After filming the majority of its scenes in Eastern Washington this spring and summer, locally-produced East of the Mountains filmed at two Seattle locations in Ballard and Wallingford during it’s last week of production in late June.

Based on the best-selling novel by Bainbridge Island’s David Guterson, East of the Mountains tells the story of retired doctor who goes back to his roots in Eastern Washington to end his life on his own terms. The film is directed by Seattle’s SJ Chiro (Lane 1974), produced by Jane Charles and Mischa Jakupcak, and stars Tom Skerritt as the doctor, and Oscar winner Mira Sorvino, who plays his daughter.

According to producer Jane Charles, over 50% of the East of the Mountains crew is female, defying film industry norms (the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film found women comprised of 20% of all directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films during a study last year). “We are looking forward to the day when we don’t have to be proud of that, when it is just a given that there are as many women on set as men,” Charles told KING 5 during the filming.

The production hired over 80 local cast and crew for the four-week production. The production was financially supported by Washington Filmworks’ groundbreaking Local Lens incentive program, which prioritizes its film incentive funding exclusively to locally made film productions.

Office of Arts & Culture Director and interim OFM director Randy Engstrom visited the film set in Wallingford, and met with producer Jane Charles ($5 Cover: Seattle, Grassroots), location manager Dave Drummond (Twin Peaks), and assistant location manager Vicky Berglund Davenport (Northern Exposure).

East of the Mountains is slated for release to the film festival circuit in early 2020.

Seattle Film Industry and Community: 

Are you feeling the heat?  Despite yesterday’s rain, we are.  It’s peak filming season, and we’re coordinating your shoots as fast as we can!  Let’s take a look what productions were up to in June! 

June Seattle Film Permits 

While film permits only show a slice of the film production activity in the region, they are a window into local film production work.  This data helps our office and City leadership understand what type of filming is happening, and what positive jobs and economic impact it is creating.   

Here’s the June breakdown of local crew hired by production category, and most popular Seattle neighborhoods. 

Production Type (60 permits in June 2019) 

• 15 Commercial / Advertising – 247 local cast and crew 
• 5 Corporate / Industrial – 48 local cast and crew 
• 17 Documentary – 15 local cast and crew 
• 2 Feature Films – 125 local cast and crew 
• 4 Music Videos – 53 local cast and crew 

• 1 Short Film – 12 local cast and crew 
• 4 Still Photography – 35 local cast and crew 
• 1 Student Film – 4 local cast and crew 
• 3 TV / Reality – 13 local cast and crew 
• 3 TV / Series – 45 local cast and crew 

• 5 Web Series – 76 local cast and crew 

Neighborhood Council Districts (showing productions with multiple shoots June 2019) 

• District 1 – 4 productions 
• District 2 – 7 productions 

• District 3 – 8 productions 
• District 4 – 12 productions 
• District 5 – 2 productions 
• District 6 – 7 productions 
• District 7 – 19 productions 

Top Filming Neighborhoods (June 2019) 

1. Fremont – 7 Productions  

1. Magnolia – 6 productions 

1. Downtown – 6 productions 

1. Queen Anne, Ravenna / Bryant, Duwamish / SODO – All 5 productions 

Film Production in Seattle:  Summer Look-ahead 

Current permit restrictions:  NONE.  All downtown traffic control/street closure permit restrictions have been lifted. Film permit requests for all Seattle neighborhoods, including downtown, will continue to be accepted and assessed on a case by case basis.   

SR99 Viaduct demolition continues through Summer months.  The June deadline has passed, and there is still about 10-15%, we’re told, to still tear down.  Then there’s the surface street repairs!  Impacts are expected to be greatest along the waterfront and the access streets leading to I-5 and SR99.  More information here. 

Arena redevelopment continues.  Major demolition and digging is now underway at (Key) Arena, with hundreds of daily truck hauls from the Seattle Center to I-5 and SR99.  If you get the opportunity to go up to the second floor at SIFF Film Center, you’ll get an amazing birds-eye view of the giant hole being dug under the Arena roof!  More information here. 

