FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Program Draws Significant Business from L.A.-Based Production Companies
Seattle, WA – November 14, 2012 – Washington Filmworks is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has approved funding assistance for eight national commercials since the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program was renewed during the 2012 legislative session. These eight commercials spent an estimated $2.2M in Washington’s statewide economy in five short months. Production took place in diverse locations throughout Washington State, including Anacortes, Port Angeles, La Connor, and Seattle.
As always, funding assistance is reserved to support the production companies making the commercials. The following is a list of approved productions:
Aero Films – American Family Insurance
Anonymous Content – Bank of America
Crossroads Films – Green Mountain Coffee
Famous Company – X-Box
Loaded Pictures – X-Box
Motion Theory – Glad
Nonfiction Limited – Ford
Olive Mill Productions – Bravo Network
With a competitive incentive program in place, Washington State is able to draw significant business from Hollywood-based production companies.
Producer Joan Sullivan from Olive Mill Productions said, “We had a wonderful experience shooting in Washington State. Every production company has a choice of where they film a commercial, but between the experienced crew, the diversity of locations and a competitive incentive, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to shoot in Washington State. We hope to come back in the near future.”
Zita Mazzola, of Seattle, worked on several of the incentive commercials as a Production Supervisor. Working with the production companies, she hires local crew, works with vendors and facilitates production. Mazzola suggests, “Commercial work has always been an integral part of the success of Washington’s production community. In addition to paying our local crew excellent wages, a commercial’s fast-paced production schedule means that they are spending all of their production budget in Washington State. Not only that, but commercials represent an excellent marketing opportunity for the state. The productions I have worked on this summer have been seen all over the world on television, the Internet, and even in movie theatres.”
About WF: Washington Filmworks is the non-profit 501(c)(6) organization that manages the state film and production incentive programs. Its mission is to create economic development opportunities by building and enhancing the competitiveness, profile and sustainability of Washington’s film industry. We do this by creating possibilities for local and national filmmakers, offering comprehensive production support, as well as financial incentives.
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