EP NowStoreAcademySupportCommunityProducts by Country
Blog Home

Film Community and Industry Jobs Grow in Washington State

Thanks to new funding and a continuous effort by Amy Lillard, Executive Director of Washington Filmworks, WA becomes a sought-after filmmaker’s destination with diversity and opportunity
October 25, 2022

Joseph Chianese

EP Blog-WIDE-film community grows in WA

The Washington film community celebrated a huge win earlier this year when legislation ESHB 1914 increased the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program tax credit from $3.5 million to $15 million! It also increased the individual tax credit that a film can receive from $750,000 to $1 million.

This financial leap will expand Washington’s resources and create new opportunities to put their Northwest terrain, filled with rich rainforests and coastal metros, on the map as a filming destination for independents and studios alike.

Amy Lillard, Executive Director of the non-profit, Washington Filmworks, is the driving force behind the new legislation. After working as an independent film publicist in New York and Los Angeles for groundbreaking films such as ‘The Blair Witch Project,’ ‘American Psycho,’ and ‘Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels,’ she shifted her career toward supporting rising filmmakers. Today, she is dedicated to igniting a thriving film community across the entire state of Washington.

“I know the community. I care about these people. I always ask people what their superpower gift is, and I think mine is being a good organizer and creating programs,” says Lillard. “The business side of film is my jam. And so, I'm inspired by this community, and I love this community. It's just a joy to work for them.”

Amy Lillard_Washington Filmworks.jpg
Amy Lillard, Executive Director of Washington Filmworks (photo by J Ferguson Photos)

This passion flows through Lillard’s work and it shows. Over the past 15 years, she’s helped to grow Washington's film industry, boosting the economy and creating 24,800 jobs for local actors and crew members. Now, with the newly passed legislation and added funding, she’s ready to build on that foundation and make Washington a sought-after filmmaker’s destination.

What kind of films are best fit for Washington? No massive budgets are required. “We're not trying to be Atlanta,” says Lillard, “We're not trying to get the next Marvel movie. We're looking at that mid-level project and making sure that they have an exceptionally good filming experience.”

What Washington's new funding enhancements will offer filmmakers

With 4x the funding she had previously been given, Lillard and her team at Washington Filmworks are focused on extending a large part of the incentives toward building up historically excluded and rural communities throughout the state. The expansion of the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program also gives Washington Filmworks the legislative authority to provide career connected learning. Lillard and her staff plan to work toward funding projects that align with their values of telling stories from different perspectives, and helping young people realize that film is a viable employment path.

How else will the enhanced funding support Washington’s filmmaking community? Here’s a breakdown of what the enhancement offerings will provide:

  • 10% uplift if a project is telling the story of a historically excluded community
  • 10% uplift toward rural communities
  • $3 million reserved for films produced in Washington, by residents
  • Funding assistance for qualified in-state expenditures of up to 30% for motion pictures and episodic series with less than six episodes
  • Up to 35% for episodic series with at least six episodes
  • Funding assistance for qualified in-state expenditures of up to 15% for commercials

Some non-resident labor may qualify for a return of up to 15% if the production meets all eligibility criteria as detailed in the full Guidelines and Criteria, including but not limited to, utilizing at least an 85% Washington resident labor force.

Washington terrain and resources

Filmmakers who choose to shoot in Washington are fortunate to experience the rich terrain available to them!

“We have rainforests out on the Olympic Peninsula. We have deserts in the middle of the state. We have a huge agricultural section in Yakima in the middle of the state,” explains Lillard. “You can be on the water during the day and the snow in the mountains in the afternoon.”

The 2019 Sci-Fi Indie film, 'Prospect', starring Jay Duplass and Pedro Pascal, was filmed on a private land trust adjacent to Washington's Olympic National Park and was considered a love letter to Washington locations when it debuted. Directed by Seattle duo, Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell, the sci-fi western began as a short film that went on to sell out showings at SXSW and receive nearly half a million views on Vimeo.

