it with hot air balloons, boiling water and, yes, light boxes.

He will later be at Powell's tonight for a reading, but thanks to Marco Kaye we get a secret reading here today. We are so lucky.

Jon Raymond Tomorrow- May 5

Another Marco Kaye Author Salon Series finds us, yet again, one very spoiled agency. Jon Raymond is coming to the agency to read from his book Livability. Marco describes this book as "a must read for Portlanders. Jumping around the city from story to story, the locations become characters as well. From a rich subdivision in Lake Oswego, to the Lloyd Center where I shop for sweaters, to coastal Newport in the middle of winter, reading this will get you to look at Portland with fresh eyes."

You may also know him as the co-writer of these two movies directed by Kelly Reichardt:

Events commence at 3pm in the atrium.

Some Days Are Better Than Others

Widely known for his experimental documentary and music video work (including the forthcoming episodic documentary on our very own WK12), Portland filmmaker Matt McCormick's first feature-length film will be making its world premier next week at SXSW.

Some Days Are Better Than Others is a beautifully sad valentine to the forgotten discards of a throwaway society and features the screen debuts of PDX faves James Mercer (The Shins) and Carrie Brownstein (Sleater Kinney).

Not to be missed if you're in Austin for SXSW next week. The rest of us will have to hold out for Some Days to come back home for its Portland premier.

filmmaker website: www.rodeofilmco.com

Behind the scenes from a W+K producer

 WK Yammer Stream of Jeff Selis on location in Ft.Worth. 
 
 
 

Studio's got some new goods.

 
Hey, did you know we have a whole gaggle of fine, new dry goods available on the studio site? Heck, did you even know the studio has its own blog and store? Give Facebook, Twitter, Yammer, TMZ, ESPN and the other off-shore based sites with questionable content you frequent a rest and check out the stuff made by your talented friends on four.
  

Meat, Meat, Cheese and Egg

 
Breakfast organized by the interactive crew. We hope Mirtho does not have a heart attack.
   

Winter Is The New Summer

This last week the temperatures were in the teens (which is cold for portland for December). To combat Portlanders' seasonal hibernation tendencies, a clandestine crew of local show-goers, label mavens, promotors and all-around music enthusiasts have launched winteristhenewsummer.com. refreshingly direct -- the site's simply one image (updated weekly) of a portland musician holding a hand written sign with a selection of the current week's shows and parties. The images are replete with hidden links to band info and exclusive mixtape downloads. They're even arranging coat checks at selected events to help get the dance out this winter.

Meat Here

You may have noticed that our very own powerhouse project manager Jane Monaghan is even more chipper than normal. This could be because, after months of hard work and preparation, Jane (co-owner via spousal extension) is celebrating the opening of the finest European-style restaurant and charcuterie this side of the Cascades. Introducing Olympic Provisions. The coming together of a group of Portland's restaurant luminaries. Roughly, think two parts Clyde Common, one part Ace Hotel and one part Castagna mixed with a whole lot of local awesomeness. Even their iconic "Meat Here" sign was designed and hand-built by (WK alums) The Official Manufacturing Company (who also handled their branding and web design).

Olympic Provisions is located at 107 SE Washington Street, inside the Olympic Mills Commerce Center. The entrance is on the corner of SE 2nd and Washington.

Quack! Quack!

There are a number of working ducks in our building. Lots of emails about getting and selling tickets for the anticipated Civil War game tonight. Prices as high as $225 per ticket! Our New York office did this spot for ESPN earlier this year. Brilliant, even if you are a Beaver.