Lights! Camera! Action! for the Shoreline Film Office

With the shadow of tech lights behind them,
the key players for the Film Office
pose in the SCC TV studio
Mark McVeety, Tony Dompé, James Jansen, Lee Lambert - SCC
Keith McGlashan, Julie Underwood, Dan Eerinessee - City
Photo by Jim Hills

Shoreline Community College and the City of Shoreline made a joint announcement Thursday, May 9, 2013 of the creation of the Shoreline Film Office.

The two institutions would work collaboratively to attract companies to film in Shoreline - everything from commercials to feature films.

Tony Doupé

The basis of the plan is Shoreline CC's film program, led by veteran actor Tony Doupé. Tony is a working actor who teaches acting as well as running the digital film program at SCC. All the program faculty are working professionals who have won honors in their fields.

SCC already has a small TV studio. The eventual goal is to build a large sound stage nearby to provide indoor facilities as well as outdoor locales.

The City will create streamlined permitting processes, as will the College.

The College dreams of a thriving film industry, centered in Shoreline, with jobs for current students and graduates of the film and acting programs. The City dreams of a thriving industry providing jobs for local residents and making Shoreline an even more attractive place to live and do business.

SCC President Lee Lambert said "The automotive program at SCC started with two guys talking over the hood of a car - and now it's nationally recognized." He said there was every reason the same thing could happen with the film office.

Doupé said that there is already filming in Shoreline. Since October, Doupé said 11 projects have been filmed on campus including TV commercials for General Electric and Pacific Bank; four feature films: The Darker Path, The Servant, Pacific Aggression and Kononia; three short films: SIFF Fly Films, Ashland and Prospect; and two webisodes: Locally Grown and State Route 99.

“This is work that is coming here because of this collaboration,” Doupé said

The incentive for more filmmakers to come to Shoreline would be that if they use students in the project, they could qualify for using locations for free and potentially reduce other costs.

“They need help and our students need experience,” Doupé pointed out. “The more our students make connections, the more they will find work.”

Mark McVeety of SCC and Dan Eernissee, along with
Tony Doupé, were the major players in making the
Shoreline Film Office happen
Photo by Jim Hills

Arts organizations are watching with great interest to see where they could be involved. Arianne Vazquez, Education Coordinator for SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival) pointed out that SIFF has an extensive education component. She said that SIFF also started with a creative idea and now is a huge, internationally known film festival. Also, she observed, Seattle has more film makers per capita than any place else in the world.

Shoreline Schools is already on board. Gene Wachtel, Director of Community and Technical Programs, said that high school students take tech classes at high school for SCC credit.

Mayor Keith McGlashan said "We will do whatever we can to support the Film Office. Let's get this program going!"