Earl and Caldwell are now part of Washington’s filmmaking history, alongside other successful independent filmmakers, including Megan Griffiths, Lacey Leavitt, and the late two-time Emmy Nominated Lynn Shelton (‘Humpday,’ ‘Your Sister’s Sister’). Building on her legacy, the Lynn Shelton ‘Of A Certain Age’ Grant offers a project-based award to a woman, non-binary, or transgendered US director, aged 39 or older, who is creating their first feature film.

Midday Black Midnight Blue_photo Lovell Holder and Seal Tree LLC.jpg
Behind the scenes photo from 'Midday Black Midnight Blue' (photo by Lovell Holder and Seal Tree, LLC)

Since 30 of Washington's 39 counties are considered rural, Lillard was adamant about including enhanced incentives within the legislation to drive work within these communities. The 10% uplift for filming in rich rural lands around the state “allows [Washington Filmworks] to do infrastructure development to ensure that the communities where these productions are going to set up basecamp and shoot will be film-ready,” explains Lillard.

For filmmakers seeking soundstages, two main production facilities with soundstages are available in Washington: Studio A and Harbor Island Studios.

Studio A is a privately owned building which houses two soundstages with a total of 36,000 square feet of production space as well as production offices and post-production facilities.  Most recently, Studio A hosted the PureFlix episodic series, ‘Going Home’ starring Washington’s own Cynthia Geary (‘Northern Exposure’). 

Managed by King County in the greater Seattle area, Harbor Island is the largest space in the state, at 117,00 square feet, and recently hosted ‘Three Busy Debras’ starring Sandy Honig, Alyssa Stonoha, and Mitra Jouhari that went on to be featured on Adult Swim. With their recent $1.5M renovation, Harbor Island has plans to expand for larger productions to film there in the future.

In addition to these production facilities, Lillard takes pride in how welcoming the locals are,  supporting the needs of filmmakers who come to scout locations, “We have over 100 film liaisons across the state,” she explains. “These are people in communities across Washington that act as ambassadors for incoming projects. When we get an inquiry like, ‘I need a cabin in the woods,’ we'll go out to people [in the community] who might have that collateral to help the filmmaker find the land and location that best fits their request.”

Mentorship and workforce development

An important piece of the enhanced legislation includes additional funding for job training and professional development. Prior to the bill passing, Lillard piloted The Media Mentorship Program to kickstart workforce development. With the infusion of new funding, Washington Filmworks can now allocate $500,000 over the next two years, and $750,000 for the duration of the program until 2030, to advance what they started. The improved program initiative will be focused specifically on supporting rising filmmakers from underrepresented communities to engage in the Washington film industry.

Language Arts_photo credit Annabel Clark.jpeg
Behind the scenes photo from 'Language Arts' (photo by Annabel Clark)

“In a couple of years, all of these programs will be up and running in meaningful ways, and we will be supporting the next generation of Washington filmmakers through the small budget production initiative,” Lillard confidently explains. “We’re going to have more inclusive film sets and funding for different communities with diverse stories. We'll see them on screens, meanwhile making an economic impact on Washington state overall.”

Fueling the economy and aiding new perspectives of storytelling is the heart of Lillard’s mission at Washington Filmworks, “There's no gatekeeper here because we believe in bringing different people into the community. We believe that more diverse film sets make better projects” she says. “We're going to build that and change the dynamics. When you're looking at the 5-to-10-year plan in Washington, we want to be known as a filmmaking community of inclusivity.”

Empowered by her mission and the recently expanded funding, Lillard is rolling up her sleeves with renewed motivation and a greenlight from the state to grow the resources, opportunities, and talent to put Washington on the map as the next rising filmmaking destination in the US.

