Motion Picture Competitiveness Report — Annual Report to the Washington State Legislature (January 2024)
Summary
Motion Picture Competitiveness Report, an annual report to the Washington State Legislature pursuant to RCW.43.365.020, dated January 2024, from the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness. The report reflects the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. It states that Chapter 270, Laws 2022 increased the funding cap for the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program to $15 million a year. The key findings state that the two union strikes with Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA had a global impact and that there is now a film contact in every county across Washington State. The recommendations section says there is not yet enough data for effective program analysis.
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Motion Picture
Competitiveness Report
Annual report to the Washington State Legislature pursuant to
RCW.43.365.020
January 2024
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND
COMPETITIVENESS Report to the Legislature
Director Mike Fong
v3.4
Acknowledgments
Washington State Department of Commerce
Chris Green, Assistant Director, Office of Economic
Development and Competitiveness
Shannon Halberstadt, Creative Economy Sector
Lead, Office of Economic Development and
Competitiveness
Washington Filmworks
Amy Lillard, Executive Director
Julie Daman, Director of Operations and Finance
1011 Plum St. SE
P.O. Box 42525
Olympia, WA 98504-2525
www.commerce.wa.gov
For people with disabilities, this report is available on
request in other formats. To submit a request, please
call 360-725-4000 (TTY 360-586-0772)
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 2
2.0
Table of Contents
Executive summary...................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Certified and complete statistics .................................................................................................................. 4
Film office ................................................................................................................................................... 5
Diversity, equity and inclusion in Washington's film industry ......................................................................... 6
Implementing the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program ........................................................................ 7
Projects funded: July 2022 - June 2023 ....................................................................................................... 9
Appendix A: Summary descriptive statistics ............................................................................................... 14
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 1
Executive summary
Overview
The Legislature created the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program (MPCP) in 2006 to attract and retain film
industry investment in Washington (Chapter 43.365. RCW).
Chapter 270, Laws 2022 increased the funding cap for the MPCP to $15 million a year. The legislation includes
several other provisions that expand and strengthen the statewide film industry, including:
Additional incentives for projects filming in rural jurisdictions and for films that tell stories of historically
underrepresented communities
A workforce development mandate to better support people from underrepresented communities
Support for small budget productions creatively driven by Washington residents
Extended sunset date of the program to 2030
Legislative mandate
This report reflects the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, and is required annually to the Legislature
pursuant to RCW.43.365.020 (12):
By December 31, 2022, and annually thereafter, the department on behalf of the board, must report to the legislature
on the approved MPCP. This report may include information required in the survey established in RCW 43.365.040.
At a minimum, the report must include an annual list of recipients awarded financial assistance from the prior year
with total estimated production costs, locations of each production, and the boards progress towards the goal of at
least 20 percent of its funding assistance provided to motion picture productions located or filmed in rural
communities and 20 percent of its funding assistance provided to motion picture productions that tell stories of
historically underrepresented communities. The report must also include information on workforce development,
career connected learning, and business development activities, including whether they have been scaled up in size
from the previous year and how they are meeting the goal of supporting people from historically underrepresented
communities.
Key findings
The two union strikes with Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA had a global impact. Films need several
months of development before production can begin and projects were hesitant to commit to a region without
clarity of what was happening with the strikes.
Much of the work in FY 2023 focused on better supporting local filmmakers with the Small Budget Production
Initiative (SBPI) as well as the development of Above-the-Line Education Form and Mentorship. These key
investments will make Washington State known as a home for independent filmmakers with diverse voices
and new stories.
During this reporting period, Washington Filmworks focused on developing relationships and assisting in
building film resources to help make rural communities 'film ready,' There is now a film contact in every county
across Washington State and a plan to launch a national marketing campaign to attract commercials to the
rural destinations.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 2
The resources of the film office were also significantly expanded with updated location photos, a new tool to
report projects filming in Washington State and began quarterly meetings for location scouts and regional
contacts.
