Information is power. This spring film industry workers across the state participated in a jobs survey designed to gather information about how film professionals create their careers in Washington State. The information collected paints a compelling picture about how film professionals create year round work and how the film industry contributes to the larger creative economy.
Amy Lillard, Executive Director of Washington Filmworks, will discuss the results from the jobs survey and an overview of the first annual report on the state of Washington’s film industry at the May Film + Music + Interactive Happy Hour, Wednesday, May 29.
Take control of your career and come find out more about how we can work together to create a vibrant sustainable film industry in Washington State. The monthly Happy Hour is a meet-up for leaders in film, music, and interactive industries to make meaningful business connections. Please mark your calendars and join others in this great networking event at Spitfire in Belltown.
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BOARD MEMBER PAUL MATTHAEUS HONORED
Washington Filmworks Board Member, Paul Matthaeus, was presented with the 8th Annual Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film. Matthaeus was given the award by Seattle Mayor, Mike McGinn, during the Opening Night Gala at the 2013 Seattle International Film Festival. Matthaeus is Founder, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer Emeritus of Digital Kitchen in Seattle. Congratulations, Paul!
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WF AT SIFF
Washington Filmworks (WF) is pleased to partner with the Seattle International Film Festival for a number of programs and panels in 2013.
Fly Films – Washington Filmworks was thrilled to partner with the Seattle International Film Festival to produce the 2013 Fly Filmmaking Challenge. This year’s program, presented by KCTS 9 Reel NW with support from Alaska Airlines and Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card, premiered this past weekend at the iconic Egyptian Theatre on Capital HIll and featured four narrative short films by Seattle based filmmakers Ben Andrews, Amy Enser, Lulu Gargiulo, and Curtis Taylor. This year’s program celebrates the intersection of Washington’s creative communities and highlights a powerful creative coalition of the area’s leading government, arts, education, and broadcast organizations. If you missed the premiere, consider seeing the Fly Films when they screen again on June 5 at 4:30 pm at SIFF Cinema Uptown.More information here.
Washington Incentive Films at SIFF – Two Washington incentive feature films screened at SIFF 2013. Lynn Shelton’s film, Touchy Feely, was the Opening Night Film for the Renton arm of SIFF. Touchy Feely shot in Seattle in 2012 and stars Rosemarie DeWitt, Josh Pais, Ellen Page, Scoot McNairy, Allison Janney, and Ron Livingston. The feature premiered at Sundance 2013, is distributed by Magnolia Pictures, and is slated to release in theaters this September.
Middleton, directed by Adam Rogers and starring Andy Garcia and Vera Farmiga, also screened at SIFF. Middleton is the story of two wildly different parents who meet and fall in love while taking their kids on a college tour. The incentive feature film shot in 2012 on the campuses of Gonzaga State in Spokane and at Washington State University in Pullman. Middletonis distributed by Anchor Bay Films and is scheduled for a 2014 release.
State of the Industry with Amy Lillard on June 8 –
Join WF Sunday June 8, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the SIFF Film Center. With productions increasing in Washington, independent filmmakers have to stay on the pulse of new resources and incentive programs.
Amy Lillard, Executive Director of Washington Filmworks, will discuss how the film office, the production incentive and the statewide industry can work together to bring filmmakers in Washington State to the next level. Washington Filmworks will also celebrate funding assistance recipients from the Filmworks Innovation Lab, a program designed to invest in our local creative community and to encourage the development of original storytelling that capitalizes on new forms of production and technology. This event is free, but a ticket is required. More information here.
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WF HITS THE ROAD IN JUNE
Washington Filmworks will hit the road next month. First up is AICP Week in New York, June 4 – 6. The Association of Independent Commercial Producers will host a series of events recognizing commercials, innovative marketing and communications. WF Executive Director, Amy Lillard, will attend to solicit more commercial business to Washington State.
Lillard will also be participating in a series of industry roundtable discussions at the Palm Springs International ShortFest & Film Marketthe weekend of June 21. ShortFest 2013 will present more than 300 short films from over 50 countries. The ShortFest Film Market will make available 3,000 films to film buyers, industry representatives and the press.
Krys Karns, WF Production Services Coordinator, will join Amy Lillard for a trip to Whidbey Island, June 25 – 26. Lillard and Karns are visiting several regions of Washington State in 2013 to scout potential locations for our ReelScout locations database. These trips are also designed to get to know regional filmmakers and creative entrepreneurs, and to meet with elected officials to promote the potential economic benefits of increased motion picture production in their corner of Washington.
If you will be at AICP or Palm Springs, or are in the Whidbey Island area and would like to connect with WF, let us know by emailing info@washingtonfilmworks.org.
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CAREERS IN FILM: NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE
Careers in Film participants: (Back) Dave Jacobsen (Front L to R) Warren Etheredge, Ron Leamon, Amy Lillard, Lisa Hammond and John Patrick Lowrie.
Special thanks to the Northwest Folklife Festival for hosting our panel,Washington Filmworks: Careers in Film, over the Memorial Day weekend. Thanks to moderator, Warren Etheredge (host of Emmy-nominated The High Bar), and our panel of union leaders and prominent names in the state film industry, including Amy Lillard (Washington Filmworks), Set and Artistic Designer, Lisa Hammond (IATSE), Actor, John Patrick Lowrie (SAG-AFTRA), Costume Designer, Ron Leamon(IATSE), and Business Agent, Dave Jacobsen (Teamsters). The panel shared clips from projects they have worked on, shared their experiences working in the industry, and answered questions about how to build a film career in Washington. Thanks to the participants and to all who attended.
