Seattle City Council passes measure to create film commission

SEATTLE — On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council handed laws to create a movie fee, which might assist in strengthening the movie and tv trade within the metropolis.

The measure that creates the Seattle Movie Fee was sponsored by Councilmember Sara Nelson.

The fee will include 11 individuals certified to signify Seattle’s movie trade. 5 members will probably be appointed by the council, 5 by Mayor Bruce Harrell and one by the fee itself.

Whereas many movies have been set in Seattle and shot within the metropolis — together with “Sleepless in Seattle,” amongst others — over the previous 20 years, metropolis leaders say Seattle has been outcompeted by different cities, akin to Portland and Vancouver, Canada.

“Seattle’s movie trade has been asking for this fee for years, and I’ve made it a precedence since day one. Each film or TV present set in Seattle however filmed elsewhere represents a whole bunch of jobs misplaced for our artistic staff, tens of millions of {dollars} not being spent in our native economic system, and a misplaced alternative to showcase our wonderful metropolis to the world. With this fee we’re sending a message to the movie trade — Seattle is again,” Nelson mentioned.

“Seattle is a movie city via and thru. By embracing a collaborative One Seattle strategy we will reinvigorate our movie trade — creating artwork and jobs on the similar time. This effort will put the proper leaders within the room to assist storyboard our path ahead and drive wanted motion. I stay up for persevering with to work on this difficulty with Councilmember Nelson, our Workplace of Financial Improvement, and a big selection of movie stakeholders and group leaders,” mentioned Harrell.

Final yr, a 117,000-square-foot soundstage was opened in King County on the former Fisher Flour Mill on Harbor Island.

The creation of the sound stage was “King County’s first main public funding to carry again a once-thriving movie trade and a whole bunch of household wage, artistic economic system jobs because the area rebounds post-pandemic.”

The power was bought by King County 18 years in the past and was going for use to ship strong waste. Nevertheless, contractors rewired and constructed soundproof partitions, amongst different work, which price about $1.5 million.

The passing of the laws to create a Seattle Movie Fee additionally comes after Gov. Jay Inslee signed laws in March that might enhance funding for the state’s Movement Image Competitiveness Program. It gives incentives and tax credit for manufacturing corporations that movie in Washington.

In response to the passing of the fee, Seattle rapper and songwriter Macklemore mentioned: “Seattle is my house and I really like making artwork right here. I’ve filmed … a lot of my music movies with distinctive crew and exquisite places. I’m excited to help Councilmember Sara Nelson’s invoice making a Seattle Movie Fee.”

©2022 Cox Media Group