"Long before Starbucks and Microsoft put Seattle on the corporate map, the city was a haven for artists, musicians and moviemakers. Since 2003, the city has helped 62 independent films get made in the area, due largely to the Northwest Film Forum, a 12-year-old organization with nearly 1,000 members which aids local moviemakers in getting their movies made by co-producing projects through their 'Start-to-Finish' program. This kind of support has brought many new moviemakers to the city and kept even more homegrown talents enthusiastic about shooting their films in Seattle."
-MOVIEMAKER MAGAZINE, Winter 2007

"For many reasons - the automatic equation of the feature film format with Hollywood commercial product first among them - the U.S.'s non-profit funding world and the American independent filmmaking scene have acted like estranged cousins for the last two decades. Seattle's Northwest Film Forum is changing all of that with its 'Start to Finish' grant."
- Scott Macaulay FILMMAKER MAGAZINE, January 2005

Start-to-Finish is a program to commission a narrative feature film of a Washington-state filmmaker. Using a holistic approach to supporting the filmmaker, NWFF aids in the project from conception to preproduction, shooting, post-production, sales and distribution. For each project, NWFF provides a budget of $100,000 cash and $150,000 of in-kind services to aid in the production of the film, in addition to gear, space, connections and expertise.

VISION

The Start-to-Finish program supports a director (who is often the screenwriter) to develop a production in Washington State. It supports work that can be produced on a modest scale, shot and completed in a timely matter, and pushes the art form forward. The Start-to-Finish program exists because of the belief that non-profits can and should be instrumental in producing great films. The program is inspired by state-supported funding programs in Canada, England, France, and Iran, where feature filmmaking is perceived foremost as an artistic and cultural product, not simply in terms of commercial value. NWFF presents Start-to-Finish as national model for bringing this level of support to the United States.

SUPPORT

$100,000 cash is only the beginning of support for the project. The Washington film community provides an outpouring of in-kind support and services for each film through Start-to-Finish- $150,000 in donations and services. With these professional services, NWFF provides a framework to make a successful low budget film, while retaining a high production value and presenting industry best practices and guidance. Script consulting, budgeting, casting, script breakdown and other services are provided free of charge. Local production and post-production vendors provide free or severely reduced services, such as color correction and sound recording. NWFF provides free office space, unlimited use of production gear, HD edit suite, and screening facilities, as well as staff time and expertise.

WORKING PROCESS

Start-to-Finish provides a collaborative process to support the artistic development of a project. Work must be made within the financial and temporal framework of the program- within which there is tremendous support for artistic risk taking and inventive filmmaking. NWFF's production, exhibition and education programs are integrated with Start-to-Finish, and the organization’s resources flow through the artist. Filmmakers work through these programs, presenting a script reading, introducing a screening that influenced the director's work, or teaching a class.

FUNDING

Start-to-Finish films are funded through an inventive hybrid model, with both investments and donations making up the $100,000 cash budget. An LLC is set for each film to accept private equity investments. NWFF acts as manager of the LCC, and applies financial oversight of the project and production expertise. A smaller portion of the funds are raised through foundation support and donations to NWFF's Production Fund. When an artist is selected for the program they have 90 days to raise additional cash funds for the production, if desired. Otherwise the film will be made for $100,000 cash.

PRODUCTION & BUDGETING

NWFF collaborates closely with the filmmaking team to make an accurate budget and complete the film on time and on budget. The artistic freedom of the program allows for creative productions and openness to different shooting formats and styles. Shooting format is a creative decision, and everything from DV video to 35mm Cinemascope has been employed in the past. At the same time, it is a requirement that adequate funds are retained for post-production, festivals and the contingency.

BACKGROUND

Start-to-Finish has produced six narrative feature films to date - every film it has set out to make. Previous films have had varied budgets, and shot on a variety of formats. Starting with Money Buys Happiness, written and directed by Gregg Lachow, the program has helped push forward the career of acclaimed Northwest filmmakers. Subsequent films were Out of the Blue by Sue McNally, Buffalo Bill's Defunct by Matt Wilkins, and Hedda Gabler by Paul Willis. Robison Devor and Charles Mudede's Police Beat premiered in Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2005 and has gone on to great critical acclaim at festivals around the world. The film was named one of the top ten films of the year by Amy Taubin in ARTFORUM, was released theatrically, on cable and DVD. The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, written and directed by David Russo, shot in June 2007 and will premiere in 2008. The 2008 artist, Dayna Hanson, will direct her first feature film Rainbow, building on her short of the same name.

SELECTION PROCESS

NWFF annually selects a Washington artist based on the strength of their past work, contribution to the local artistic community, working relationship with the organization, and desire to work within the Start-to-Finish model. An artist based program, a proposed project is not required, but an extraordinarily strong script or treatment will merit consideration. There is no application process for Start-to-Finish. Instead, the NWFF staff and board seek out artists making excellent work who will benefit tremendously from the support of the program. Generally, artists are accomplished short form filmmakers, have screened previous work broadly, and are poised to make a first or second feature film. Occasionally artists accomplished in other mediums are considered. Beginning October 2007, one filmmaker is selected each fall, and have 12 months to write, shoot and edit a film.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

The best way to be selected for a Start-to-Finish commission is to make great work and let us know about it. While there is no application process for Start-to-Finish, nearly all Start-to-Finish artists are filmmakers who have previously produced work supported by NWFF, or had their work show in the cinemas. The organization offers filmmakers a number of paths to get involved with NWFF and the larger filmmaking community, all of which lay the groundwork for future Start-to-Finish artists. Five grant programs provide free or low cost use of NWFF facilities and equipment to local filmmakers. Nearly 50 volunteers work on everything from exhibition and office support to coordinating our film library. Our Filmmaker Challenges are quarterly open calls for creation of short work on a given theme, which is screened quarterly in the cinemas. Signature Shorts commissions filmmakers to make a 35mm short film that premieres at NWFF and then plays across Western Washington. New and established talent is discovered and nurtured through screenings in our cinemas, including work submitted to the Local Sightings Film Festival and given theatrical runs. All of these programs feed artists into our Signature Shorts program, and ultimately Start-to-Finish.

Start-to-Finish Films

Rainbow - Dir. Dayna Hanson (2008)
The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle - Dir. David Russo (2008)
Police Beat - Dir. Robinson Devor (2005)
Hedda Gabler - Dir. Paul Willis (2004)
Buffalo Bill's Defunct - Dir. Matt Wilkins (2004)
Out of the Blue - Dir. Sue McNally (2000)
Money Buys Happiness - Dir. Gregg Lachow (1999)