Washington Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews

Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Washington? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.

Filming in Washington

For an introduction to shooting in Washington see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.

Washington Film Locations

Washington is best known for Seattle, Pacific North West rainforests, snow-capped mountains, volcanos, glaciers, picturesque mountain towns, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, islands, fjords, ocean, fishing villages, and lighthouses. The east of the state has landscapes of green rolling hills, semiarid steppe, and desert. The Columbia River, and Snake River pass through the state.

Washington has hosted productions including Captain Fantastic (2016), Frasier (1993-2004), The Ring (2002), Enough (2002), Dancer in the Dark (2000), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), Dante’s Peak (1997), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), Twin Peaks (1991-1990), The Hunt for Red October (1990), An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), and The Deer Hunter (1978). 

Agricultural film locations include farms that produce dairy products, wheat, barley, hops, potatoes, pears, apricots, peas, asparagus, lentils, apples, cherries, raspberries, cranberries, and grapes. Fishing vessels are available for filming. The state also has many vineyards. Washington is the birthplace of many world renowned companies such as Boeing, Starbucks, Amazon, Costco, and Microsoft. Economic mainstays include jet aircraft manufacturing, computer software development, online retail, electronics, biotechnology, lumber, fishing, and tourism. Washington mines sand, gravel, clay, magnesite, lead, and zinc. Energy locations include hydroelectric, natural gas, wind, and nuclear power plants.

Washington film locations can be divided into two regions:

Western Washington

Western Washington is the more populated part of the state. Known for its evergreen coastal and mountain locations, it has a much wetter climate than the eastern part of the state.

Seattle is Washington’s largest city, and main production centre. The city offers a modern city skyline, busy harbour, marinas, mountain backdrops, unique neighborhoods, museums, and city parks.

Seattle has hosted productions including Captain Fantastic (2016), Frasier (1993-2004), The Ring (2002), Enough (2002), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992).

Neighborhoods of note include Downtown, Pioneer Square, Fremont, Capitol Hill, Chinatown, Queen Anne, SoDo, Waterfront, and West Seattle. Medina is known for its beautiful lakefront houses.

Seattle Center film locations include the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Pacific Science Center, Seattle Center Monorail, Fisher Pavilion, McCaw Hall, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Museum of Pop Culture designed by Frank Gehry.

Pike Place Market is a famous film location.

The Seattle Great Wheel is one of the largest Ferris wheels in the United States.

Amazon Spheres is a beautiful location.

Benaroya Hall is the home of the Seattle Symphony.

Rainier Tower is designed by Minoru Yamasaki.

Seattle Central Library was designed by Rem Koolhaas.

Bagley Wright House was designed by Arthur Erickson.

Brandes House was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

King Street Railway Station is available for filming.

Seattle museums of note include the Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle Art Museum designed by Robert Venturi, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Frye Art Museum, Henry Art Gallery, Burke Museum, Museum of Flight, Museum of History & Industry, National Nordic Museum, Northwest African American Museum, Official Bad Art Museum of Art, Connections Museum, and Seattle Pinball Museum.

Kerry Park has impressive city skyline views. Other Seattle parks of note include Discovery Park, Olympic Sculpture Park, Gas Works Park, Kubota Garden, Golden Gardens Park, and Volunteer Park.

Sport venues of note include Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, and Climate Pledge Arena.

University of Washington film locations include Denny Hall, Suzzallo Library, William H. Gates Hall, Gerberding Hall, Guggenheim Hall, Theodor Jacobsen Observatory, Henry Art Gallery, Burke Museum, Husky Stadium, Washington Park Arboretum, and the Quad which sees cherry blossoms bloom in the spring.

Boeing Everett Factory is an airplane assembly facility in Everett.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is located in Sinclair Inlet.

USS Turner Joy is a decommissioned destroyer.

Evergreen Point Floating Bridge is the longest floating bridge in the world.

Ballard Locks carry more boat traffic than any other lock in the United States.

Renton Public Library sits over a river.

Tacoma film locations include Museum of Glass designed by Arthur Erickson, Chihuly Bridge of Glass, Tacoma Art Museum, Pantages Theater, Washington State History Museum, LeMay – America’s Car Museum, Pacific Bonsai Museum, Union Station, Thornewood Castle, Point Defiance Park, Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and the Port of Tacoma.

