SEATTLE — Seattle City Council announced appointees Wednesday for the Seattle Film Commission, pitched by Councilwoman Sara Nelson to provide insight on ways to strengthen the film industry and community in Seattle.
Each member represents a different area of the industry, with an 11th to be added. Council must still vote to confirm the members, which were named as:
- Position 1: Lowell Deo (On-screen talent or their representatives)
- Position 2: Melissa Purcell (Film industry labor unions)
- Position 3: Michael Huang: (Advertising and creative agencies)
- Position 4: Tom Florino (Commercial producers or production companies)
- Position 5: Laura Cronin (Film schools, film programs, or film educators)
- Position 6: Champ Ensminger (Post-production companies and personnel, such as editors, composers, and post-supervisors)
- Position 7: Kat Ogden (Film production crew, including but not limited to props, sets, wardrobe, make-up, hair, camera, grip, and electric)
- Position 8: Beth Barrett (Film festivals or film content distribution companies
- Position 9: Mark Freid (Film location managers )
- Position 10: Anthony Tackett (Film organizations belonging to and advocating for communities underrepresented in the film industry)
You can read more background on the creation of the commission here.
Kat Ogden, an independent producer and assistant director, was named to one of the positions Wednesday. She has experience working in markets including London and Los Angeles, but says Washington is home -- for the way it is both an industry and a community.
"You have this beautiful continuity of working with people for years and getting to know the ins and outs of how they work and different ways they do projects, and it just makes you better at your own job," Ogden said. "And there's the community aspect here; people care about each other and the individuals on set."
Anthony Tackett, Director of Operations for the Seattle Film Institute and Co-founder of the Seattle Filmmakers of the African Diaspora, says he hopes the Commission can also make it clear what opportunities are currently available.
"It's relatively- I wouldn't say easy to do- it takes a lot of courage, it takes a lot of energy, but once you're there, the doors will open up for you once you arrive," Tackett said.
Tackett says he's also hopeful that the commission will be able to draw in more productions and job/internship opportunities.
Both Ogden and Tackett say it's already possible to make a good living in Washington working in film. But they're hopeful the city can work to ensure films featuring Seattle are shot, produced and finished here as well.
"Seattle has a unique look and things should be made in Seattle to reflect that look," Ogden said. "As people from the region when we look at something that's supposedly made in Seattle but filmed elsewhere, we feel the lack of depth on that, and I feel that there just is something really intrinsic about shooting on location and being here that's different."