John Osborne – OwnerI promote movie making in the Village of Mendocino and throughout Mendocino County. We have stunning and historical locations here. I assist film companies that want to shoot anywhere in Mendocino County. As a Producer, Project Manager, or Production Assistant, I help with all aspects of film production, including casting and background, location scouting, crew support, craft services, and transportation. I am local. I work with the local talent, and I have great contacts.
Main Street in Mendocino
I had been teaching film and English and Humanities full time at a small college in Northern California for many years. In the summer of 2009, a friend invited me to visit the Mendocino Film Festival, also in Northern California. The festival was outstanding, but so was the little community of Mendocino. Picturesque Victorian buildings, amazing seascapes and wonderful people. I retired from teaching in 2010, and eventually found an apartment, and then a house to rent in the picturesque village. I started spending nearly half my time in Mendocino and formed a production company with a friend in Mendo.
In April of 2013, I was hired as a Production Assistant on the film, Need For Speed. It completely changed my life. During that 3 weeks of filming, I learned more about movie-making than my academic life ever provided. The exhilaration of being on set was tremendous. Working each day with talented directors and actors, sound engineers, stunt drivers, and wonderful crew. Most of my 12-hour days were spent on the periphery, but each day had its special encounters. And when the shooting ended in San Francisco, I had found a new vocation.
On location – Need For Speed
Since then, I have worked with every motion picture company that has filmed in Mendocino. Production Assistant, Production Manager, Location Manager and Producer.
The small town of Mendocino (founded in 1850), on the Northern California coast, provides wonderful settings for many types of movies. Its quaint Victorian buildings, panoramic coastline, and often empty streets offer ideal locations for shooting! The fishing harbor of Ft. Bragg, California and the unique wineries in the beautiful Anderson Valley are nearby! So are lighthouses, breweries, and sandy beaches!
Main Street, Mendocino. River of Ghosts, dir. by Jules East
Outlaws of Mendocino, Producer/Actor, Joseph Roberts
Confrontation at Big River in Mendocino. River of Ghosts, dir. by Jules East
My services include finding locations, production management, casting and extras, obtaining permits, handling of dailies, craft services, hospitality, and transportation. I have many local connections and would enjoy working on your film in any capacity.
I worked on the following productions that were filmed in Mendocino:
The Outlaws of Mendocino (Currently in Production)
Art and Healing in Mendocino (Short – 2025)
“Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom: Protecting The Wild” (2023)
Condé Nast, Protecting the Water – Matthew Kammerer and Harbor House Inn, Elk, CA (2022 )
Timecrafters: Treasure of Pirate’s Cove (2020)
Commercial shoot: Pacifica Beer (2017)
Mendocino Film Company
PO Box 125
Mendocino, CA 95460
530-518-9097