Washington Filmworks Board of Directors approved its first ever Equity Charter that will guide the work of the
organization and its Equity Committee.
Recommendations
During the reporting period Washington Filmworks developed and launched new programs to support the
provisions in Chapter 270, Laws 2022. These provisions included a goal of at least 20 percent of funding
assistance provided to motion picture productions located or filmed in rural communities, and 20 percent of
funding assistance provided to motion picture productions that tell stories of historically underrepresented
communities. Because the programs to support these provisions have only recently launched, there is not yet
enough data for effective program analysis. Continued program implementation, and data collection and
analysis is recommended to include in future legislative reports, ensuring the programs are effectively meeting
the intent of the provisions.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 3
Introduction
In response to the proviso, this report includes an annual list of recipients awarded financial assistance from
the prior year with total estimated production costs, locations of each production, and the boards progress
towards the goal of at least 20 percent of its funding assistance provided to motion picture productions
located or filmed in rural communities and 20 percent of its funding assistance provided to motion picture
productions that tell stories of historically underrepresented communities. It also includes information on
workforce development, career connected learning, and business development activities, including size
comparison with the previous year and diversity, equity and inclusion of people from historically
underrepresented communities.
Washington Filmworks
Washington Filmworks is a private non-profit organization that manages the MPCP and an array of resources
that support the creative industries. The mission of Washington Filmworks is to create economic development
opportunities by building and enhancing the competitiveness, profile and sustainability of Washington’s film
industry.
Washington Filmworks offers two funding assistance programs:
1. Production Incentive Program
This program is designed to support larger budget productions that provide health and retirement benefits
for Washington cast and crew. To qualify for funding assistance, a production must meet the following in-
state spending minimum thresholds:
$500,000 for motion pictures
$300,000 per episode for episodic series
$150,000 for commercials (filming in rural counties)
2. Small Budget Production Initiative Program (SBPI)
Designed to invest in emerging Washington State filmmakers by providing an early stage funding
commitment and funding assistance for motion picture content. The motion picture budget must be
between $20,000 and $1M and have a minimum of two Washington residents in the positions of director,
producer, screenwriter or lead actor.
Washington Filmworks also provides the services of the statewide film office which includes sharing
resources with film productions and communities.
Certified and complete statistics
RCW 43.365.040 requires Commerce to provide specified summary statistic as follows:
(6) The department must use the information from this section to prepare summary descriptive statistics. The
department must report these statistics to the legislature each even-numbered year by September 1st. The
department must provide the complete annual surveys to the joint legislative audit and review committee, which shall
perform a review as required under RCW 43.365.050.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 4
This report covers the period from July 2022 - June 2023. During this reporting period, Washington Filmworks
provided $2.56 million in funding assistance, resulting in over $8.5 million in qualified spending within local
communities and over 900 jobs for Washington residents. Appendix A provides a full summary descriptive
statistics for all productions approved for funding assistance through June 30, 2023.
It is important to note when considering these data points, that while Washington Filmworks focuses on
attracting moderately budgeted independently funded narrative projects, the discussion of a potential Screen
Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike which began in
January 2023, slowed production nationwide. With the SAG-AFTRA strike in effect starting in July, along with
the WGA strike from May through September combined with the difficulty in getting a SAG-AFTRA waiver
slowed production in the PNW in this fiscal year.
Film office
Washington Filmworks provides the services of the statewide film office. These services continue to drive
significant economic development opportunities across the state that are not included in the MPCP reporting.
The following are examples of the variety of projects that Washington Filmworks’ film office has attracted
within this reporting period:
Bridgestone / National Commercial - Rural Counties
Chevrolet / National Car Commercial - Kittitas County
Electric State / Feature Film - San Juan County
Little People Big World / Reality Series / The Learning Channel - Clark County
NFL / Amazon / National Commercial - King County
North Face - Summer of Pride 2023 / National Commercial - Whidbey Island - Island County
Race to Survive / Reality Series USA Network - Leavenworth County
Rivian Electric Truck - frenchman Coulee - Grant County - Mason County - Thurston County
Washington State Lottery / Regional Commercial - King County
The total economic impact of projects coming through the Film Office is difficult to quantify as it is self-
reported. The jobs generated by the Film Office and incentive program work to provide local cast and crew
family wage jobs and sustainable careers.
