Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass in WA incentive film “Safety Not Guaranteed.”

In June, Washington Filmworks (WF) had a lot to take in at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF).  With six incentive features and fifty films made in Washington, the immense talent of the Evergreen State’s film industry couldn’t have shone brighter.  From start to finish SIFF audiences had access to homegrown entertainment.  SIFF even bookended their 2012 festival with two features produced and shot in Washington – Lynn Shelton’s “Your Sister’s Sister” opened the festival and Stephen Gyllenhaal’s “Grassroots” was the closing night film.

The six Washington Filmworks incentive films were:

  • “Camilla Dickinson” Dir. by Cornelia Duryée Moore
  • “The Details” Dir. by Jacob Aaron Estes
  • “Eden” Dir. by Megan Griffiths
  • “Fat Kid Rules The World” Dir. by Matthew Lillard
  • “Grassroots” Dir. by Stephen Gyllenhaal
  • “Safety Not Guaranteed” Dir. by Colin Trevorrow

SIFF did a fantastic job of interviewing the directors of many of these incentive films.  You can watch each of those 2012 filmmaker interviews online at SIFF TV on their Filmmaker Interviews Channel.

Colin Trevorrow shared some of the reasons “Safety Not Guaranteed” chose to shoot in Washington.  He also had great things to say about the on set camaraderie and working with a well-seasoned local crew.  “It (Safety) is set in Seattle.  There was kind of a practical reason and a creative reason.  The practical one is Mark (Duplass, Lead Actor) had shot a bunch of movies up here.  He knew Ben (Kasulke, Cinematographer) and his whole crew, who are like a giant family.  They’ve made a dozen movies together, so for us, we shot in 24 days in 30 locations and we were constantly moving, and had to get everything quickly.  Having a group that knew each other that well was key.”

In addition to Colin’s interview, you’ll find segments with directors Megan Griffiths, Matthew Lillard and WF alumni, Lynn Shelton.  Head over to SIFF TV and learn more about what drives these talented filmmakers to produce films in Washington State.