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STANDARD PROGRAM OPEN FOR BUSINESS

 

Beginning 12/1/13 Washington Filmworks (WF) will accept applications for our Standard Program for projects that begin on or after 1/1/14. 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. The majority of funding assistance for commercials is allocated through the Commercial Business Development Plan (CBDP). For more information about this program visit our website. Additional funding for commercials may be available outside of the CBDP; call the office for information.

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.

 

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SAVE THE DATE – IT’S ANNUAL INDUSTRY UPDATE TIME!

There will be no regular November or December FMI Happy Hour events. Save your energy, and the date, for the WF 2014 Annual Industry Update in Seattle. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 5th from 5-7 pm. Join us at Spitfire for the happy hour and stick around for a presentation at 6:30 pm. Hear a recap of achievements from the past year and get a sneak peek of what’s to come in 2014.

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INCENTIVE PROJECT THE ARCHITECT ARRIVES IN EVERETT
 
 
Washington incentive feature film The Architect began production yesterday in the City of Everett. The film stars Eric McCormack and Parker Posey as a husband and wife pair who long to build their dream home. The couple’s plans are crushed when their architect builds his ideal home instead of theirs. Filming will take place around Snohomish and King Counties and will feature areas such as Mukilteo Boulevard in Everett. Producers of The Architect are now searching for a number of extras. To be considered, learn more here.

 

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IFC BUYS RIGHTS TO LUCKY THEM

According to The Hollywood Reporter, IFC  recently nabbed the U.S. rights to Washington incentive feature film Lucky Them. The film, presented by MyMy Productions in association  with Tangerine Entertainment, stars Toni  Collette, Thomas Haden Church, Oliver Platt, Nina Arianda, Ryan Eggold and Ahna O’Reilly. Lucky Them recently celebrated its world premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. Congratulations to Director Megan Griffiths and all the Washington cast and crew that worked on this motion picture!

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COMMERCIALIZE ANYTHING

A great idea can come from anywhere. And thanks to the Commercialize-izer, ad agency creatives now know exactly where to look. TheCommericialize-izer is a mobile and desktop app that writes TV spots for ad people to pass off as their very own.

As part of the Commercialize Seattle campaign, an initiative to bring commercial production to the city of Seattle and state of Washington, the Commercialize-izer takes all the headache out of being a creative.

It’s easy. All you do is:

  1. Select an Ad Cliché,
  2. Select a Seattle Area Landmark,
  3. and Hit the Commercialize Button.
Commercialize Seattle works in tandem with WF’s Commercial Business Development Plan (CBDP). 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 by visiting our website.
 
To qualify as a production company of record for the CDBP register here.

 

WF will begin accepting 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. 

 

 
 
 

BIG NEWS FROM THE INNOVATION LAB

 

The team behind The Maury Island Incident has been busy. The trailer isnow available online and the short film was recently covered by the Seattle PI. The PI talked with producer Steve Edmiston and director Scott Schaefer about their project, as well as the UFO frenzy and cover up rumors that inspired the film. In preparation for completion of the film and its world premiere in 2014, the team is holding a series of audience test screenings in Burien, Washington this week. Be sure to follow the project’s progress on their Facebook page.

 

Rocketmen the Webseries was featured on Seattle’s King 5 News this month. The webseries recently completed filming footage for several episodes. Production was spotted on rooftops and in dark alleys all over Seattle. The series will complete production for Season 1 in the Spring of 2014. In the meantime, watch the King 5 News coverage here. 

 

 

 

 

Filmmakers from all projects that received funding assistance from the Innovation Cycle of the Filmworks Innovation Lab were invited to a design charrette at the University of Washington. Communication Leadership graduate students in the Advanced Multimedia Storytelling course heard presentations from Lab filmmakers and then workshopped the projects. The filmmakers will be provided with a series of recommendations on the transmedia campaigns related to each project. Special thanks to the UW and the Communication Leadership program for this fantastic opportunity. Watch for a blog post on the charrette in November.

WHERE’S WASHINGTON FILMWORKS?

WF staff members have been busy touring the state, giving presentations, and participating on panels with a number of local organizations. Here’s just a sampling of where we’ve been in the last month. Thanks for all the hospitality, Washington.

  •  – Whidbey Island Rotary Club
  •  – Yakima Training Center
  •  – City of Lakewood and Kitsap Co. Tour
  •  – Central Washington University
  •  – Seattle Interactive Documentary Summit
  •  – University of Washington, Department of Communication
  •  – Seattle Film Summit
  •  – Tech NW: North to Innovation 2013
  •  – Seattle’s Creative Community Fall Party at MOHAI
 
 
 
 
 
 

HOT OFF THE WF PRESSES

  

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.     
 
  
Well Played, Renton – Ever want to participate in a filmmaking competition? Get a feel for the experience through this insider’s perspective from filmmaker and community organizer Indy Cho. Part 2 of 2 recent posts on the 2013 Renton FilmFrenzy.
 

Get Up to Speed with Commercialize Seattle -If you missed the launch of Commercialize Seattle at the August Film+Music+Interactive Happy Hour don’t worry. You can now catch our presentation from the launch online.

  

 

WF Visits the City of Lakewood and Kitsap Co – In September WF took a trip to the City of Lakewood and Kitsap County. We met with elected officials about the positive economic impact of filming and scouted film-friendly locations.

Film Fest Roundup – Washington has tons of great film festivals, film events, screenings and competitions, but we don’t know about all of them. Help put your Washington event on our radar. 

  

 

On Location – Hear from some of Washington’s most seasoned location scouts and managers, as they talk to Media Inc. about their careers, experiences, and favorite Northwest locations.

NEXT FMI HAPPY HOUR IS TOMORROW

Whether you need an attention-grabbing state-of-the-art sequence, or a subtle enhancement, Tim Everitt will present a few quick and easy treatments to bring the look of your film up to Hollywood standards. Tim risks his own career to help filmmakers learn how they can do this on their own. The October FMI Happy Hour takes place tomorrow, 10/30, at Spitfire in the Belltown area of Seattle. FMI is from 5 to 7 pm and is open to anyone age 21+.

ABOUT TIM – Tim Everitt is an award-winning motion picture writer, director, cinematographer, and animator. Additionally, he has served as a visual effects artist and lead animator on major Hollywood films including Pirates of the Caribbean 3, The Last Samurai, Collateral Damage, Holes, and many others. Currently, he is the owner of Seattle-based Tim Everitt Productions, which is actively creating projects for motion pictures, commercials, and new forms of interactive media.
 
 
 
 
 
 

WF NOVEMBER OFFICE CLOSURES

WF will be closed for Veteran’s Day (observed) Monday November 11 and again for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday November 28 and Friday November 29. We wish you all a little rest and relaxation with friends and loved ones.