Much of the work of the film office focuses on making sure that production works for both communities in the
state and for production companies. Washington Filmworks staff hosts quarterly meetings with over 50
regional film liaisons and contacts to provide insight about how to work productions. Past guest speakers
include location scout Dave Drummond who discussed the resources productions need while on location, Film
Manager Chris Swenson from the City of Seattle to discuss best practices for permitting and staff provided a
training session for Washington Filmworks’ Reel-Scout Location Database so that film liaisons can upload
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 5
location photos to help market their jurisdiction. This has resulted in over 175 new locations to market in
Washington. Staff has also started to design a tool kit to help jurisdictions become ‘film ready’ and includes a
list of ten questions to ask a film production that wants to film in your jurisdiction and a one sheet on when
you should (or should not) sign a non-disclosure agreement.
The film office also convenes professional location scouts in Washington State quarterly to facilitate meetings
with key agencies that often work with high impact productions. Meetings are focused on sharing the agency’s
safety and permitting protocols and working with location managers to understand and find solutions to
filming in high impact locations. Generally 8-10 location managers are in attendance and executives from the
WA State Department of Transportation, the Department of Fish & Wildlife and WA State and National Parks
have all participated.
In an effort to better capture the economic impact of the projects that are generated through the film office,
Washington Filmworks recently launched List Your Project. Via this online portal, clients can tell the office the
basic information about the project including production dates, budget and number of local cast and crew
hired. The portal also invites clients to request information and support for filming in Washington State. In the
first month of its official launch, Washington Filmworks tracked a total of 47 unique projects interested in
filming in Washington State.
Diversity, equity and inclusion in Washington's film
industry
Working with Epiphanies of Equity, Washington Filmworks’ Board of Directors has written and approved its first
ever Equity Charter. Not only does the charter define the mission, vision and values of the organizations
diversity, equity and inclusion work but it also provides a road map for the organization’s Equity Committee.
The committee serves as an advisory board to Washington Filmworks’ Board of Directors and will provide film
industry insight and input from historically underrepresented communities in order to foster diversity, equity
and inclusion within the organization and the statewide film industry. The Equity Committee will also hold the
organization accountable for the integration of diversity, equity and inclusion into all aspects of its work. The
Equity Co-Chairs recruited its inaugural five members and will do an open call for additional members in 2024.
Washington Filmworks is also engaging with the Governor’s Subcabinet on Business Diversity for the Office of
Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises as well as a variety of community organizations that support
underrepresented communities to share more about the work and invite feedback and conversations.
In addition to seating individuals on the Equity Committee, Washington Filmworks has continued to financially
support approved productions in hiring local production assistants from underrepresented communities. This
entry level position allows emerging film crew the opportunity to work on a professional film set. Hali Mortel
had the opportunity to work on the episodic series Going Home, Season 2, and had this to say about the
experience.
"Being a Production Assistant through Washington Filmworks gave me an opportunity of a lifetime. It gave me
the opportunity to work closely alongside each department and learn how they function. The Spokane Film
community welcomed me with open arms and no hesitations, an absolute dream come true."
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 6
Implementing the Motion Picture Competitiveness
Program
Chapter 270, Laws of 2022 enables Washington Filmworks to better support the film ecosystem by providing
career connected learning opportunities and workforce development initiatives. Washington Filmworks has
also initiated a business development plan to market the state as a destination for motion picture content to
meet the goals of the program. Washington Filmworks continues to work with the film industry and community
partners to design impactful new programs that will set the industry up for success and help build the future of
film in Washington.
