East Oregonian
January 29, 2002

Bend filmmakers plan depot movie

By TERI MEEUWSEN
of the East Oregonian

A Bend-based production company is looking for volunteers with video cameras to help shoot footage for a full-length documentary about the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

White Knuckles Productions is producing the film, titled "Umatilla," about the depot and the surrounding cities. It wants to talk to people living near the nerve and mustard agents stored in the igloos at the depot.

R.J. McHatton, the producer, writer and director, is sending e-mails to Umatilla County residents seeking help with shooting some of the footage to be used in the 90-minute film.

"This film will show the controversy, fear and anxiety that children, teachers, parents and local law officials live with every day of their lives," McHatton wrote in an outline of the film on his Web site, www.whiteknuckles.com.

He said the goal of the film "will be to document the story of Umatilla from the eyes of the citizens who live there Our plan is to create a compelling documentary feature film that will be entertaining, educational and provocative."

On Sept. 10, film crews toured the depot and interviewed several people on camera. On Oct. 1, crews visited Umatilla, Hermiston and Irrigon to interview local authorities and local citizens in "man-on-the street"interviews.

"We need approximately 60 days of on-site shooting in the Umatilla area, Portland, Utah and Washington, D.C., to complete our shooting stage," McHatton wrote. "We will interview children, parents, teachers, politicians and other citizens."

The company hopes to complete filming by April 15 and have the $125,000 film completed by Sept. 1.

"Time is of the essence due to the provocative, controversial and political nature of this film," he wrote.

The anticipated rating from the Motion Picture Association of America is PG.

The depot currently is the home to 3,717 tons of chemical weapons, or about 12 percent of the nation's stockpile.

For more information about volunteering to shoot footage, visit www.whiteknuckles.com or call (541) 419-9390.