SR99 Tunnel Tolls expected to begin late summer. The exact timeline has not been shared, but we should expect a start date sometime in late summer.  Once tolling begins, the general pattern for drivers is to return to surface streets to avoid the tolls.  Stay tuned for more information as it’s shared by WSDOT.  More information on SR99 Tunnel tolling here. 

Need Help with a Location?  Hire a Local Locations Professional! 

Keeping your schedule is critical to the success of your production.  Navigating multi-location shoots requires intent and expertise.  When scouting and shooting, we always recommend hiring one of the region’s location professionals.  They are the experts and can help you navigate the landscape and permitting processes in Seattle and the region: 

• NWScouts.com:  Seattle region location scouts and managers 

• Reel Crew:  Washington Filmworks crew database 
• NWFilm.com:  Northwest Production Index  

Getting Around Town 

Be sure to take advantage of SDOT’s mobility assistance information, and north/south tunnel portal entrance/exit scenarios, as you plan for production and crew moves and mobility: 

• Video:  Plan your SR99 Tunnel route now 
• Blog:  Updates on traffic and mobility in Seattle 

• Webinar:  Seattle Squeeze Film Industry Webinar 

New and Improved Seattle Film Manual is Now Online! 

This comprehensive guide features new and up to date information on everything you need to know about procedures for filming on public property in Seattle. We encourage all filmmakers to give it a read, and to please pass it along to any productions coming from out of town. The manual can be found online at http://www.seattle.gov/filmandmusic/film/film-manual  

As always, please contact the Office of Film + Music any time if you have questions or input. 

Mayor Jenny Durkan announced Nesib “CB” Shamah as the recipient of the 14th Annual Mayor’s Award for Achievement in Film.

“I am proud to present the 2019 Mayor’s Award for Achievement in Film to CB,” said Mayor Durkan. “His work is a testament to the outstanding talent and ingenuity of Seattle’s creative community, and I applaud all he does to create opportunity for his fellow local filmmakers. CB both represents and has helped shepherd Seattle’s film industry and is incredibly deserving of this recognition.”

“It is truly an honor to be recognized with the Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film for doing something I love. I am humbled to have my name added to this list of award winners that have been and continue to be a source of inspiration for my work,” said Shamah. “The City of Seattle continues to support and foster Seattle film, and this award is proof of that.”

The Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film recognizes an individual or entity for exceptional work that has significantly contributed to the growth, advancement and reputation of Seattle as a filmmaking city. The award will be presented by Mayor Durkan at the Seattle International Film Festival Opening Night Gala on May 16.

Nesib “CB” Shamah is an Emmy-nominated producer and director best known for the music documentary, Welcome to Doe Bay, SJ Chiro’s Lane 1974 and the science fiction short film Haskell. He attended the Seattle Film Institute before producing and directing over 25 live music shoots and the music web series Destination Unknown. Shamah also led the renovation of the historic Columbia City Theater music venue.

Shamah has contributed to the Seattle film and music landscape for years, from his work on community advisory boards to financing and executive producing many local film projects. As a current board member of both the Satterberg Foundation and the Northwest Film Forum, Shamah advances social justice by telling unique stories in his own films and providing support for other artists to bring their visions to life on big and small screens.

The Mayor’s Award for Achievement in Film will be presented to Shamah at the SIFF Opening Night Gala, where local filmmaker Lynn Shelton’s newest film, Sword of Trust, will kick off the festival.

To learn more about the award and previous winners, visit seattle.gov/filmandmusic/film/mayors-film-award.

The Office of Film + Music, thanks in part to a partnership with Public Health – Seattle & King County, is supplying nightclubs with a lifesaving drug called Naloxone to use on people overdosing on opioids.

As part of the new program developed by Nightlife Business Advocate, Scott Plusquellec, club owners and staff will receive training on how to properly identify an overdose and administer the drug. The first training was on Monday night.