Small Budget Production Initiative
Washington Filmworks launched the SBPI on May 15, 2023. The program is designed to support emerging
resident filmmakers with early stage funding commitments and funding assistance on projects budgeted
between $20,000 - 1 million. These smaller budget productions provide an excellent training ground for
emerging above-the-line (cast, director, producer, screenwriters) and below-the-line (crew) individuals as they
work in collaboration on a professional film set.
Washington Filmworks received 78 applications and Washington Filmworks approved 22% of the applications.
Applications were received from 35 unique cities across the state and included a wide variety of narrative
projects including short films, feature films, episodic series and documentaries. Washington Filmworks
announced the next application window for the SBPI will open in February 2024.
Workforce development
Section 13 of the bill requires that Washington Filmworks invest at least $500,000 in fiscal years 2023 and
2024 and $750,000 per year from fiscal year 2025 until the program sunsets on workforce development for
individuals from underrepresented communities.
In summer 2023 Washington Filmworks launched FWD (spoken as the whole word: forward), the new
Workforce Development office for the organization. This office uses a community informed approach to create
statewide plans, programs, and resources to build the depth and breadth of the statewide film industry
workforce. FWD aims to support and amplify efforts to ensure that the workforce is diverse and inclusive, and
that career pathways are equitable and accessible.
Above-the-Line and Mentorship Program
Informed by a wide array of stakeholders including unions representatives, community non-profits, career
technical education professionals, community colleges and university educators and resident cast and crew,
Washington Filmworks designed the Above the Line Education Forum and Mentorship Program (formerly
known as EMERGE).
This paid program invites 30 emerging Washington State directors and producers to participate in a 12 week
educational forum that will cover working in Washington, legal basics, budgeting, financing and marketing /
distribution. Upon completing the Education Forum, participants are eligible to apply for the mentorship which
will pair mentors with producer / director teams to move their projects forward. The application window for the
program opened September 6, 2023 and is now closed. The full guidelines and criteria were available on
Washington Filmworks website.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 7
Career Connected Learning
Commerce financially supported a series of short educational videos in spring 2023 to be used by educators
across the state to inspire their students to consider a career in film. Produced by Warren Etheredge, the four
videos feature guests attending the 2023 Seattle International Film Festival and provide insight about how to
break into the business as well as the challenges and joys of working in the film industry. The videos feature a
wide array of film professionals including Academy Award winning documentarian Melanie Miller, Chief
Storyteller at the Belief Agency Brian MacDonald, and actor and producer KK Apple. The videos will be posted
on Washington Filmworks’ website in 2024.
Washington Filmworks also piloted a program with Spokane Falls Community College to test a film industry
technical education platform with students. Many students go to film school with the aspiration of becoming a
director, but that level of accomplishment is rarely achieved as a recent graduate. The film industry technical
education program identified specific career entry points in film crafts and departments where recent
graduates can gain the industry experience needed to achieve the goal of being a director. Students
participated in post-program survey, and Spokane Falls Community College Program Lead for Filmmaking Ira
Gardner shared, "Student feedback expressed a profound sense of learning and the survey expressed possible
career pathways, which included being a director, and acknowledging there were many pathways to getting the
necessary skill set for that role."
Business development
Commerce financially supported location scouting to provide photographs of rural locations for Washington
Filmworks internationally searchable film location database. These photographs will be used in a national
campaign to attract commercial production companies to film in Washington State, supporting the enhanced
incentive for filming in rural counties.
Much of Washington Filmworks’ marketing efforts have focused on increasing awareness about the new
opportunities for local filmmakers including the SBPI and the Above-the-Line Education Forum and Mentorship.
