Seattle, WA - December 13, 2012 - Washington Filmworks is pleased to announce the recipients of funding assistance from the inaugural Film Cycle of the Innovation Lab. The Innovation Lab provides up to 30% return on eligible in-state spending for Washington resident filmmakers. The Board of Directors of Washington Filmworks may commit up to $350,000 annually, over two cycles, to support emerging filmmakers, as well as those using new forms of production and emerging technologies. For this inaugural cycle, the Jury for the Innovation Lab has recommended Washington Filmworks allocate $175,000 across five unique projects and the Board has approved their recommendation.

These five projects, helmed by Washington resident filmmakers, will result in very different projects over the coming year, including several narrative features, a short film and a series pilot. The following is a list of filmmakers who received funding assistance for their projects, including a brief synopsis and Jury commentary on each:

• Gevin Booth, Producer The Servant (Narrative Feature) - A politician in crisis finds his life is torn apart, as he becomes convinced he's been recruited by supernatural envoys to bring humility and compassion to the world. Jury Comments - "With a unique and memorable script, writers Nathan and Matthew Williams present The Servant; a film about politics, without a political agenda, that carries a balanced mix of the supernatural and realism. With the help of producer Gevin Booth, this is a film that will not only highlight the talent embedded in the Washington film community, but will also present its audience with a rich story aimed to spark discussion and conversation about modern day philosophy and politics." 

• Tony Fulgham, Director / Writer Box Walk (Narrative Short) - Paul and his stepfather track down a wounded deer in rural Washington, but the life lessons learned aren't fully realized until he faces his stepfather, seventeen years later. Jury Comments - "Tony Fulgham is already World Famous, or, at least his production company is. Having conquered commercial and corporate projects, Box Walk, finally, marks his narrative debut. Tony's ability to tell stories with haunting imagery, minimal dialogue and an overriding respect for the complexity of our fears and foibles, guarantees this lyrical short will kick start a long and triumphant career in features. Global acclaim shall follow."

• Destiny Gowdy, Director / Writer Sassy Friends (Series Pilot) - Mona and Bea know who they are and what they want. Fueled by box wine and baked goods, these disillusioned Riot Grrls are on a classic quest for truth and justice. Jury Comments - "Sassy Friends evolved so locally and organically that it would leap full force off the shelves at PCC. Recent Kentucky transplant Destiny Gowdy, with an assist from producer Ian Bell, has written characters and a story line based on people and experiences that have shaped her new life in Washington and that could only thrive and jive on the genuinely sassy streets of Capitol Hill and its sister neighborhoods."

• Shaun Scott, Director / Producer Pacific Aggression (Narrative Feature) - A travel writer explores the American West and reinvents the road movie through the lens of Washington State. As he explores the geography and zeitgeist of the region, he begins to struggle with himself and his surroundings. Jury Comments - "Shaun Scott is a revolutionary filmmaker; the rare breed of visionary whose work is not yet as appreciated as it is bound to be. As his films evolve from documentary to fiction, he explores truths that shake audiences' preconceptions and redefine genres."

• Kenneth White, Producer Centerville (Narrative Feature) - A secretly gay Republican, a little girl dreaming of marriage, and a bevy of unique small town characters converge with time travelers and interplanetary terrorists in a tiny Washington town, one week before the end of the world. Jury Comments - "The heightened reality and sharply drawn humor that permeate Centerville are preternaturally appropriate, not only to the current state of the union, but to the State of Washington as well. Local writer Kenta Hadley's intelligent and completely original screenplay will require precisely the talents and sensibilities that producer Ken White and director Keith Bearden bring to the table."