Seattle Film Summit’s Partnerships Help Grow Washington Workforce Development

Creates Partnership Opportunities for Communities

For Immediate Release

April 10, 2018

SEATTLE – Seattle Film Summit (SFS) announces partnerships with key filmmakers and content curators from Los Angeles through the pacific northwest to increase workforce development in Washington for digital content SFS partnerships from last year’s annual event include Seattle’s Office of Film and Music, REEL Renton, Stage 32 and HollyShorts Film Festival. Partnerships for 2018 are growing, and opportunities for additional partnerships are available. 
As part of its four-year partnership with HSFF, SFS is teaming up with REEL Renton, Abundant Productions, and Shoreline Community College’s Film Department to produce “Jameson,” the 2017 HSFF screenplay winner. Listed by “MovieMaker Magazine” as one of the “Top 25 Fests Worth the Entry Fee, HSFF awards the winner of its screenplay competition with production of the film via Seattle Film Summit and its partners, and an automatic premiere at next year’s festival. 
Led by SFS, this northwest coalition of digital organizations is producing “Jameson” on Vashon Island in late April at the Vintage Cabin on Glampinghub, and All Youth Hostel Ranch. Crew is comprised of local professionals and film school students. Talent is well-known names from the northwest such as Tony Doupe’, coupled with a well-known actor from Los Angeles – Brad Carter. 
Special Effects Make Up for the film’s surprise ending is being designed by, Kenneth Calhoun, known for “The Shape of Water,” “X-Men” and “Suicide Squad,” among other studio blockbusters. The design will be managed by the film’s Special Effects Make Up Artist, Kate Dixson, well-known in the northwest industry.
“The domino has tipped. Last year’s SFS event solidified our hunches about where we need to go as northwest storytellers and creators, and we’ve now got the contacts to make it happen,” said Ben Andrews, Founder of the Seattle Film Summit, and a local filmmaker and actor. “We have decision-makers and potential funding and distribution sources viewing Washington as the gold mine of untapped talent and rich market that we are,” he explained. 
SFS’s goal is to provide a continuous platform for local and international filmmakers to connect and create socially responsible films. Plans include growing the incubation model, building resources for development and creating a socially responsible entertainment culture.
“The growth of our alliance with Holly Shorts, Shoreline Community College and other northwest organizations is further proof that together we can do far more than we can separately to expand independent filmmaking on our region,” said Andrews.
The 14th Annual HSFF Film Festival and Film Conference/Film Market, is scheduled for August 9-18, 2018 at the world-famous TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. 

About Seattle Film Summit
Seattle Film Summit empowers regional artists to develop innovative methods of storytelling, funding, and distribution to shape a new, socially responsible film culture for the Pacific Northwest.

About HollyShorts Film Festival
HSFF has featured more than 2,000 projects showcasing stars and filmmakers including Luke Wilson, Eli Roth, Sofia Loren, Bill Plympton, Anthony and Joe Russo, Issa Rae, and Felicia Day. 

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