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Seattle Film + Music Blog

Meet the Music Commission: Sue Ennis

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Sue Ennis

Seattle Music Commissioner Sue Ennis is Seattle-based songwriter who has co-written more than 70 songs for the Seattle band Heart (30 million records sold and 2013 inductees in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame). She has co-written songs for feature films including The Golden Child starring Eddie Murphy and Thomas and The Magic Railroad. Her hobby band, The Lovemongers, also appeared on the soundtrack of Singles. Sue teaches Music Business, Career Development and Songwriting at Shoreline Community College and Songwriting for Film for the Seattle Film Institute. She also serves as the Pacific Northwest Grammy Board’s national Trustee on the board of the Recording Academy.

We spoke with Sue about her career in Seattle’s music industry, how she approaches her work, and what advice she has for songwriters and musicians.

[Read more…]
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Mayor Jenny Durkan Announces 2019 Mayor’s Award for Achievement in Film

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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.

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#SeattleSqueeze Film Industry Update – April 2019

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Seattle Film Industry and Community:

It’s April!  The days are getting longer and warmer, and we’re seeing more productions come out of the studio and onto Seattle streets, sidewalks, and parks. The viaduct is nearly half gone, and Metro’s buses have vacated the downtown tunnels. Let’s take a look at film production permitting numbers in Seattle and a look-ahead to summer:

March Seattle Film Permits

Keep ‘em coming! As productions head outdoors, film permits are increasing. Film permits were issued for 41 film productions who hired 465 local cast and crew and filmed in all 7 Seattle Council Districts:

Production Type (41 permits in March)

  • 10 Commercial / Advertising
  • 5 Corporate / Industrial
  • 3 Documentary
  • 1 Music Videos
  • 11 Still Photography
  • 5 Student Film
  • 2 VR/ Augmented Reality
  • 4 TV / Series

Local Cast and Crew Hired

  • 465

Neighborhood Council District (showing productions with multiple shoots)

  • District 1 – 5 productions
  • District 2 – 5 productions
  • District 3 – 12 productions
  • District 4 – 5 productions
  • District 5 – 3 productions
  • District 6 – 8 productions
  • District 7 – 12 productions

New and Improved Seattle Film Manual is Now Online!

The Seattle Film Manual has made the transition to a completely online format!  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 seattle.gov/filmandmusic/film/film-manual.

Film Production in Seattle: Spring and 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. As other major construction haul routes and street closures are implemented during the #SeattleSqueeze, the Office of Film + Music will continue our work with SDOT, SPD, Metro, and other relevant agencies to identify in advance any new or updated restrictions.

SR99 Viaduct demolition continues through June. Several crews are currently deconstructing the viaduct in three places. As the scope of the deconstruction increases, so will the number and frequency of trucks hauling concrete and rebar. Impacts are expected to be greatest along the waterfront and the access streets leading to I-5 and SR99. More information here.

Arena redevelopment begins this spring. Having prepared the work zone around the arena, the Seattle Center Arena redevelopment work will transition to major demolition and digging, bringing more truck hauls from the Seattle Center to I-5 and SR99. More information here.

SR99 Tunnel Tolls expected to begin late summer. Just as we’re getting used to using the SR99 Tunnel, tolls will begin. 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:

The Office of Film + Music has partnered with Washington Filmworks to develop a multi-municipality network for back-up location options in cases where a requested downtown Seattle location is not available for filming.  Contact the Office of Film + Music for more information.

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

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

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Meet the Music Commission: Jennifer Czeisler

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Jennifer Czeisler headshotSeattle Music Commissioner Jennifer Czeisler currently runs Rogue Octopus, a sync licensing company focused on Northwest artists and labels, and previously served as Vice President of Licensing at Sup Pop Records for 16 years. A Seattle native and graduate from the University of Washington School of Law, Jen left her position at Sub Pop in 2012 to create Rogue Octopus. Over her years as a music industry attorney, Jen has negotiated and drafted hundreds of recording contracts, licensing agreements and foreign distribution agreements. Jen’s abilities have showcased themselves in music placements for Sub Pop bands The Shins, The Postal Service, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, as well as local indie artists on Rogue Octopus such as Tangerine, Smokey Brights, Hot Bodies In Motion, J. Pinder, Sweet Water and more.