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport is available for filming. Captain Fantastic (2016), and Sleepless in Seattle (1993) filmed at the airport.

Heading out of the Seattle–Tacoma area you can find the following Western Washington film locations:

Olympia is the state capital. Film locations include Washington State Capitol Building, Old Capitol Building, Governor’s Mansion, Olympia Farmers Market, and Percival Landing.

Port Townsend is a Victorian seaport town that featured in The Ring (2002), and An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). The Hunt for Red October (1990) was filmed in the waters near Port Townsend.

Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River. It is the largest suburb of Portland, Oregon. Just outside of Vancouver you can find the picturesque Cedar Creek Grist Mill.

Thunder Dome Car Museum is located in Enumclaw.

Olympic National Park is known for its rugged coastline, black sand beaches, rivers, lakes, mountains, glaciers, and deep evergreen forests. Film locations of note include Mount Olympus, Hoh Rainforest Hall of Mosses, Hoh River, Rialto Beach, Ruby Beach, The Tree of Life, Olympic Hot Springs, and Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. Wildlife of note includes black bears, bobcats, Canadian lynxes, coyotes, red foxes, river otters, beavers, muskrats, martens, mountain goats, whales, dolphins, sea lions, and a diversity of birdlife.

Mount Rainier National Park is known for Mt Rainier volcano, glaciers, waterfalls, green valleys, and old-growth forest. Mt Rainier is the state’s highest peak. The Wonderland Trail circumnavigates Mt Rainier. Paradise Inn is a historic hotel located in the park. Mount Rainier National Park is home to wildlife including black bears, cougars, bobcats, coyotes, red foxes, deers, elks, raccoons, snowshoe hares, beavers, porcupines, skunks, marmots, martens, mountain goat, and a diversity of birdlife including bald eagles.

North Cascades National Park is known for its mountains, glaciers, rivers, lakes, and evergreen forests. Mountain peaks of note include Mount Goode, Mount Buckner, Mount Logan, Black Peak, Boston Peak, Eldorado Peak, and Forbidden Peak.

Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest is known for its glaciers and the volcanos of Mount Baker, Sentinel Peak, and Glacier Peak. Mount Baker featured in Captain Fantastic (2016), Contact (1997), Northern Exposure (1990-1995), The Firm (1993), and The Deer Hunter (1978).

Other active volcanos of note include Mount Adams, and Mount St Helens which featured in Dante’s Peak (1997).

San Juan Islands are known for their evergreen forests, beautiful homes, fishing villages, and orca photography.

Mount Baker Ski Area enjoys one of the world’s highest average annual snowfalls. Other Washington ski resorts of note include Snoqualmie, Crystal Mountain Resort, Stevens Pass Resort, White Pass Ski Area, and Mission Ridge.

Snoqualmie Falls featured in Twin Peaks (1991-1990).  Other waterfalls of note include Bridal Veil Falls, Christine Falls, Sunset Falls, Wallace Falls, and Lower Lewis River Falls.

Leavenworth is a charming mountain town that looks like a Bavarian village. North Bend featured in Twin Peaks (1991-1990). Other picturesque villages include Concrete, Roslyn, Winthrop, and Cle Elum.

The Cascade Tunnel is the longest railroad tunnel in the United States.

Lighthouses of note include Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, North Head Lighthouse, Grays Harbor Lighthouse, Lime Kiln Lighthouse, and Admiralty Head Lighthouse.

The Pacific Crest Trail runs through the state.

Eastern Washington

Eastern Washington has a much drier climate than the western part of the state. The region is rich in agriculture. It is home to the state’s main wine producing region.

Spokane is known for its Art Deco, Renaissance Revival, Neoclassical, Chicago School, and Modernist architecture. Film locations include Spokane City Hall, Fox Theater, Paulsen Building, City Ramp Parking Garage, Spokane County Courthouse, Davenport Hotel, Review Building, Federal Building, Masonic Center, Hutton Building, Bing Crosby Theater, US Bank Building, Parkade Plaza, Thomas S. Foley U.S. Courthouse, Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, St Aloysius Church, Temple Beth Shalom, Post Street Electric Substation, Steam Plant, First Interstate Center for the Arts, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Campbell House, Dick’s Hamburgers, Avista Stadium, Monroe Street Bridge, Spokane Falls, Riverfront Park, and Manito Park.

