Seattle filmmakers premiering at SXSW: Shep Films’ Prospect

March 8, 2018 by Laura Bet

2018 is a big year for Seattle at the SXSW Film Festival—three films from local directors are premiering there this week. One of those films is the sci-fi Western Prospect, the first feature-length project from local production company Shep Films.

Shep Films was created by Pacific Northwest natives Chris Caldwell and Zeek Earl. Graduating in the midst of the recession in 2009, Caldwell and Earl started their company small: they began filming commercials and built up their production apparatus over time. They were eventually able to produce their first short film, “In the Pines,” which screened at SXSW and other festivals in 2012.

Prospect began as a short film, which premiered at SXSW in 2014. It tells the story of a teenage girl and her father attempting to strike it rich on an alien moon before they run into danger. The short film caught attention at the festival, which led Shep Films to begin working on a feature-length script.

Even with support from established industry professionals, getting Prospect off the ground took time. “The first major challenge was getting the movie financed, being a first-time team,” says Earl. “We had several false starts.”

Having the script and a successful short film helped the team make their case to financiers and ultimately get funding. “I think particularly if you’re a first-time director, it’s useful to have this proof-of-concept short,” says Caldwell. “I think [with] the script alone, it would have been more difficult to get financed.”

Caldwell and Earl were set on making the film in Washington from the beginning. “The alien landscape for the majority of the film is the Hoh rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula, which is a location that both Chris and I had personal experience with hiking and backpacking. It was always this fun idea to cast that part of Washington as this alien planet,” explains Earl. “The forest itself is a big part of the movie.”

Caldwell also stresses the community aspect of their decision to film in Washington, “We’ve developed a good group of collaborators who are all based out of Seattle.”

Earl adds, “Even though the crew and filmmaking community in Seattle is small, it’s a very passionate, positive community.”

In collaboration with Seattle film crew and local creatives, Shep Films found ways to produce the props, costumes, and sets needed for their original world. “We needed the machine that could build all this stuff. The result was us pulling together our own shop, and it was kind of this eclectic mix of people from all backgrounds,” says Earl. People with backgrounds in everything from cabinet-making to cosplay worked together in the film’s warehouse in Wallingford. “All these unusual skillsets came together, which was probably the most exciting and gratifying part.”

The strength of Washington’s film community shines in its dedication and compassion, in Earl and Caldwell’s telling. “The crew went above and beyond,” says Caldwell. “L.A. producers would show up, and they’d be looking around amazed at how good the vibe is on set.”

Shep Films was met with support and advice from the local film crews and industry, as well as the Seattle Office of Film + Music as they learned the ropes of producing a full-length movie. “It’s great to have an advocate who can help us get through hurdles to get it done,” says co-producer Brice Budke, describing the Office of Film + Music’s support in navigating bureaucracy to secure long-term production and crew parking and assisting in securing film locations. “It’s nice to have one contact who can advocate across departments.”

Shep Films also got help and advice from a local producer and Mayor’s Film Award recipient Lacey Leavitt and other established Seattle filmmakers along the way. “It’s crazy because Lynn [Shelton’s] movie Outside In and Megan [Griffiths’] movie Sadie are both [screening at SXSW] too, and there are people who worked on all three films, and they’re all playing at South By this year,” says Earl. “So it’s pretty exciting.”

You can watch the trailer for Prospect here, and check out their other projects at shepfilms.com.

Media Arts Try-a-Trade event encourages students to pursue their creative passion

March 6, 2018 by Laura Bet

Students in a classroom working on a Photoshop tutorial.

Students in a Seattle Central College classroom working on a Photoshop tutorial.

About forty students from Franklin and Rainier Beach High Schools had the opportunity to try their hands at different creative trades at the first-of-its-kind Media Arts Try-a-Trade event last week, hosted at Seattle Central College.

The Try-a-Trade event was the result of a partnership between Seattle Public Schools, Seattle Colleges, and four City of Seattle departments. Students in the Seattle Central College Visual Media program led the high schoolers through different activities, all aimed at giving them a crash course in what it would be like to work in various visual media industries.

“Find something you can be passionate about in a career,” Seattle Central President Sheila Edwards Lange told the students at the start of the day. “Work doesn’t have to always feel like work.”