We spoke with Jen about how she got into her career, her perspective on the local industry and her advice for artists who are just starting out. [Read more…]

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#SeattleSqueeze Film Industry Update – March 2019

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Seattle Film Industry and Community:

The last piles of February snow are finally melting, and we can now turn our focus to spring and summer film production season planning. The SR99 Viaduct has been closed for seven weeks, and the SR99 Tunnel has now been opened one month! Before we take a look at the next several months of the #SeattleSqueeze, let’s review February’s film production permitting numbers:

February Seattle Film Permits:  Business as Usual

More good news. You will recall that no Seattle film permits were denied during the three-week SR99 dual viaduct/tunnel closure. Once again, in February the Office of Film + Music did not deny or relocate any filming requests due to #SeattleSqueeze restrictions. Film permits were issued for 28 film productions who hired 329 local cast and crew and filmed in all 7 Seattle Council Districts. Additionally, the Office of Film + Music was able to re-issue permits for three productions displaced by snow/ice.

Production Type (28 permits in February)

  • 2 Commercial / Advertising
  • 3 Corporate / Industrial
  • 7 Documentary
  • 2 Music Videos
  • 5 Short Film
  • 5 Still Photography
  • 2 Student Film
  • 1 VR/ Augmented Reality
  • 1 TV / Other

Local Cast and Crew Hired

  • 329

Districts Filmed (showing productions with multiple shoots)

  • District 1 – 3 productions
  • District 2 – 1 productions
  • District 3 – 4 productions
  • District 4 – 2 productions
  • District 5 – 3 productions
  • District 6 – 4 productions
  • District 7 – 15 productions

Film Production in Seattle: Spring and 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. As Metro buses move to surface streets and major construction haul routes and street closures are implemented, the Office of Film + Music will continue our work with SDOT, SPD, Metro, and other relevant agencies to identify in advance any new or updated restrictions.

SR99 Viaduct demolition continues through June. Several crews are currently deconstructing the viaduct in three places.  As the scope of the deconstruction increases, so will the number and frequency of trucks hauling concrete and rebar. Impacts are expected to be greatest along the waterfront and the access streets leading to I-5 and SR99. More information here.

March 23: Metro buses move out of tunnel and onto surface streets. The bus tunnel is making its transition to light-rail-only, which means over 800 bus trips each week day will move out of the tunnel and onto surface streets on March 23rd. Many of these trips will move to 3rd Ave, primarily a transit-only street downtown, but many will not. The entry and exit points into and out of downtown will also change, adding more impacts to surface streets. The Office of Film + Music is working closely with Metro and SDOT to observe mobility constraints during this transition. More information here.

Arena redevelopment begins this spring. Having prepared the work zone around the arena, the Seattle Center Arena redevelopment work will transition to major demolition and digging, bringing more truck hauls from the Seattle Center to I-5 and SR99. The haul routes and times are anticipated to be announced and begin by end of March. More information here.

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

If mobility or restrictions impact your filming location options, call one of the region’s location professionals. They are the experts and can help you navigate the landscape and permitting processes:

The Office of Film + Music has partnered with Washington Filmworks to develop a multi-municipality network for back-up location options in cases where a requested downtown Seattle location is not available for filming. Contact the Office of Film + Music for more information.

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

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

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Meet the Music Commission: Tony Kiewel

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Tony Kiewel headshotSeattle Music Commissioner Tony Kiewel is currently Co-President of Seattle-based Sub Pop Records, where he has worked ever since moving to the city in 2000. Tony began his career at Sub Pop as the Commercial Radio Director but shifted to the A&R (artists and repertoire) department soon after his arrival. While overseeing A&R, he was responsible for bringing dozens of artists to the label, including The Postal Service, Sleater-Kinney, Father John Misty, Flight of the Conchords and David Cross.

Tony has been serving on the Seattle Music Commission since September 2016. We spoke with him about his career, challenges facing the local music industry and how the Commission is rising to meet those challenges.  [Read more…]

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Seattle Film Industry: What’s next after the SR99 tunnel opens?