Related Content

Jane Corden, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand

Spotlight: Jane Corden, Managing Director, Australia & New Zealand Operations

8/29/2023
Meet the Australian production accounting and tax incentives expert who is helping EP invest in the future...
Topic: Spotlight
More

New BTL Training Program Launches in New Zealand and Australia

8/16/2023
Entertainment Partners powered by Moneypenny is set to provide much-needed below the line training...
Blog_SQUARE_NY Diversity Incentive

New York Takes Steps to Promote Diversity in Film, Television and Commercial Production

6/20/2023
New legislation in the empire state aims to require production companies to report diversity hiring data,...
Advance your career with EP Academy_sq

Advance Your Production Career with the EP Academy

5/18/2023
From production accounting basics to technology certifications, EP’s online courses offer one-of-a-kind...
PGGB and Entertainment Partners: Step up to Production Accountant

Entertainment Partners Supports PGGB’s Step Up to Production Accountant Programme

5/15/2023
Supporting UK crew transitioning to production accountant roles, Entertainment Partners sponsors the...
Screen Alliance Wales

Entertainment Partners Announced as Official Sponsor of Screen Alliance Wales

5/5/2023
EP sponsors Screen Alliance Wales, a leading not-for-profit which grows and promotes the talent, crew and...

ScreenSkills Launches Movie Magic Training Programme for UK HETV Professionals

4/24/2023
Entertainment Partners supports ScreenSkills’ training programme to upskill UK HETV professionals on Movie...

Extended Film Incentive Revitalizes Massachusetts Film Industry

4/11/2023
Massachusetts legislators signal to producers that the state is committed to the film & television...

Illinois’ Film Scene Grows to New Heights with Expanded Tax Incentives

2/15/2023
For over 100 years Illinois has supported the film industry and thanks to recently passed legislation, the...

Minnesota Becomes Land of 10,000 Opportunities with New Incentive Launch

9/29/2023
Minnesota introduces a new tax incentive program to renew the state’s status as a dynamic location for...
Georgia Incentives Panel_sq

GA Incentives Insider: Your Questions Answered

9/27/2023
Brian Shanaghan, Audits Manager at the Georgia Department of Revenue (GA DOR), addresses the industry's...
Film crew on location filming outdoors

Production Incentives Update: September 2023

9/27/2023
Insights on recent changes to production incentive programs in D.C., Kentucky, Montana, Ohio and Ontario.
Expert Advice_Sam Collett

Spotlight: Sam Collett, UK Production Accounting and Incentives Expert

9/19/2023
Meet the Senior Partner at FLB Accountants, an Entertainment Partners company specializing in UK media and...
Master Series_UK Incentives Panel_Square

What's Changing in UK Production Incentives

9/15/2023
Learn about the recent changes to the UK Creative Sector Tax Credits and how they might impact your next...
EP Blog_SQUARE_UK cultural test

Understanding the UK Cultural Test

9/12/2023
Find out whether your film or TV show will pass the UK’s Cultural Test, a key step in qualifying for the...
Master Series Australia Offset Square Thumbnail

Discover All About Australia's Location Offset

8/30/2023
Australia's Location Offset rebate skyrocketed from 16.5% to 30%! Learn about the requirements and how...

Production Incentives Update: August 2023

8/25/2023
Recent changes to production incentive programs across the US and Thailand.
Woman using a blue and black calculator

Multi-State W2s: Taking Credit for Work State Taxes

8/22/2023
Tax filing guidance for production workers employed in multiple states in the same tax year.
Pre-employment Checks to Consider Before Contracting Crew on UK Productions

Pre-employment Checks to Consider Before Contracting Crew on UK Productions

8/18/2023
A comprehensive overview of the checks you may like to consider when crewing up on UK productions and what...
Topic: Legal
More
EP Blog_SQUARE_Brian Freesh

Meet the Steadicam Operator

8/8/2023
A conversation with Brian Freesh (‘Babylon,’ ‘Gaslit,’ ‘American Ninja Warrior’)
Newsroom-Thumbnail-480-if

Screen Australia announces $1.7 million for below-the-line training initiatives

7/27/2023
Training initiatives are taking shape, with the agency unveiling the recipients and host companies for BTL...
EP Blog_SQUARE_Changes to UK Tax Credit

Preparing for the Upcoming Changes to the UK Creative Sector Tax Credits

7/25/2023
Understanding the UK's Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC), Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC), and...
Newsroom-Thumbnail-480-Ausfilm

Expanding Opportunities Through Training and Capacity Building

7/6/2023
Location Offset eligibility requirement for a commitment to training and capacity building remains...