Washington Filmworks’ Manager of Rural Economic Development was deputized to do strategic outreach to
help recruit participants for these new programs and to talk about the Rural Enhanced Incentive, leading to
positive press around the state such as this cover story in Wenatchee World.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 8
Projects funded: July 2022 - June 2023
Title: Dreamin’ Wild
Official website: https://www.dreaminwildmovie.com/home/
Filming dates: October 2021 - November 2021
Where to see: Roadside Attractions Theatrical Release August 2023 / Streaming Platforms
Synopsis: The story of musical duo Donnie & Joe Emerson, whose family leveraged their farm in the 1970s to
produce the brothers’ record Dreamin’ Wild. The album languished until it was rediscovered nearly 30 years
after its release, creating an unexpected music career for the Emerson Brothers.
Where filmed: Spokane and Fruitland
Notable: Acclaimed producer Bill Pohlad (Into the Wild / 12 Years a Slave), returned to the directing chair after
25 years to helm the critically acclaimed biopic Dreamin’ Wild, starring Casey Affleck, Noah Jupe and Zooey
Deschanel. Pohlad took the entire cast and crew to Fruitland, Washington to film scenes on the Emerson Farm
where the brothers wrote the original music. The film premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival
in fall 2022 and Pohlad and his team returned to Spokane to host a hometown screening at the Bing Crosby
Theatre in spring 2023.
Music journalist Steven Kurutz is often credited with putting the Emerson brothers on the music map when he
reported on the Dreamin’ Wild album 25 years after its release in a New York Times article. After visiting the
Emerson family at the farm for the story, Kurutz reports, “I was so profoundly moved after meeting the
Emersons that I remember thinking on the flight back home, "I better not screw this up. I just wanted to do right
by them. I have no story to rival that in my career. It was such a rich experience meeting them.” (Spokesman
Review, July 30, 2023). Fans of the music can buy the film’s soundtrack from Shoreline based music label
Light in the Attic.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 9
Photo Credit: Washington Filmworks
Title: Penelope
Official website: none
Filming dates: September 2022 - October 2022
Where to see: In Post-Production
Synopsis: Helmed by Washington resident Mel Eslyn, the episodic series stars Megan Stott (Little Fires
Everywhere). The eight episode series tells the story of Penelope, a sixteen-year-old feeling out of place in a
society that seems to be moving on without her, and she is drawn to the wilderness where she begins forming
a new life for herself.
Notable: Writer, director, producer Mel Esyln had a clear vision for the episodic series Penelope. “I’d say what
really spoke to me about Penelope and needing to make it was the pull of escapism and trying to listen to the
needs inside yourself and figure out how to satisfy them.” To prepare for production, Eslyn started taking
classes at the Wilderness Awareness School and a Surviving in Washington State course which taught her how
to survive off the land. When asked her opinion about production incentive programs, Eslyn said, “I would say
that a state incentive goes into every decision I make on where to shoot a film or television series.”
Producer and Unit Production Manager Meghan Mowery was responsible for day-to-day operations on the set
and raved about the production’s experience in Arlington, WA. “What we’ve really been able to do here in
Arlington is to capture a whole bunch of different landscapes and we don’t have to traverse the whole state in
order to get different looks.” Mowery also volunteered that Washington Filmworks is a key partner for
productions. “One of the things that Washington Filmworks has been able to do is help bridge the gap between
the film industry and the communities and government. Washington Filmworks is invested in the well-being of
the film industry and the well-being of the state and the cities as a whole. And I think that that's pretty
incredible. I mean, they're really on the ground with us, we can call them, and they will be there, can problem
solve with us and be a resource. And I think that that's really special and unique to Washington specifically.”
Between July 2022 and June 2023, Washington Filmworks approved two additional productions. Season 2 of
the episodic series Going Home filmed in October/November of 2022 and independent feature Tim Travers
filmed November/December of 2022. Because these productions had not yet finished with the completion
package review process, the descriptive statistics and additional information is not included in this report.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 10
Descriptive statistics
Certified and complete statistics
Attached as Appendix A are summary descriptive statistics for all productions that have been approved for
funding assistance, completed principal photography and been reviewed by Washington Filmworks through
June 30, 2023.