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Seattle Film Industry and Community:

Congratulations on making it through the three-week SR99 dual viaduct/tunnel closure!  With the tunnel scheduled to open February 4th, we wanted to share a few planning, background, and preparedness notes as we move forward with the next phase of the #SeattleSqueeze.

Film Productions in Seattle During Tunnel/Viaduct Closure

Even with the street closure and traffic control permit restrictions in the downtown core, the Office of Film + Music did not deny any permit applications and issued permits for 24 film productions in 7 Seattle Council Districts who hired 245 local cast and crew during the three-week January 11-February 4, SR99 dual viaduct/tunnel closure:

Production Type

  • 8 Commercial / Advertising
  • 4 Corporate / Industrial
  • 3 Documentary
  • 3 Short Film
  • 2 Still Photography
  • 1 Student Film
  • 2 TV / Other
  • 1 TV / Series

Local Cast and Crew Hired

  • 245

Districts Filmed (showing productions with multiple shoots)

  • District 1 – 2 productions
  • District 2 – 4 productions
  • District 3 – 6 productions
  • District 4 – 7 productions
  • District 5 – 4 productions
  • District 6 – 5 productions
  • District 7 – 15 productions

Film Production in Seattle, Now Through 2024

As of February 4th, the downtown traffic control/street closure permit restrictions officially end.  Film permit requests from February 4th forward for downtown Seattle will continue to be accepted and assessed on a case by case basis.  Once the tunnel opens and residents and businesses settle into a new mobility norm, we will continue our work with SDOT, SPD, Metro, and other relevant agencies to identify in advance any new or updated restrictions.

In cases where a requested downtown location is not available for filming, the Office of Film + Music has contracted two location managers who are providing, in partnership with Washington Filmworks, regional options that can serve as location replacements.  These location managers are also available for assistance to out of town or other productions who may need assistance navigating the region’s permitting and landscape.

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

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

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2018 Look Back on Film & Special Events

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2018 in Seattle Film

The Office of Film + Music coordinates permissions for film productions to operate on public City of Seattle property by issuing Master Film Permits. A strong Seattle film industry is at the center of the local creative economy.

Scroll through our Instagram snapshot of the numbers from 2018:

View this post on Instagram

2018 was an amazing year for #filminseattle! Filmmakers, let’s take a look back at what you achieved: . . . 🎞 537 permits issued – a 10% jump over the last 2 years! 👩🏽‍💼5,610 local cast + crew hired 💰56% of all permits were Commercial Productions – year after year, commercial work takes up the bulk of productions in Seattle 🎥 21% of all permits were for Feature Film or Episodic Content, including “Language Arts,” a feature film which was filmed completely in Western Washington over the course of 30 days in the Summer of 2018 🎬 The remaining 23% were for other content including student films, web series, music videos, PSAs, VR/AR projects, and more 🏬 312 out of the 537 permits issued in 2018 were to production companies that defined themselves as a small business 🏞 95 of Seattle’s 485 beautiful public parks were used for filming in 2018 – and parks were used 520 times across all permits ☀️ The top 5 most frequently filmed parks were Gas Works Park, Kerry Park, Volunteer Park, Discovery Park, and Golden Gardens Park 🏙 42% of all permits were from production companies within Seattle 🏔 19% of permits were from production companies within the rest of Washington State ✈️ The other 37% of permits were from national and international production companies – largely Los Angeles and New York – but also England, Singapore, and Australia . . A strong Seattle film industry is at the center of the local creative economy. Cheers to the great work in 2018, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2019! #wecanpermitthisforyou #seattlefilm #filminwashington

A post shared by Seattle Office of Film + Music (@seattlefilmandmusic) on

2018 in Special Events

The Special Events Office operates within the Office of Film + Music, coordinating Special Event Permits for large or impactful public or private events (e.g., Seafair, Rock’n’Roll Marathon, Capitol Hill Block Party) and constitutionally protected free speech marches and rallies (e.g., Womxn’s March).