The high schoolers, all of whom are enrolled in similar classes at their schools, broke into groups and rotated through five stations: fashion photography, photo editing, video, portrait photography, and product photography. (Some of the students put the lessons they learned about photography and lighting to good use right away—by taking selfies with their classmates.) While enjoying lunch provided by Sizzle Pie, the students then had the chance to ask questions of a panel of industry professionals and graduates of the Seattle Central program.

Students participating in a fashion photo shoot.

While the City and local schools often collaborate on workforce development efforts, this was their first time applying the “try a trade” workshop model to artistic industries. Students are often encouraged throughout their K-12 education to pursue four-year degrees after high school, but this overlooks the many thousands of high-paying trade jobs that do not require an education at a university. Listening to the panel of professionals from employers including HBO and Nordstrom Studios, students saw first-hand that people who pursue technical education can go on to have lucrative careers doing what they love.

Events like the Media Arts Try-a-Trade are part of the City’s larger effort to help prepare students for successful careers. Learn more about how you can host youth interns at your organization this summer here.

Interested in other ways to share your industry expertise with young people? Sign up to offer other career-connected learning opportunities here. You can also sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on future events, and contact us with ideas or questions at filmandmusic@seattle.gov.

John Roderick on making it in the music industry

March 2, 2018 by Laura Bet

Seattle creatives joined the Office of Film + Music at KEXP for the February 2018 Mixer, featuring local singer/songwriter/guitarist/podcaster John Roderick. Mixer guests spent the first hour networking and enjoying drinks, before Roderick took the stage to give an overview of his life as an artist and lessons he’s learned along the way, along with a short Q&A session.

Roderick described a career full of mini-successes—making a living “one $160 check at a time.” Many artists don’t have a single big break and experience smooth sailing from there, but rather build their careers steadily over years. He advised the young artists in the crowd to stay humble and continue to say yes to even seemingly trivial opportunities, since even small checks add up over time. He also spoke about his experience dealing with mental health issues and their effects on his life and career.

You can find more information about John Roderick on his website, or follow him on Twitter.

The March Mixer will feature a presentation by Ventures, helping Mixer attendees translate lessons learned from Roderick’s talk into concrete steps they can take to make and save money for their creative enterprise. We’ll see you there on March 28, 5:00-7:00 p.m., at the Vera Project.

Film permitting is now online!

February 28, 2018 by Laura Bet

In its ongoing mission to make Seattle the premier location for film production, the Seattle Office of Film + Music has implemented a new online permitting tool for film permit applications. The new system streamlines the film permitting process for clients, and provides location managers with helpful information on popular Seattle filming locations.

“We’re thrilled to provide this new service to our film production clients,” says Office of Film + Music Director Kate Becker. “Along with our one-stop-shop coordination for filming on all public Seattle property, this online application portal will further help our clients get what they need, where they need it, through a faster and more comprehensive process.”

Since 1991, the Seattle Office of Film + Music has prioritized film production in Seattle with streamlined permission coordination and permitting. Continuously focused on creating the best starting point for film productions, the new online system will save time for both applicants and staff, so we can issue film permits faster and more efficiently!

Check it out at seattle.gov/filmpermit. Please reach out to filmoffice@seattle.gov with any questions.

Survey sheds light on state of Seattle’s creative economy

February 20, 2018 by Iqra Sharif

Darryl Anderson* is forty years old, and a Seattle native. Darryl has been working in video production at a local TV news station for fifteen years, and recently lost his job. With having to pay his own health insurance and rising housing costs, Darryl is uncertain of how to continue working and living in Seattle. Darryl is struggling to make a living as a creative professional in this city.

In order to better understand the state of Seattle’s creative economy and the challenges facing local creators like Darryl, the Office of Film + Music (OFM) conducted a Creative Economy Survey in September 2017. The creative economy is defined as the network of industries whose work, products or services are inherently creative or artistic. This includes sectors such as architecture, creative technology such as virtual reality, preforming arts, music, film and media, and other fields.

The Creative Economy Survey was an online questionnaire, distributed through OFM and partner organizations’ networks. This should be not viewed as as a scientific study or representational sample of the entire city. A forthcoming study will be designed to be more inclusive, comprehensive, and reflective of many facets of the economy. That said, of the 549 people who responded to this survey, we were able to begin to recognize some broad trends that will help inform future study. Here are some of our findings:

What do they need? #1: Affordable Housing

89% rated access to affordable housing as difficult or very difficult.

