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WASHINGTON IN THE NATIONAL NEWS

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Schuyler Hoss, International Relations Director, Office of Governor Inslee, and Tony Zhang, producer and Vice President of DMG Entertainment.

Washington Filmworks (WF) continues to work hard to bring features and commercials to Washington State through our incentive programs. We’re also thinking more globally than ever before to attract new projects and have been getting national attention for it. 

Commercialize Seattle is a marketing initiative to help attract new commercial business to Washington and encourage advertising agencies nationwide to work with our local production companies. The initiative was recently covered by the New York Times.

 

Film was part of Governor Jay Inslee’s 2013 trade mission to China. As part of the mission, WF signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China’s premiere production and distribution company DMG Entertainment at a film and technology reception in Beijing, China on November 13. Find several links to national coverage of the storyhere and read more about the partnership with DMG on the WF Blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WASHINGTON FILMWORKS APPROVES NEW PROJECT

The WF Board of Directors recently

approved funding assistance for one commercial. Since 2007 WF has approved 93 projects through the standard program, representing an estimated $242 million dollar economic impact statewide.

This is the second commercial to be approved through WF’s Commercial

Business Development Plan (CBDP). The CBDP works alongside the Commercialize Seattle marketing initiative to help attract new commercial business to Washington State. Learn more below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROLLING! – STANDARD PROGRAM REOPENS

Next week, beginning December 1, WF will accept applications for our Standard Program for projects that commence on or after January 1 of 2014. WF offers funding assistance for qualified in-state expenditures of up to 30% for motion pictures and episodic series with less than six episodes, and up to 35% for episodic series with at least six episodes.

As part of the Commercialize Seattle campaign, WF is holding funds in reserve to attract new commercial clients to Washington State. These funds are allocated through the Commercial Business Development Campaign (CBDP). Find more information here. WF may consider additional commercial applications outside of the CBDP, if funds are available. All additional applications would qualify for a 15% return on qualified in-state spend. Projects would be subject to the Standard Guidelines and Criteria for the program.

Production must meet the following in-state spending thresholds:

  • $500,000 Motion Pictures
  • $300,000 Episodic Series
  • $150,000 Commercial

Please contact staff at (206) 264-0667 with inquiries or go to  www.WashingtonFilmworks.org for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

SAVE THE DATE TO CELEBRATE

How time flies! Already a year since the 2012 Annual Industry Updates.

Save the date to celebrate! 2013 has gone by fast and it’s time for our Annual Industry Update events in Seattle and Spokane. Come raise a glass with us and toast the achievements of the statewide film industry in the past year. Get first peek at how WF will be working on your behalf in 2014.

 

 

Seattle 

Spitfire

Wednesday, December 4*       

Happy Hour from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Presentation 6:30 pm

Spitfire

2219 4th Avenue 

Seattle, WA 98121  

  

This event is for those 21 and over. The first 100 people thru the door are guaranteed a drink ticket and snacks will be provided. 

 

* This corrects a previous announcement that listed the wrong date.

Spokane 

Nectar

 

Thursday, December 5

Happy Hour from 6 pm – 7 pm

Presentation at 7 pm

Nectar – Barrel Room

120 N. Stevens

(Corner of Main & Stevens)

Spokane, WA 99201

Please use the use the South, LaunchPad entrance

Wine and appetizers will be served. 

See you there!

 

 

HERITAGE HM TO DISTRIBUTE DIFFERENT DRUMMERS 

 

Washington incentive feature film Different Drummers has been signed for worldwide distribution with Heritage HM, a distribution company centered in Queensland, Australia. Rod Hopping, CEO of Heritage, says “… [it] is a film we are inspired by and are passionate about bringing to the world.” The feature will begin its theatrical run in Spokane on January 10, 2014 and final negotiations are underway for a wider U.S. theatrical release in February. Production took place in Spokane, WA in the fall of 2012. Learn more about the project and its recent successes at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival on the WF blog. Congratulations to the Washington cast and crew that made this film a reality. 

 

WHERE’S WASHINGTON FILMWORKS?

WF staff members have been out and about getting to better know the statewide film industry and other partners in the creative community. Here’s a list of some of the places we’ve been recently. As usual, thanks for all the wonderful hospitality, Washington!

  • Seattle Interactive Conference
  • Seattle University
  • Northwest Film Forum Documentary Fund Kickoff
  • Kitsap Economic Development Alliance Presentation
  • Washington State Studio Network Showcase in Bellingham
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

RECOMMENDED READING

  

Get info about WF programs and incentive projects via our blog. Learn about events and happenings statewide. Discuss industry trends and the business of film. Here are some highlights form the last month. Plus be sure to subscribe to receive future posts via email.
  

    

Submit Your Latest Work to Commercialize Seattle – The campaign will highlight commercials made and produced locally on the “Latest Work” section of the Commercialize Seattle website. Showing great local work is key to the success of the campaign. Learn how you can participate.

Twitter Aims to Re-Invent TV – The experience of watching television continues to evolve and it appears that audiences are increasingly engaging with programming online via Twitter. The trend seems to be re-inventing “event TV” through live tweeting.

A New Look at Indie Film Financing and Distribution – Seattle-based filmmaker Douglas Horn talks about innovative new financing models for filmmakers. Learn more in this informative FMI presentation, jam packed with all sorts of insider tips.

NWFF Supports Documentary Film – WF acknowledges the tremendous work of the Northwest Film Forum and the support they offer our region’s filmmakers. Their Documentary Film Fund is for excellent documentary projects in the NW at any stage of completion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WF HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURES

WF will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29. In December, WF will close beginning Monday, December 23. We return in the new year on Thursday, January 2. However you celebrate, have happy and safe holidays!