Washington Filmworks announces Production Incentive Program 2023

The Washington Filmworks (WF) is accepting applications for its Production Incentive Program to provide funding assistance to commercials filming in rural Washington as well as feature films and episodic series filmed anywhere in Washington State.

Donor Name: Washington Filmworks

State: Washington

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Program

Deadline: 06/01/2023

Details:

The Washington State Legislature created the Production Incentive Program (also referred to as the Motion Picture Competitiveness Program) to attract and retain film industry investment in Washington. The level of funding assistance is estimated based upon application materials and is actualized after production submits total in-state spend documentation during the completion package review process.

Level of Funding Assistance

Motion pictures + episodic series (less than six episodes)
- WF offers funding assistance for qualified in-state expenditures of up to 30% for motion pictures and episodic series with less than six episodes
Episodic series (six or more episodes)
- WF offers funding assistance for qualified in-state expenditures up to 35% for episodic series with at least six episodes.
Commercials (filming in rural counties only)
- WF offers funding assistance only for commercials filming in rural counties. The commercial must qualify for the enhanced incentive for filming in a rural community and would then be eligible for funding assistance for qualified in state expenditures of up to 40%.

Eligibility Criteria

Production Eligibility Requirements
- Production must spend at least the following in qualified expenditures:
  - $500,000 Motion Pictures
  - $300,000 Episodic Series (per episode)
  - $150,000 Commercials (filming in rural counties only)
- A production may be eligible for funding assistance if it satisfactorily completes its application and meets the requirements listed below
- Productions must meet minimum in-state spending threshold in order to receive payment on funding assistance
- Minimum in-state spend thresholds must be met without including any qualified nonresident labor
- All productions applying for funding assistance must have their production and postproduction financing secured prior to application. This financing must also include any gap financing forecasted incentive dollars.
Enhanced Incentives Eligibility
- To qualify for an enhanced incentive, the qualified production must spend a minimum of $500,000 for motion pictures, $300,000 per episode for episodics, and $150,000 for commercials
- At no time will a qualified production receive more than a 10% enhanced incentive
  - In the event that a qualified production is telling the story of a historically underrepresented community and filming in a rural county, WF will allow for a maximum of a 10% incentive enhancement on all qualified Washington production expenses.