What do they need? #2: Affordable Workspace

82% rated access to affordable workspaces difficult or very difficult.

Who responded: race. 79% white respondents. 10% preferred not to answer. 4% African American. 4% other. 3% Asian American. 3% Hispanic/Latino. 1% American Indian/Alaska Native. .4% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.

79% of survey respondents were white, while 11% of the respondents identified as people of color, with 10% preferring not to indicate their race. For comparison, roughly 70% of Seattle’s general population is white and 30% are people of color.

People of color more often rated financial resources and professional development as “very necessary” to achieving success in their creative careers. 35% of people of color rated financial resources as very difficult to access, as opposed to 19% of white respondents.

The Office of Film + Music is committed to ensuring that all communities are fairly represented in the forthcoming study.

Survey respondents emphasized how much they value Seattle’s reputation as a creative and progressive city. In their view, the creative economy benefits Seattle by developing Seattle’s unique global identity, creating a sense of community and increasing cultural diversity. When asked about their vision for the future, they stressed the importance of affordability, maintaining a vibrant arts and culture ecosystem, and diversity and inclusion.

This initial survey laid the groundwork for the larger Creative Economy Study to be completed this year. The results of the study, in conjunction with other data, will help the City move forward in finding solutions to help artists and creative professionals live and thrive in Seattle.

Stay up-to-date on the Creative Economy Study and other news from the Office of Film + Music by subscribing to our newsletter.

*name has been changed to preserve anonymity

First Mixer of 2018 explores virtual reality

February 1, 2018 by Laura Bet

The Seattle Office of Film + Music’s first monthly Mixer event of the year allowed guests to immerse themselves in the latest virtual reality technology while networking with other industry professionals. Hosted this month at the Vera Project, attendees tried out HTC Vives and demos from multiple VR/AR/XR/360 video creators. Local nonprofit SIXR, UW CoMotion, and XR cinematic content creators Electric Dream Factory were all on hand to show guests the latest and greatest in this pioneering industry.

Seattle’s booming tech scene makes us one of the most exciting places to be in VR technology. The January Mixer showcased some of the best of this new technology and the possibilities it offers for new ways of filmmaking and creative storytelling.

The Mixer is held on the last Wednesday of every month, featuring rotating activities and presentations throughout the year. Guests of all ages are welcome to come enjoy food and drinks and mingle with Seattle’s creative professionals.

The Mixer will be hosted at Seattle Center throughout 2018, with February’s Mixer shaking down at KEXP on February 28. Have something you’d like to see at an upcoming Mixer? Email us at filmandmusicoffice@seattle.gov.

Workshop provides free business training to creative entrepreneurs

January 19, 2018 by Laura Bet

A pilot workshop held in late 2017 provided a group of Seattle-area artists and creative enterprises with free training on how to turn their creative passions into successful businesses. The two-day workshop, hosted by Ventures Nonprofit in partnership with the Seattle Music Commission and the Seattle Office of Film + Music, helped participants work through the basics of starting or growing their small business.

Ventures Nonprofit provides training, resources and mentorship for people with limited resources to be successful in entrepreneurship. This pilot workshop series, funded by the Seattle Music Commission, applied Ventures’ traditional business education to the world of film, media, music and dance. Participants worked individually and in groups to develop elevator pitches for their businesses, practice the nuts and bolts of finance, and more over the six-hour course.

View the workshop – divided into lessons on different topics – on OFM’s YouTube channel.

Stay tuned for information about future training opportunities.

Do you have feedback or ideas about supporting creative businesses? Email us at filmandmusicoffice@seattle.gov.

Screenings at SIFF: International Cat Day

November 3, 2017 by Laura Bet

Seattle has earned its reputation as a city of cat-lovers, so it comes as no surprise that an audience of over a hundred joined the SIFF Uptown Theater for an International Cat Day Celebration on October 29.