Washington State University is located in Pullman. Buildings of note include Thompson Hall, Stevens Hall, Bryan Hall, Stimson Hall, Museum of Art, Martin Stadium, and the WSU Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

Palouse is popular with photographers for its beautiful rolling wheat fields.

Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla featured in Dancer in the Dark (2000).

Palouse Falls is a spectacular film location in an arid landscape.

Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park is known for Dry Falls.

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park is known for its petrified wood.

The largest Indian reservations are Yakama Indian Reservation and Colville Indian Reservation.

Dams of note include Grand Coulee, Chief Joseph, Rocky Reach, Bonneville, Wanapum, Boundary, Priest Rapids, Little Goose, Lower Granite, Lower Monumental, and Diablo.

Yakima Training Center is a United States Army training centre.

The Hanford Site is a decommissioned nuclear production complex that played a key role in the Manhattan Project. B Reactor was the first large-scale nuclear reactor ever built.

Columbia Generating Station is a nuclear power plant.

Washington Film Location Permits

The permitting process varies depending upon what part of the state you are shooting in and the type of permit you require. A Seattle City Film Permit covers filming on all city owned property and costs $25/day. Please contact us for location specific information.

When To Shoot?

Seattle has mild but very rainy winters and warm, pleasant summers with long daylight hours. East of the Cascade Mountain range is semi-arid. Some mountains are snow covered throughout the year.

Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:

• Chinese New Year takes place in Seattle in January / February.
• Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April.
• Viking Fest takes place in Poulsbo in May.
• Spokane Lilac Festival in May.
• Northwest Folklife Festival takes place in Seattle in May.
• Seattle International Film Festival in May / June.
• The salmon run can be seen depending on the location from June to November.
• Sequim Lavender Festival in July.
• Seafair Cup takes place in Seattle in July / August.
• Chief Seattle Days takes place in Suquamish in August.
• Bumbershoot takes place in Seattle in September.
• Wooden Boat Festival takes place in Port Townsend in September.
• Oktoberfest in Leavenworth in October.
• Seattle Hempfest in October.
• Issaquah Salmon Days Festival in October.

Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in the United States.

Unique Local Stories

Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.

If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.

If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.

Washington Tax Incentives For Filming

Washington offers qualifying productions a cash rebate of up to 35% for motion pictures and episodic series. Commercials may also qualify for a cash rebate of 15% for qualifying local spend or up to 25% if a first time visitor, working with a local production house. Some non-resident labor may qualify for a return of up to 15%. To qualify, minimum in-state spend is $500,000 for motion pictures, $300,000 for episodic series (per episode), and $150,000 for commercials. Visit Washington Filmworks for more information.

Washington Film Crew & Talent

Crew. Washington has a good pool of locally based film crew.

Contact us if you are looking for a Seattle, Spokane, or Walla Walla based director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other film crew in Washington.

Talent. The local population is predominately Caucasian, Asian, African American, and Native Americans. Seattle is an ethnically diverse city. Film characters one might associate with Washington include tech billionaires, raincoat wearing pot smoking environmentalists hippies, coffee connoisseurs, craft beer brewers, lumberjacks, fishermen, and outdoorsy types like trail runners, mountain bikers, skiers, and rock climbers.

Washington Film Equipment

Equipment. Washington offers a good pool of standard camera, grip, and lighting equipment for hire.

Communications. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.

Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.

For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.

Washington Film-Friendly Accommodation

Please contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in Seattle, Spokane, Walla Walla, Yakima and other areas of Washington.

Final Notes

Safety. Washington is a very safe and reliable place for foreign productions to shoot. See here for up to date travel advice.

Down Time. Visit the San Juan Islands.

Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Washington, please see below:

Hire Washington Production Support & Shooting Crew

If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Washington, please contact us.

If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Washington, such as a director, DoP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, please contact us.

We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.