The Film Task Force is a diverse group of film industry and community stakeholders that advise the Office of Film + Music and the City of Seattle on ways to best support and grow the local film industry and community. The Task Force has developed key priority subcommittees that are focused on equity and inclusion, the film commission, film production in Seattle, and making Seattle a prime location for film production.  

The Film Task Force works as representatives of the regional film community and industry, acting as their voice for the economic development of film in our region. The Film Task Force centers its representations with the understanding that the local film industry is the backbone of the content and creative industries, and its success is in the economic, cultural, and educational interest of the region.  

The Film Task Force’s Film Commission subcommittee has delivered structure and by-law recommendations for a Seattle Film Commission to the Office of Film + Music to replace. These recommendations were informed by reviewing the Seattle Music Commission structure and Film Commissions and advisory boards around the country. The Seattle Film Commission is intended to replace and further the work of the Film Task Force. The Film Task Force’s recommendations for a Seattle Film Commission include: 

• The Seattle Film Commission will act as an ordained advisory body to the Office of Film & Music, assisting and advising in its advocacy for and economic growth of the local film industry.  

• The Film Commission will advise the Office of Film + Music in promoting Seattle as a premier location for all forms of production: film, television, commercial, video game, animation, visual effects, and extended reality, including advising on. As part of this work, it will assist the development of marketing and sales efforts to retain and attract production in Seattle and develop tactics to strengthen the reputation of Seattle as a filmmaking city where ideas and filmmakers are born. 

• The Film Commission will assist and advise government agencies in regard to equity and inclusion strategies that increase access and provide resources, education, and opportunities for underserved groups, including persons of color, people of all genders, people with disabilities, and people of all ages in the film industry.  

• The Film Commission will advocate for and represent the local film industry to the City of Seattle, local communities, and businesses. The Film Commission members will represent each sector of the industry, composed of film crew, businesses, actors, educators, associations, festivals, and labor organization representatives to provide a diverse cross section of industry viewpoints and concerns.  

The Film Commission subcommittee have also recommended a public application and recommendation process be administered for applicants to the commission, with the diversity of members’ race, and gender a primary consideration.  

The Film Commission subcommittee has now transitioned to advisory work to address broader City policies supporting the local film industry and community.  The Film Commission subcommittee look forward to continued advisement and work with the City and Office of Film + Music as the Film Commission recommendations are considered.

We are happy to announce the two newest additions to the Office of Film + Music + Special Events team: Slade Burgess and Taylor Scaggs! Slade is the Office’s new Film Permit Specialist, handling the intake and expediting process of film permits. Taylor will be keeping us sane and organized as our Administrative Specialist, moving us forward at every turn. The addition of Slade and Taylor will strengthen our office’s continuing work to make Seattle an even better place for the creative industries to thrive. Come meet them both at the Film + Music + Interactive Happy Hour on March 30 at the Spitfire.

Washington Filmworks announced that the bill to increase and extend Washington’s Motion Picture Competitiveness Program did not move forward for a vote, effectively killing the legislation during this budget session.  With robust incentive programs in Oregon and Vancouver BC, the Office of Film + Music supported the legislation to extend and grow the Washington State film incentive program as the best tool for building and supporting a robust film industry in Washington.

“It is extremely disappointing the film competitiveness legislation did not move forward during this session,” says Office of Film + Music Director Kate Becker.  “The campaign and efforts to extend and grow the program during this legislative session were focused, strong, and well executed.  I want to thank the hundreds of local cast, crew, and industry professionals who took time out of their schedules to support the legislation.

Washington’s film incentive program is funded into 2017.  The Office of Film + Music is looking forward to coordinating incentivized film productions that will be filming in Seattle this and next year, and is committed to supporting future legislation to grow the program.

Office of Film + Music Director Kate Becker and Film Program Manager Chris Swenson met with State House and Senate lawmakers January 21 support of House Bill 2542 which would extend Washington State’s Film Competitiveness Program to 2023 and raise the annual fund cap to $10 million by 2020.  The meetings were part of Film Day in Olympia attended by over 200 Washington filmmakers.  “Mayor Murray supports the legislation to extend and grow Washington’s Motion Picture Competitiveness Program fund,” said Becker. “It is the local film industry’s best tool to stay competitive with other filmmaking regions, attract new film productions, and keep our filmmakers and talent working in Seattle and Washington State.” Becker was joined by Mike McCready (Pearl Jam, film composer), producers Lacey Leavitt (Eden, Lucky Them) and Jennifer Roth (Black Swan, World’s Greatest Dad), and film director Megan Griffiths (Eden, Lucky Them).

Office of Film + Music Director Kate Becker is in Olympia today to present Mayor Murray’s “Seattle Film Day” Proclamation, and to support the new legislation to increase funding for the state’s film competitiveness program. In 2015, legislation to increase the incentive fund was supported by Mayor Murray, but did not receive a vote before the end of the 2015 legislative session.

Commercialize Seattle is the business development campaign designed to attract local film production and advertising business. Commercial production is an important component of the statewide film industry and instrumental in creating jobs and keeping film industry professionals in Washington.

As 2015 comes to a close, we look back on some of the prominent commercial work that hired local crew and production companies, oftentimes using Seattle’s landmarks and neighborhoods as a backdrop.

Mercedes:
Mercedes visited Washington State to film footage for several national commercials highlighting their 2016 GLA model vehicle, hiring over 50 local crew and 50 extras over the course of a week. The commercial filmed in eastern Washington, and in Downtown Seattle and Capitol Hill.  A large portion of the filming took place at Rudy’s Barbershop and on 10^th Avenue between E Pine Street and E Pike Street on Capitol Hill. The commercials can be viewed online here and here.

Poweraid:
Poweraid filmed a national spot that featured Seahawks player Jimmy Graham.  The spot made use of locations in the University District, Georgetown, as well as several in Shoreline. The production hired over 35 crew over the course of several shoot days. The commercial can be viewed online here.

National Automotive Commercials:
Overall, it was a successful year for automotive commercials in Seattle, with Ford, Kawasaki, Mercedes, and Toyota all filming national spots and hiring large, locally-sourced production crews (follow links for video).

Locally-Produced Commercial Work and Corporate Videos
In 2015, Seattle area production companies created content for Microsoft (source: TriFilm), Visit Seattle (source: Society), and On Deck (source: Urban Legend), HTC (source: Vossler Media Group), and many more clients. In just a couple videos, you can watch products, technologies, and services as they are set against iconic backdrops like Gas Works Park, historic Ballard, and Pike Place Market, all created in 2015 by local crews working for Seattle area production companies. Additional examples can be found in the Latest Work section of the Commercialize Seattle website.

(Frame from Mercedes “Shattered,” filmed in Seattle in 2015)