The best thing about patronage jobs is they can stuff them with people that do what they want at twice the price and call it a success.

By the way, Big Bertha is literally burning out in the Seattle muck

When's the last time a big movie was made in Seattle?

#1

Good word...you're right....she's gonna blow...wonder if it will set off the fault line.

'Clogged overhead' causing Bertha to overheat
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Clogged-…

Define "big" @2. For example, Lynn Shelton's & Megan Griffith's films are not "big" in terms of production cost, but the two have done more to highlight the city & region than a dozen "Assassins".

In case you haven't been paying attention (and clearly you haven't), Seattle has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the top cities in the U.S. for filmmaking. And a lot of the credit for that belongs squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Keblas and his team at OoF+M.

You guys already had a credibility issue when it came to Murray. Whining about a fairly inconsequential appointment like this will only cement your irrelevance when it comes to your local political coverage.

Speaking of Seattle Culture.

Did you know that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is about a bunch of people shooting up heroin? That's what this guy on Song Meanings says...

"A mulatto" - Black-tar mixed with water, turns it brown

"an albino" - his blue veins seen through light skin

"a mosquito" - the prick of the needle and checking the drawback of blood

"my libido" - Heroin is better than sex..

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3995/…

@2

https://moviemaps.org/cities/3
http://www.seattle.gov/filmoffice/film_h…
http://thefilmschool.com/general/what-mo…
http://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/comments…

Google is your friend. One was filmed here this past summer that's coming out this year, like a $40,000,000 budget. The problem is our state cut the motion picture incentive program as other states ramped theirs up--Ohio and Louisiana particularly. That's why so much of Avengers, set in NYC, was shot in Cleveland. It was also hard for a long time to compete with Vancouver which was cheaper for a looooong time and had several established productions studios and lots of professionals from supporting so many long-running television series shot there.

Here's what I got from all that:
"Dry Beefeater martini with huge, delicious pickle."

Then:
"Is it 5 yet? Do I have right now in my home everything I need to make a Dry Beefeater martini with a huge, delicious pickle? Do I need to seek out some kind of purveyer of Dry Beefeater martinis with huge, delicious pickles?"

And so on.

#7

So other then the one you alluded to, from the Seattle City Gov page it looks like filmmaking ended in Seattle in 2010.

Seems to me that over time Vancouver, with its Government subsidies, became the Hollywood set for anything Seattlesque, and now has enough of a cache to no longer hide the fact. (The show Endgame for one, and Continuum for another).

I'm curious, is the bloke who got fired the same one who gave that weirdly inappropriate speech at the SIFF opening gala last year?

@9:

Riiiiggghhhht. That's why MovieMaker Magazine, one of the top industry publications, tapped Seattle as one of the top Cities In the U.S. for filmmakers, because that's the sort of national rep you earn by "ending filmmaking".

Idiot.

@9 the city site is out of date. For example, a Robin Williams film was done all over Magnolia and Queen Anne just 2 years ago, and a bunch of people were filming all over the Lake Union area and the Arboretum just this past summer for a major Hollywood romantic comedy. Damn if I can remember it's name.

Murray's an ass...and this is going to get worse over the next four years.

Give the city a mulligan on that election.

@12:

The Robin Williams film was "World's Greatest Dad", shot here in 2009.

The "romantic comedy" was probably Lynn Shelton's "Laggies".

9, I bet you never once thought about this subject before today. and now, because you've been prodded to actually click on some links, you're an expert.

well, you're not. you never have been. the only value of your posts is giving voice to what the great ignorant masses think.

Kate Becker has been working on advancement of the arts for more than a decade. If anyone can carry on the torch, it is her. I looked up to her and her ability to organize when I was in high school and I'm glad to see that she is still making an impact today. James did a lot for Seattle but there's no reason to assume that Kate won't do the same.

@16 I've knew her during the first days of the Firehouse over 20 years ago and agree, she's been a tireless ally of the music scene—especially where young people are concerned—and I'm always happy to see her name pop up now and again.

So they got a music person and film people are pissed— at worst it's a lateral move, but it could still very well be a positive.

@18:

I don't think it's at all a fair assessment to say that the film people are pissed because Kate is a music person; that's really irrelevant. Frankly, it really has nothing to do with her at all. A lot of people in both camps ARE pissed because Keblas was a tireless, highly effective advocate for BOTH film & music, and it's very upsetting to lose such a strong voice, regardless of the comparative merits of his replacement.

Who the hell holds the same job for 9 years anymore?

Ed Murray supporter here, and this sounds to me like a huge, pointless, ill-conceived fuck-up.

If you fire Randy, Ed, you can go fuck yourself next election as far as I'm concerned.

@20: Who the hell holds the same job for 9 years anymore?

In this case, someone who was extremely passionate and effective at his job.

Ultimately, the question is: What is Mayor Murray's vision for the film industry in Seattle?

The working vision for that past several years has been to build film, television, and commercial production into a $1B industry in Seattle and the region through streamlining regulation, supporting artists, and attracting both native and outside production to film projects here. It is a multi-year challenge that requires state, city, county, and private entities move in concert. The advances are not easy and do not come overnight, but we have seen steady progress and had built great momentum. Films are being made here, the city and its filmmakers are being noticed, and initiatives like Commercialize Seattle are attracting new economic activity to the region.

James Keblas was a leader and tireless worker on behalf of making this vision a reality. By unceremoniously booting him from office, Mayor Murray has signaled that he is unsatisfied with this vision, its progress, and the jobs and opportunities it is bringing and could continue to bring. So our natural question is: What is your vision for the film industry in Seattle, Mayor Murray?

This is not about Kate Becker, and it's not really about James Keblas anymore. It is about Mayor Ed Murray. We are looking for his leadership here since he felt it was necessary to break a system that was working extremely well to bring new opportunity and economic activity to the people of our city and region.

I want to know what kind of pickle she has in her glass.

Sounds like James was qualified, but nothing in the article to states what he has accomplished recently. Why pay out extra salaries if there is nothing being accomplished. There is nothing to say he is being replaced. It appears he is just not being kept on. Of course Lynn Shelton who clearly does most of her work in Gollywood, does one minor film and wants to know the mayors rationale. Whereas I cannot speak for out NEWLY elected mayor, I would imagine he is working to do what so many individuals and companies are doing these days: Work within a budget that prioritizes spending where it will do the most good the everyone. Now for those who do not like that response, then I recommend running for mayor and trying out the position for a bit before making judgements as to what he should be spending the tax payer's money on in less than optimal economic conditions.

Lynn Shelton has done seven films by my count...all in and around Seattle. James Keblas has been replaced within two hours of his announcement...and we still have not hurt a peep from Mayor Murray as to his reasoning behind this decision.

"heard" not "hurt."