While SIFF is best known for its annual Film Festival held every spring (the largest film festival in the United States), it also hosts special screenings, educational events, and regular cinema programming throughout the year. Locally owned and operated since 1976, SIFF offers its patrons a bevy of unique films and events (and reasonably priced snacks) year-round at SIFF’s three classic movie houses. The National Cat Day Celebration featured a special screening of the documentary Kedi and hosted a cat toy-making station, courtesy of Mud Bay.

The screening began with a 50-minute curated selection of the best cat videos the internet has to offer, including an extended collection of the YouTube famous Maru and ending with the quintessential (and local!) keyboard cat. While most of us know what it’s like to watch a cat video at home, the SIFF show was a unique chance to watch along with a crowd of vocal and enthusiastic cat lovers.

The collection was followed by Cats of the Urban Wild, a 10-minute short film from the New Yorker about volunteer efforts to effectively and humanely control the overpopulation of stray cats in New York City.

The feature presentation, Kedi, is a critically-acclaimed documentary on Istanbul’s street feline population, directed by Ceyda Torun. The film is a charming series of vignettes on individual cats across Istanbul and the humans in their lives, all interspersed with beautiful, sweeping shots of the city.

As the audience was reminded at the beginning of the screening, “National Cat Day is not just a day to celebrate cats, but also remember there are lots of cats out there who need homes.”

You can find information about SIFF’s variety of upcoming events here. SIFF also offers year-round educational programming for youth, filmmakers, and the general public. See what they’re up to on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and on their very own media page.

Public safety at events in Seattle

October 5, 2017 by Joe Mirabella

The October 1 Route 91 Harvest Festival shooter attack was a horrifying event in American history. Our hearts are with the victims, the loved ones of those who lost their lives, the hundreds of injured attendees, the first responders and the medical community impacted by the senseless acts in Las Vegas. As our nation grieves, the country must grapple with what this attack means for the safety and security of our local events and festivals.

The Seattle Special Events Committee, law enforcement, and local event organizers work in partnership to do our best to prepare for events like the Las Vegas attack. While the Las Vegas shooter’s tactics were unprecedented, we have seen this type of violence before, and we have always sought to learn and grow from these tragedies. We are taking steps to ensure that event attendees in our city can feel safe and free to enjoy the activities they love.

Through the Special Event Committee process, City, County, and State departments and agencies review every Seattle Special Event request. With a focus on safety and security, the City assists event organizers by providing uniformed Seattle Police Department officers, canine units or military bomb squads at events as needed. The Seattle Fire Department also has dedicated fire and EMS response resources at large events and ensures adequate medical response staffing.

While we can’t always prevent tragedies that put people in danger, what we can do is take all steps to be prepared in advance and to be able to respond to emergencies, whether they are caused by natural disasters or by the work of people who seek to cause harm. Event staff and attendees need to be proactive and prepared—any suspicious activity observed or perceived should be reported immediately to on-site authorities and 9-1-1.

We as a City will continue to do everything in our ability to protect public safety, and we will partner with event organizers, staff, and event attendees to keep one another safe. Seattle is home to unique venues, bands, performers, and artistic communities—we can’t let fear keep us from enjoying the music and events that are the heart of our city.

Reporting was contributed by Laura Bet and Chris Swenson from the City of Seattle.

Giants in the Trees: Local Band, Former Nirvana Bassist

September 8, 2017 by Iqra Sharif

Krist Novoselic – the former bassist for Nirvana, has formed a new band. Giants in the Trees was formed in Wahkiakum County Grange, and have recently released their first single “Sasquatch.”

Although this isn’t the first band Novoselic has been in since Nirvana, it’s an exciting new project with experienced and talented musicians. Novoselic did some recordings with Foo Fighters, the band Nirvana’s former drummer, Dave Grohl founded after Kurt Cobain’s passing.

Giants in the Trees was created only last year, and have been mostly playing local small venues. Over the summer, they have played shows in Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Skamokawa and Olympia.

Jillian Raye, Erik Friend, Ray Prestegard and Novoselic met through the local Grange organization, and are heavily involved with environmentalism. The band values “inclusive democracy, humanity, peace, prosperity, sustainable living, compassion, community, decentralization.”

Giants in the Trees is still small and local, despite having former member of a widely recognized iconic band as their bassist.

Krist Novoselic is a Grammy award winner and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The band has been recording new music for a project that has yet to be titled.

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