Seattle and Washington state film industry leaders are touting recent commercial production growth as President Trump proposed a 100% tariff on foreign-made films Monday, potentially reshaping competitive dynamics with nearby Vancouver, British Columbia.
Trump’s social media announcement raised questions about implications for the Pacific Northwest film industry, where Vancouver frequently doubles for Seattle in productions. Regional officials declined to speculate on potential impacts while emphasizing recent progress rebuilding local production capacity.
“We’re very lucky in Seattle to have one of, if not the, best permit coordination processes in the country,” said Chris Swenson, Seattle Film Commission program manager.
Western Washington served as a filmmaking hub during the 1980s and 90s, producing hits including “Sleepless in Seattle,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Singles,” and “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.” Following Angelina Jolie’s early 2000s filming of “Life or Something Like It,” much production work migrated north to British Columbia.
Recent episodic series set in Seattle, including “The Killing” and “The Last of Us,” were filmed in British Columbia. This production exodus prompted industry efforts to strengthen local incentives and infrastructure.
“Commercials are Seattle’s bread and butter, and have been for decades. Year to year, we see at least 50% of our permits being issued for commercial productions. It’s what most cast and crew make their living on here in Seattle,” Swenson said while observing a waterfront shoot.
Sunday’s production involved coordinating Alaskan Way closure underneath Pike Place Market for a Rivian truck commercial. Multiple vehicles made passes north and south as cameras captured footage with Olympic Mountain sunset backgrounds.
“The incentives are absolute game changers,” said Corey Koniniec of Motion State Studios, who directed the commercial near the Great Wheel. “Without the incentives, it’d be really hard to operate and really hard to bring in people to do a job like this.”
Seattle recently announced incentives allowing commercial productions to receive 30-40% cash back for local filming. Washington Filmworks, granted expanded authority by state legislature, allocated this funding to increase production attraction.
Swenson noted 156 commercial production permits have been issued this year. The Film Commission offers space for crews inside the former KCTS building near Seattle Center, while King County’s Harbor Island Studios near West Seattle has hosted smaller budget productions and reality programming.
Washington Filmworks reported 149 projects completed principal photography in fiscal year 2025, including “Train Dreams” starring Joel Edgerton, which premiered at Sundance and releases on Netflix in November. That project utilized enhanced incentives for rural county filming.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded to Trump’s tariff proposal Monday, stating “Forget about President Trump. The guy drives me crazy. Let’s focus on what we can do. How can we create the climate and the conditions and the environment for companies to come in and invest in our greatest people?”.
Regional film officials emphasized the promotional value of commercial production beyond direct economic impact. “It’s a postcard. These are love letters to Seattle and the region,” Swenson said.
