This program is intended for motion picture projects with budgets between $20,000 and $1,000,000.

Projects must have a minimum of two Washington residents in the positions of director, producer, screenwriter or lead actor to qualify. 

The applicant of record for the motion picture must be a Washington resident producer or director. 

The project does not need to be fully funded or have raised any money for the project at the time of application. 

If approved the funding assistance can be held in reserve for up to 6 months.

Enhanced Incentives: If a production meets the following spend thresholds of $500,000 for motion pictures, $300,000 per episode for episodic series, and $150,000 for commercials, then the project may qualify for up to an additional 10% return on qualified in-state expenditures if they film in a rural county and/or tell the story of a historically underrepresented community.

Prior to receiving funding assistance, productions must file a completed Production Survey with the Department of Commerce.

Prior to principal photography, motion picture and episodic series applicants must submit a completed Funding Assistance Application Form to Washington Filmworks. Applications must include a shooting script, budget, finance plan, proof of funding, and producer's letter of intent. Applicants must sign and return the Washington Filmworks production agreement within two weeks of the date of the Funding Letter of Intent.

Guidelines and the Industry Code of Conduct must be distributed to department heads prior to the start of production. Producers and Washington Filmworks must meet to discuss policies and procedures and the completion package process prior to the start of production.

Commercial applicants must submit a Commercial Funding Assistance Application that includes storyboard, budget, advertising agency award letter and producer's letter of intent. 

Funding assistance will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors of WF on a case-by-case basis.

Project must comply with the health and retirement benefits requirement. 

Additional factors will be given consideration by the program in its review of applications, including the extent to which: projects are financed by Washington based corporations, companies and/or individuals; projects include Washington residents as actors in one or more “starring” or major role; projects are derived by a book, a life story, a screenplay or other creative work based on or inspired by a source of content that is unique to Washington State; projects feature locations in Washington State as the principal scripted location.

Funding is allocated every January.