Projects surveys
In order to recognize the accountability and effectiveness of tax policy, the Legislature requires that each
qualified production approved for funding assistance submit a survey detailing the economic impact of the
production. In cases where the qualified production submitted a post-production completion package, a
second survey was submitted. Attached as Appendix A are summary descriptive statistics for all productions
that have been approved for funding assistance, completed principal photography and been reviewed by
Washington Filmworks through June 30, 2023. Below is a list of projects that have submitted surveys.
“Feature” refers to a feature film.
“Commercial” refers to a commercial advertisement.
“MOW” refers to a Movie of the Week/episodic series.
“Episodic” refers to a series for television or streaming media that consists of a season of episodes.
“Post” refers to the post-production survey to capture post-production expenditures.
“Innovation Lab Project” refers to projects approved through the Filmworks Innovation Lab program.
New in fiscal year 2023
1. “Dreamin’ Wild” – Feature
2. “Penelope” Episode 1 – Episodic
3. “Year of the Fox” – Feature (Part 2 of 2)
Previous fiscal years
Fiscal Year 2007 Fiscal Year 2008 Fiscal Year 2009 Fiscal Year 2010
“The Holidays” – Feature “Diamond Dog” – Feature “Finding Bliss” – Feature Banner Bank – Commercial
Lipitor – Commercial “Little Dizzle” – Feature “Alicia’s Book” – Feature “$5 Cover” – Feature
Mervyn’s – Commercial “Norman” – Feature Target – Commercial
“Letter to Bill Gates” – MOW “The Whole Truth” – Feature “The Ward” – Feature
“World’s Greatest Dad” –
“The Golden Door” – Feature Campbell’s – Commercial
Feature Commit – Commercial
“True Adolescents” – MOW “Dear Lemon Lima” – MOW Chevrolet – Commercial
“Give ’Em Hell, Malone” –
“Travelling” – Feature “The Details” – Feature
Feature
WA Lottery Tumbling –
Hyundai – Commercial “The Joneses” – Feature
Commercial
Mervyn’s LP – Commercial “The Big Bang” – Feature
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 11
“Oy Vey My Son Is Gay” –
MS in Store – Commercial
Feature
BECU – Commercial MS Sherlock – Commercial
“Wrong Turn at Tahoe” –
Xbox360 Lips – Commercial
Feature
WA Lottery Frisbee –
“The Hit List” – Feature
Commercial
“The Whole Truth” – Feature Coors – Commercial
“Late Autumn” – Feature
Catch 22 – Commercial
Fiscal Year 2011 Fiscal Year 2012 Fiscal Year 2013 Fiscal Year 2014
“Different Drummers” – Prod/Post
MS Natal – Commercial “Safety Not Guaranteed” – Feature “You Can’t Win” – Feature
– Feature
“Knights of Badassdom” – Feature Humira – Commercial “Touchy Feely” – Feature “Laggies” – Prod/Post – Feature
Toyota Running Footage – “Seven Minutes” – Prod/Post –
Cathay Pacific – Commercial “One Square Mile” – Feature
Commercial Feature
Ford Summer Sales Event –
Evergreen – Commercial MS Xbox Kinect – Commercial “The Architect” – Feature
Commercial
“Grassroots” – Feature “Fat Kid Rules the World” – Feature Xbox (062012) –Commercial “West of Redemption” – Feature
“The River Sorrow” – Feature “21 and Over” – Feature 99 Tigers – Commercial KIA – Commercial
Xbox – Commercial “Mine Games” – Feature “Admissions” – Feature Sugar Plum – Commercial