“Fortunately, opioid overdoses are rare in nightlife establishments,” Plusquellec said,” However we are aware of incidences where cocaine was laced with a deadly opioid fentanyl. We’re also hopeful the nightlife community can respond to incidences on the streets outside their venues should they see issues. We want to make sure everyone comes out, has a good time and gets home safely.”

“Naloxone saves lives by reversing opioid overdoses and can be effectively administered by anyone who receives training in how to use it. In 2018, we know of 2,235 overdoses that were reversed using naloxone in King County—and that number is likely even greater,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer, Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Partnerships like this one with nightclubs help us reach the social networks of those at risk for opioid overdose. If you know or are around people at risk for overdose, please carry naloxone and if you suspect a drug overdose, don’t be afraid to call 911 right way. The Good Samaritan Law serves to protect you.”

Cities throughout the United States are struggling with an ongoing opioid epidemic. In many cases, deaths can be prevented the use of Naloxone, a simple to use medication. Public health agencies are working hard to make life-saving drugs more readily available to the public.

“We need to do everything in our power to ensure that anyone who can save a life has the tools and knowledge to do so. I’m thankful Seattle’s nightlife community wants to be part of the solution,” Kate Becker, Director of the Office of Film + Music said.

Director of the Office of Film+Music and Special Events, Kate Becker shared her experience at the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival.

It is somewhat hard to believe that a little more than a week ago, I was leaving Reykjavík after a fabulous five days of music and fascinating meetings with Iceland’s music industry leaders. I got invited there unexpectedly. In April 2016, 28 music industry leaders from the Nordic countries came to Seattle for four days This Nordic Music Export industry group was comprised of music industry leaders from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. While here, they visited Sub Pop, attended KEXP’s Grand Opening, hosted panels and the interviews with local industry experts and attended a very special show in the space at the very top of the Smith Tower, compliments of musician Kris Orlowski. The Office of Film + Music had the distinct pleasure of hosting these folks. We talked at great length about Seattle’s creative economy and City of Music ™ strategy. One of the people who is most intrigued was Siggtrygurr Baldursson (aka ‘Siggi’). Not only was Siggi the drummer in the Sugarcubes, but he is also the director of Iceland Music Export.

Months after their visit, Siggi got back in touch to invite me to come on a hosted trip to Reykjavík during the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival. The goal of my participation was to be on a panel talking about Seattle’s music economy, and participate in a roundtable with Mayor Eggertsson and the Reykjavik City Council. Of course, I said yes.

On November 4, 2016, I was honored to be a panelist on a Music Cities panel that included Bengi Unsal (Southbank Centre Director, London), Scott Fetters (2112 Director, Chicago), and Tim Renner (Berlin Minister of Culture), moderated by Bjork Blondal, Reykjavik City Council President. A robust conversation ensued with many people from international cities interested in growing their music strategies and economies.

L to R: Kate Becker, Bengi Ungal, Tim Renner, Scott Fetters and Bjorn Blondal

Other highlights of the trip included a lunch with Mayor Eggertsson and the Reykjavik City Council. Seattle is Reykjavik’s only American Sister City, and so I was delighted to take Mayor Eggertsson a Louie Gong Eighth Generation blanket with warm wishes from Seattle. I was also taken to meet President Johannesson and First Lady Eliza Reid at their home, which was an extraordinary event. All of this was going on during Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik’s big music festival.

I was very proud to see Seattle represented on several stages at Iceland Airwaves. Notable Seattle acts, both of which were in large, full venues with international crowds were The Sonics and Digable Planets (not a Seattle band, but Ishmael Butler is Seattle-based now, and Tendai Maraire and Thaddeus Turner from Seattle performed with Digable Planets). City of Music™ hometown pride!

I flew back in time for Election Night in Seattle, but was so very honored to be hosted by the City of Reykjavik and represent our great city at an international music conference and festival.