Welsh Film & TV Industry Goes from Strength to Strength as Key Partners Pledge Support

6/30/2023
Bad Wolf’s Jane Tranter and other women working in Welsh film and TV recently attended a networking event...

Meet the Director

6/27/2023
A conversation with Brian Dannelly ('Saved,' 'Pushing Daisies,' 'Queer as Folk')
SQUARE_Step up to Production

EP Partners with PGGB to Deliver Step Up to Production Accountant Programme

6/20/2023
Entertainment Partners and PGGB deliver online training programme for new and aspiring production...
EP legal and compliance: Proposed changes to IR35 for productions

Proposed Changes to IR35 Rules: What They Mean for Productions

6/16/2023
Proposed changes to the UK IR35 rules could end the double-tax headache that has plagued both production...
Topic: Legal
More

Entertainment Partners Offers Free Accounting & Payroll Courses During WGA Strike

6/5/2023
Entertainment Partners, the global payroll and production finance firm, is offering its entire lineup of...

Meet the Production Coordinator

5/30/2023
A conversation with Tim Smith ('The Good Doctor,' ‘Okja,' 'Blair Witch')

Tax and Compliance: What to Know About Working with a Loan-Out Company

5/23/2023
Learn which states impose a tax on loan-outs and what steps you need to take to be compliant with state...
Master Series_Square_Tax Considerations Abroad

Tax Considerations for US Productions Working Abroad

5/4/2023
Paying US crew filming outside of the US is complex. Our experts will show you how to navigate the...

Meet the Stunt Coordinator

5/2/2023
A Conversation with Jason Rodriguez ('Yellowstone,' 'The Last Castle,' 'Iron Man')
EP Blog_SQUARE_Rigging Gaffer Adam Harrison

Meet the Rigging Gaffer

4/4/2023
A Conversation with Adam Harrison (‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Spider-Man: No...

'Yellowstone’ Pushes Texas to Up the Ante to Court Film and TV Projects

3/27/2023
New Mexico, Louisiana and Oklahoma in 2022 saw more than $1.5 billion from film and TV productions. Texas...
Woman looking at working schedule on laptop

Types of Working Days in the UK HETV Industry – And What They Mean

3/14/2023
Key types of working days to be aware of if you’re producing scripted TV in the UK.
Topic: UK
More
INDUSTRY NEWS_EP at Sundance Film Festival 2023

Entertainment Partners Hosted Incentives Panel at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival

3/3/2023
EP's Joe Chianese led an expert panel of film commissioners from across the globe discussing incentives,...
INDUSTRY NEWS_SQUARE_uk flag_big ben

Update on UK Film and TV Tax Relief Consultation

2/20/2023
A look at how the UK government aims to modernise existing tax reliefs to better serve film industry...
Topic: UK
More
EP Blog_SQUARE_London Background Actors

London Productions: Key Things to Consider When Working with Background Actors

2/16/2023
Is your production filming in or around London? Don't overlook the special rules that may apply to your...
Topic: UK
More

Payroll & Finances

PayrollResidualsSmartStartNew SmartTimeProduction PortalEP On LocationSmartAccountingEP LiveSmartPOCASHétPayPaymaster Rate GuideEP Residency

Manage Multiple Productions

AssetHubSmartHub
Subscribe now

Be an industry insider with EP's
newsletters and alerts

LegalPrivacy NoticeSecurity
© 2023 Entertainment Partners. All rights reserved.