Bank of America – Commercial “Eden” – Feature Glad – Commercial WA Lottery (Royale) – Commercial
WA Lottery Celebration –
Xbox 360 (042012) – Commercial Bank of America – Commercial Samsung – Commercial
Commercial
WA Healthplan Finder –
Chevy Silverado – Commercial “Safety Not Guaranteed” – Feature “A Bit of Bad Luck” – Feature
Commercial
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance – “The Maury Island Incident” –
Humira – Commercial “Deep Burial” – Feature
Commercial Innovation Lab Project
Bridgestone – Commercial Cathay Pacific – Commercial “Lucky Them” – Feature “Touchy Feely” – Post
Green Mountain Coffee –
Ben Bridge – Commercial MS Xbox Kinect – Commercial “A Bit of Bad Luck” – Post
Commercial
American Family Insurance –
Green Squirrel – Commercial “You Can’t Win” – Post
Commercial
“Camilla Dickinson” – Feature “One Square Mile” – Post “Deep Burial” – Post
Navy Spirit Lake – Commercial
Chevy Crossroads – Commercial
WA Lottery Beneficiary –
Commercial
WA Lottery How to Play –
Commercial
WA Lottery Joust – Commercial
“Thunderballs” – MOW
Xbox Play – Commercial
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 12
Fiscal Year 2015 Fiscal Year 2016 Fiscal Year 2017 Fiscal Year 2018
“Z Nation,” Season Episodes 1-13 – “Z Nation,” Season 3 Episodes 1-15 “Z Nation,” Season 4 Episodes 1-13
Nissan – Commercial
Episodic – Episodic – Episodic
“Tabitha Witch of the Order” –
“Captain Fantastic” – Feature Bank of America – Commercial “Polae” – Innovation Lab Project
Innovation Lab Project
Toyota Running Footage – “Wallflower” – Innovation Lab Untitled “Grey’s Anatomy” Spinoff –
Ford – Commercial
Commercial Project Episodic
“Z Nation,” Season 2 Episodes 1-15 “This Brute Land Virginia” –
Alaska Airlines – Commercial
– Episodic Innovation Lab Project
JP Morgan-Chase – Commercial “Rancho Rosa” – Episodic
“West of Redemption” – Feature
Subaru – Commercial
Post
“Salish Seas” – Innovation Lab
“The Architect” –Post
Project
“Salish Seas” – Innovation Lab
“Box Walk” – Innovation Lab Project
Project Post
“Rocket Men” – Innovation Lab “War Room” – Innovation Lab
Project Project
“Strowlers” – Innovation Lab
Project
“Automata” – Innovation Lab
Project
Fiscal Year 2019 Fiscal Year 2020 Fiscal Year 2021 Fiscal Year 2022
“Z Nation,” Season 5 Episodes 1-13 “All Those Small Things” – Post
“East of the Mountains” – Feature “Boon” – Feature
– Episodic Production
“Three Busy Debras,” Season 2
“Language Arts” – Feature “Home Sweet Home” – Feature
Episodes 1-10 – Episodic
“Three Busy Debras,” Season 1 “Midday Black Midnight Blue” ” –
Episodes 1-6 – Episodic Feature
“Year of the Fox” – Feature (Partial)
“All Those Small Things” – Feature
†
“Going Home” – Season 1 Episodes
“Language Arts” – Post Production
1-6 – Episodic
† This survey encompasses only Fiscal Year 2022 project expenses. The balance of the project was reported in Fiscal Year 2023 which will be reflected
in a future report.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 13
Appendix A: Summary descriptive statistics
Appendix A includes summary descriptive statistics for all productions that have been approved for funding assistance, completed principal
photography and been reviewed by Washington Filmworks through June 30, 2023.
