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WF APPROVES NEW PROJECTS
The Washington Filmworks (WF) Board of Directors recently approved funding assistance for three feature films. These projects are slated to go into production later this this fall on both the east and west sides of the state. Since 2007 WF has approved 92 projects through the standard program, representing an estimated $242 million dollar economic impact statewide.
With the approval of these three projects, funds have been exhausted for feature films and episodic series for the 2013 funding cycle. Funding assistance is still available for commercials and will be allocated through WF’s Commercial Business Development Plan (CBDP), which is launching NOW. The CBDP will help attract new commercial business to Washington State and encourage advertising agencies nationwide to work with our local production companies. Learn more about this exciting new initiative at the August FMI Happy Hour in Seattle or by visiting our website.
WF will begin to accept applications for feature films and episodic series prior to the start of the 2014 funding cycle, which begins in January.
Please contact staff at (206) 264-0667 with inquiries or go to www.WashingtonFilmworks.org for more information.
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BIG NEWS FROM THE INNOVATION LAB
Projects approved for funding assistance through the inaugural Innovation Cycle of the Filmworks Innovation Lab have been busy this summer. The Lab is a groundbreaking new program offering funding assistance to Washington filmmakers and filmmakers using emerging technologies.
The Maury Island Incident, a short film chronicling a 1947 UFO sighting over the Puget Sound, has wrapped principal photography. From late June through early July, filming took place in Burien, Des Moines, Tukwilla and the waters off of Maury Island. Learn more on our blog.
Rocketmen the webseries is a serial adventure that recently premiered its pilot episode in Seattle. The web serial is part drama and discussion of “jobs programs,” part comedy, and certainly a deranged adventure. The Rocketmen were intended to combat the threats of tomorrow and the webseries recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help raise production costs. Help the Rocketmen save you. Learn more on our blog.
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LEGISLATORS ON THE SET OF LAGGIES
On July 1, the producers of the WF incentive feature film, Laggies, invited WF and Washington State Senators and Representatives for a set visit. The legislators were able to talk with Director Lynn Shelton, meet cast and crew, and watch the filming of key scenes in the movie. These visits allow legislators to witness and better understand the economic impact of production. Special thanks to Representative Reuven Carlyle (Seattle 36th District), Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles(Seattle 36th District), and Representative Ed Orcutt (Kalama 20th District) for their time. Read more about the set visit on our blog.
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GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU SMARTER
Get smart on the WF blog. You can learn more about our programs and incentive projects, hear about film events and happenings statewide, and learn about industry trends and the business of film. Check out some of these recent posts:
Just One More Episode Before Bed… – Television is heading online. The rise of streaming services has caused many to turn off the TV and turn to their computers and mobile devices to watch their favorite shows. Content creators should take note.
Community Spotlight: Three Dollar Bill Cinema – WF sits down with Executive Director, Jason Plourde, to learn more about upcoming programs. Find out more about this Seattle institution that helps connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, their friends, and their families through the power of film.
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ANNUAL REPORT SPOTTED ON THE HORIZON
WF’s first Annual Report of the Washington State Film Industry is so close we can taste it. We’re dotting i’s, crossing t’s, and almost ready to publish and share with the local film industry and legislators. Watch for the report soon.
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JOIN WF AT FMI HAPPY HOUR JULY 31
Come learn how a film director makes a living working in Seattle. From directing corporate videos to collaborating on narrative projects, Seattle’s film directors need to be a resourceful bunch to make a living. At July’s Happy Hour, James Keblas, Director of the Seattle Office of Film + Music, will walk the audience through a soon to be published infographic, illustrating how one Seattle film director has found success in a versatile and creative approach to filmmaking.