Filming in Seattle

INCENTIVES

• 20% cash back, up to $1 million.
• State sales and use tax off rental equipment, services and vehicles.
• Hotel/motel tax exemption on 30 day stay.
• Vendor discount deals for below-the-line services.
• $25/day Seattle film permit for city owned property.

CREW

• Seattle crew has a great reputation with major motion pictures, television and commercial projects.
• We have A-List crew for up to 2 productions at any given time and our crew base is growing everyday.

STUDIOS

• Seattle is home to a wide variety of studio space options, including city owned sound stage and production space, Microsoft studio facilities and a multitude of locally owned production studios and sound stages.

LOCATIONS

• Every location you might need for your project - urban, suburban, ocean, desert, mountains, rain forests - are all within two hours of Seattle.

Thank you for considering Seattle for your film project. Seattle has been responding to the needs of great filmmaking projects for 17 years. Big or small, from "Sleepless in Seattle" to "Grey's Anatomy" to "Police Beat" this office has done and seen it all. We have a can-do attitude and welcome challenging projects and production needs.

The Seattle Film Office works with productions to make the filming process as easy and successful as possible. We are a one-stop shop for all your logistical production needs throughout the city, including permits, public locations and police assistance. We work closely with the Washington State Film Office and the private sector to provide premier customer service in the city and throughout the state. From getting equipment to reserving hotel rooms, we are here to help, 24/7.

Seattle is the largest City in the Northwest with over 3.4 million people in the greater metropolitan area. We have dramatic hills and water views around every corner and we are only two hours away from almost any type of topography imaginable. It is the Paris of America with a unique combination of old charm and city-of-the-future that can not be duplicated anywhere. Seattle is a national hub of economic and cultural innovation with great coffee shops, crowded bookstores, a lively music scene, well-designed buildings and unmatched entrepreneurial spirit.

Our combination of sophistication and quality of life attracts the top talent and work crews in the country, which will translate to more production for every dollar you spend. The Seattle film industry supports over 5,000 jobs, 700 freelancers and contributes $471 million to the City's economy. Film is serious business in Seattle and you could never find a more suitable location for finding the most talented crews and the best actors available.

Looking for financial incentives? Seattle film productions now take advantage of Washington State's new 20% cash rebate program. This is the most aggressive film incentive in the Northwest and one of the top in the country. This cash rebate applies to every dollar spent on the ground and is a perfect compliment to Seattle's $25/day permit fees and free use of public space. We offer sales-and-use tax exemptions for rental equipment, vehicles and hotel rooms. And, productions with budgets between $500,000 - $3,000,000 can receive 30% - 70% off below-the-line costs from participating vendors.

The City of Seattle respects the passion (and pocketbooks) of filmmakers. We know moviemaking is a win-win situation, whether you're making a multimillion-dollar blockbuster or your first indie feature. So, take advantage of the State's award-winning Reel-Scout location management software and find exactly what you are looking for. Call us and see how we will work for you.

We hope our convenience, low fee structures, outstanding locations, deep talent base and creative post houses will encourage you to consider Seattle as the location for one of your future productions. Just be careful, you might never leave.