Summary descriptive statistics
Category FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013
Projects That Have Completed Principal Photography 2 8 14 16 22 9 14
and Completion Packages Have Been Reviewed
Verified Total Qualified Spend Per Review $1,047,031 $6,704,051 $15,808,957 $18,387,627 $13,465,933 $10,899,713 $9,435,555
Total Funds Distributed $203,665 $1,337,810 $3,205,607 $5,516,288 $3,992,689 $3,119,780 $2,570,383
Total Washington Hires 94 1,162 2,590 1,804 2,048 1,868 1,470
Total Non-Washington Hires 40 141 575 311 332 250 229
Salary Range Totals for Washington Residents
Up to $30,000; starting 2013, up to $15 per hour 93 493 364 843 211 223 765
From $30,000 to $60,000; starting 2013, from $15 to 1 54 412 488 512 354 287
$30 per hour
Over $60,000; starting 2013, over $30 per hour 0 145 270 209 316 221 418
Benefits Jobs
Up to $30,000 46 315 138 2 52 160 126
From $30,000 to $60,000 1 41 324 155 244 247 278
Over $60,000 0 138 111 85 182 221 360
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITVENESS REPORT 14
Summary Descriptive Statistics (continued)
Category FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Projects That Have Completed Principal Photography 11 8* 9** 4*** 3**** 2† 4††
and Completion Packages Have Been Reviewed
Verified Total Qualified Spend Per Review $9,688,254 $11,109,475 $12,450,689 $8,689,410 $7,600,534 $8,857,697 $6,290,396
Total Funds Distributed $2,649,530 $3,366,665 $3,366,763 $2,943,560 $2,572,400 $2,999,472 $1,977,847
Total Washington Hires 1,294 2,491 2,696 2,025 1,806 2054 859
Total Non-Washington Hires 211 429 748 542 530 663 126
Salary Range Totals for Washington Residents
Up to $30,000; starting 2013, up to $15 per hour 619 1,023 963 722 340 577 272
From $30,000 to $60,000; starting 2013, from $15 to $30 270 831 995 726 513 519 353
per hour
Over $60,000; starting 2013, over $30 per hour 240 637 738 577 953 958 234
Benefits Jobs
Up to $30,000 118 60 17 3 10 1 9
From $30,000 to $60,000 256 744 755 654 289 277 139
Over $60,000 378 500 668 549 936 927 225
* For reporting practices, Washington Filmworks counts “Z Nation” Season 1 with 13 individual episodes as one project.
** For reporting practices, Washington Filmworks counts “Z Nation” Season 2 with 15 individual episodes as one project.
*** For reporting practices, Washington Filmworks counts “Z Nation” Season 3 with 15 individual episodes as one project.
**** For reporting practices, Washington Filmworks counts “Z Nation” Season 4 with 13 individual episodes as one project.
† For reporting practices, Washington Filmworks counts “Z Nation” Season 5 with 13 individual episodes as one project.
†† For reporting practices, Washington Filmworks counts “Three Busy Debras” Season 1 with 6 individual episodes as one project.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITVENESS REPORT 15
Category FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 Totals
Projects That Have Completed Principal 0 5††† 2a 133
Photography and Completion Packages Have Been
Reviewed
Verified Total Qualified Spend Per Review $116,212 $11,428,202 $8,449,173 $160,428,909
Total Funds Distributed $31,241 $3,751,735 $2,561,020 $46,166,455
Total Washington Hires 4 1,676 921 26,862
Total Non-Washington Hires 0 196 183 5,506
Salary Range Totals for Washington Residents
Up to $30,000; starting 2013, up to $15 per hour 0 31 44 7,583
From $30,000 to $60,000; starting 2013, from $15 to 0 575 589 7,459
$30 per hour
Over $60,000; starting 2013, over $30 per hour 4 1070 308 7,298
Benefits Jobs
Up to $30,000 0 4 3 1,064
From $30,000 to $60,000 0 156 52 4,612
Over $60,000 4 1020 250 6,554
††† For reporting practices, Washington Filmworks counts “Three Busy Debras” Season 2 with 10 individual episodes as one project and “Going Home Season 1” with 6 individual episodes as one
project.
a Due to reporting timing, Penelope is being counted as a completed project, but as of the fiscal year, only one episode has been reviewed and included in this report.
2023 MOTION PICTURE COMPETITVENESS REPORT 16
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