Here’s a snapshot of the numbers from 2018:

In 2018, 521 Special Event Permits were coordinated This included 426 Special Event Permits, 82 valet permits, and 13 charter vessel permits Total attendance at special events in 2018 was estimated at 2.3 million by event organizers The most popular neighborhoods for special events were Downtown, Queen Anne, Pioneer Square, South Lake Union and Capitol Hill 50% of events were free and open to the public 55% of events occur during the summer months - June through September There were 62 free speech events in 2018 19 events used public waterways 1,662 street segments were used for events There were 64 run/walk/cycling events throughout the year

  • In 2018, 521 Special Event Permits were coordinated
  • This included 426 Special Event Permits, 82 valet permits, and 13 charter vessel permits
  • Total attendance at special events in 2018 was estimated at 2.3 million by event organizers
  • The most popular neighborhoods for special events were Downtown, Queen Anne, Pioneer Square, South Lake Union and Capitol Hill
  • 50% of events were free and open to the public
  • 55% of events occur during the summer months – June through September
  • There were 62 free speech events in 2018
  • 19 events used public waterways
  • 1,662 street segments were used for events
  • There were 64 run/walk/cycling events throughout the year

2018 was an amazing year for film and special events in Seattle. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2019!

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City hosts opioid harm reduction training for club owners and staff

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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.

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Self Care and Activism: Ways of Living and Surviving in the Music Industry with Sharlese Metcalf

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At this month’s Mixer, special guest Sharlese Metcalf shared her talk entitled “Self Care and Activism: Ways of Living and Surviving in the Music Industry.” Whether it’s through her roles as Education Coordinator and DJ at KEXP, as a member of the TUF collective, or her work as a Music Commissioner, Sharlese has been a leading advocate in Seattle’s music scene for years. If you couldn’t make it to the Mixer, you can watch the full talk here, and we have also included Sharlese’s written script below.

During her talk, Sharlese shared her 26 ways of self care while working in the music industry:

  1. Wake up and don’t look at your phone. Take a walk instead.
  2. Don’t answer emails right away, they can wait.
  3. Take walking meetings at work, if you can. Don’t sit in a room with walls.
  4. Pack your lunch with healthy yummy things and eat your lunch away from your computer. They can wait.
  5. Write fan mail. Write a short letter or text to someone that you love or that inspires you and tell them you appreciate their work.
  6. Compliment someone. I have found that when I tell someone something nice, the impact is that it makes me feel good and them.
  7. Journal thoughts of gratitude.
  8. Meditate and breathe.
  9. Exercise. Do yoga. I do and DJ yoga quite often. You should come!
  10. Listen to your favorite songs and dance alone. Like DoNormaal’s ‘Ego Slave.’
  11. Massage your creativity, like make a mix of your favorite songs.
  12. Eat with intention. Cook your favorite meal. Plan ahead to do so.
  13. Address positivity at your organization. It’s easy to frustrated at work by things that happen. Make sure to talk to your co-workers and find ways to be happy.
  14. Find the good work of others happening in the world, especially in Seattle community and send them to people. It can inspire and motivate positivity.
  15. Find ways to turn the upside down, right side up. Meaning if you found something that’s sad or bad, find a way to bring people together to amplify your voices.
  16. Keep educating yourself. Take a class!
  17. Learn to say no without explaining yourself.
  18. Acknowledge yourself and your strengths and consider your value.
  19. Know peace.
  20. Respect, be kind and forgive yourself. You’re great!
  21. Be intentional and always know where you’re trying to go.
  22. Use your intuition to navigate better. Always trust your heart.
  23. Support live music! Going to show can mean the world for an artists and that in return will make you feel good. To be more real, support the arts! There are so many great artists in the Northwest and if you need help finding cool things to do, Artist Trust has a great calendar of full of statewide events to support. You can also find out about grant applying workshops and more there as well.
  24. Clean your space to your favorite album. It can be a trip to experience actually how an artist creates an album from start to finish.
  25. Spend time with friends and family. These people are some of the most important people in your life and they provide epic support.  
  26. Look up. Everyone looks down, but have you ever tried looking up? A teacher in college recommended that to me and it changes your perspective and you might learn something!

You can find Sharlese Metcalf on Twitter, Soundcloud, and read more about her on our blog. Read below for Sharlese’s scripted speech.  [Read more…]

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