Michael Kraft
A few weeks ago, Cassandra Hesseltine celebrated 15 years as Film Commissioner for Humboldt and Del Norte counties.
The Commission’s mission is to serve as the liaison between productions and the area they represent. Cassandra described her team’s work as a labor of love. “We’re in love with Humboldt and Del Norte and we all love movies.” They both want filming to be done respectfully, and they want economic and quality of life benefits to flow to local residents.
Economic impact is key. From 2010 to 2024, an estimated $14.6 million was spent filming in Humboldt County. A standard multiplier provides an impact of about $43 million. Over that same time period, the expenses of the Film Commission totaled $1.3 million. So, we’re getting over 10x the budget in direct spending, and over 30 times the budget with the multiplier. And these numbers are known to substantially underestimate the value of film tourism. An example is when someone gets a map of the movies online and visits Endor but doesn’t provide info that would connect the dots. (You can get that map here: https://hdnfc.org/map-of-the-movies.)
I was interested in Cassandra’s favorite experiences as commissioner. She said that one was when she went to the set for A Wrinkle in Time, where she found a truly diverse set, with all kinds of people. For a long time, Cassandra says, the industry was driven by one kind of male. This set was filled with women and different ethnicities. “It was just very special to watch that history on set.”
In her job, Cassandra obviously meets celebrities. (I asked who the biggest star who’s been in her car and, while being careful to mention several folks, her voice warmed up to say “well, Brad Pitt wasn’t too bad.”) And while she considers it an honor to meet actors and directors, people at the top of their craft, what really makes her happiest these days is when locals say how this impacts them. “It used to be the dollars that came into the community, and I still care about that, but what really has gotten me the past couple of years is when a local expresses happiness. A little kid asked once asked one of us, ‘did you bring Disneyland?’”
I inquired about the weirdest request she has fielded. She said that she was once asked to help get a permit to film a music video with a grand piano in the old growth redwoods. Okay, so far so good. But there was also going to be a panther, and then the piano would be set on fire. To this inspired fever dream, the answer was no.
Cassandra says things are looking up this year, after a hard time for filming statewide last year. In addition to the lengthy recovery from the pandemic, there were strikes in the entertainment industry and California had fallen behind in incentive programs.
So, what is being filmed here now? When we spoke, the Leonardo DiCaprio movie One Battle After Another was just being released. (It is now available on streaming platforms.) This kind of film has a great impact, of course. Features have a long shelf life. Hopefully, they will film in town for a while, and 200-300 crew might stay in the area.
In addition to feature films, Cassandra says more reality TV and documentary filming is taking place. The region also wins its share of car commercials, which provide a quick financial shot in the arm. One particular bright spot: some really good locally produced work is coming.
The Commission has had an interesting journey as a nonprofit organization. They were housed back in the day under the Humboldt County Visitors Bureau. When the organization outgrew that situation, they went to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for a time, while the work happened to become a standalone 501c3 nonprofit.
There are various ways to get involved. You can download the Redwood Coat Film Experience app to see what’s going on. To learn what might be coming in film productions, follow the Film Commission on Facebook and Instagram, where they post location and crew requests. To register your location, or to volunteer, email info@HDNFC.org. You should also plan to visit the museum in Old Town Eureka, where you can see Sandra Bullock’s boat (from Bird Box), or Danny Radcliffe’s boat (from the lovably bizarre Swiss Army Man), or a tree trunk Eric Hollenbeck from Blue Ox Millworks made for Sasquatch Sunset that the crew repurposed for their Star Wars exhibit.
As Cassandra described her journey with the Film Commission, she says that 15 years ago, she took the job to help out for a couple of weeks. Then the board asked that she help them get through the holidays. Then it became clear that they wanted her to stay. Cassandra credits her board for their consistency and caring throughout the journey. They found volunteers and the board stepped up. She says that funders and the broader community believed in them. Fast forward to now. “Last week, I was in the office, and my staff did all these amazing things while I was out…Now it’s we, not me.”
Cassandra sums it up this way: “I love storytelling. I love how it opens your eyes, warms your heart, and makes you laugh. And I love this area. I’ve had the honor of living my dream while living here.”
Michael Kraft writes the Good Work series, volunteering on behalf of the Northern California Association of Nonprofits (NorCAN). NorCAN supports connections between people and organizations that work every day to keep our communities healthy and strong by offering professional development, board support, networking connections and more. Learn more at https://norcal-nonprofits.org/. To nominate a deserving nonprofit organization to be profiled, email michael@kraftconsultants.com.
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