FlyFilmmakingChallenge_440x300

See the World Premiere of the 2014 Fly Films at SIFF this coming Monday.

Just a few days remain until the unveiling of the five films produced through the 2014 Fly Filmmaking Challenge, an annual short film program at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). The challenge asks filmmakers to concentrate their process and resources to create a short film within a three month timeframe. This year, instead of focusing on individual directors, five local production companiesB47 Studios, Digital Kitchen, ForeignAmerican Pictures, We Are Royale, and World Famous – were challenged to create short films inspired by the theme Seattle, I Love You. “It’s just the right moment to recognize the world-class production companies of Seattle and their impact on the greater film community,” said SIFF Artistic Director Carl Spence.

CS_logo_w_tagBy choosing local production companies for the first time in the program’s history, this year’s focus recognizes the efforts of Commercialize Seattle, the business campaign from Washington Filmworks in partnership with the Seattle Office of Film + Music, designed to make Seattle, and greater Washington, a top destination for commercial film production. For the past several weeks, Commercialize Seattle has featured the great work of local production companies through the latest work section of its website. This year’s Fly Film Challenge continues the celebration of our local production company’s work by choosing five outstanding Seattle-based organizations to create a short film that will build their profile among the national film industry and share their work with audiences in Seattle.

The finished films premiere in Seattle at SIFF this coming Monday, May 26 at 2:30pm at SIFF Cinema Uptown in Seattle. You can catch them again at the festival on June 7 at 3:30 at the Uptown. SIFF is also excited to announce that two of the five 2014 Fly Films have been selected for the homepage of the Starbucks Digital Network. These films will screen in 7,000 Starbucks across the country in the coming weeks. “But I can’t tell you which ones. So go see ‘em at the festival first,” teases Dustin Kaspar, SIFF’s Education Programs Manager.

Take Kaspar’s advice if you can and go enjoy the Fly Films with an audience at SIFF 2014. Learn more about Fly Films and the five participating production companies here.