Mayor Mike McGinn recognizes Zombie Orpheus Entertainment for their innovation, audience engagement, commitment to local film community
SEATTLE
– Mayor Mike McGinn recognized Zombie Orpheus Entertainment for their
innovative business model, commitment and engagement of their audience,
and their support of Seattle’s local film industry.
Zombie Orpheus Entertainment (ZOE) is
a local multimedia production company dedicated to developing and
producing fantasy, science fiction, and horror films that are accessible
to all audiences. They strive to produce fun and original shows while
creating a long-term sustainable film community with monthly production,
able to pay cast and crews livable wages.
As an independent
production company, ZOE utilizes alternative methods of funding for
their productions, opting to crowdfund projects through Kickstarter. In
doing so, they have grown their business every year by giving fans
control over the direction and success of their shows, such as
JourneyQuest and The Gamers Trilogy.
“Creativity and
entrepreneurship are two traits that have made Seattle a world leader in
innovation,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “Businesses like ZOE embody this
spirit. Through their innovative business model and fan engagement, they
are creating new ways for people to enjoy high-quality productions.”
Debuted
in 2010, ZOE’s business model was deemed too radical when introduced.
However, they proved critics wrong, and has tripled their growth over
the course of their first three crowdfunded campaigns. In 2012, they
broke the Kickstarter record for most money contributed to a film or
video campaign, with over $400,000 pledged. This unprecedented funding
is a direct result of the commitment ZOE has made to their fans.
“We
developed and implemented a new way of creating and distributing
independent film—the Creator Distributed, Fan Supported model—which has
now been adopted successfully by a number of other indie producers,”
said Matt Vancil, co-owner of ZOE. “Our motto is "No Studio, No Network,
No Cancellation," which is our pledge to our fans and supporters that
we'll continue telling stories that they love for as long as they keep
us funded.”
ZOE focuses on building and sustaining a fan base,
and releases their work using the Creative Commons License, which allows
fans to remix, share, and reuse their productions without fear of
ensuing legal action.
“From where we started in 2008 until now
has been amazing and I think it’s going to keep going because we’re very
fan-supported - people love it - and we’ve created a volume of work
here in Washington State that I think we couldn’t really have done
anywhere else,” said Tony Becerra, assistant director and producer for
ZOE.
“I absolutely believe that the more people
who adopt this model as a way to tell good stories and connect with the
people who want to hear them, the more successful it will be for all of
us, because it will become a part of the culture,” said Ben Dobyns,
co-owner,
ZOE.
Besides their commitment to and active
engagement with their fans, ZOE has demonstrated a commitment to the
Seattle film and creative community. Their office space is at Jigsaw
Renaissance, a local non-profit makerspace in Seattle’s Inscape Arts
Building in the Chinatown/International District surrounded by other
artists, many of whom end up being collaborators.
They have hired
over 60 local actors and crew members when in production, and work in
partnership with local artists to create their high quality movies and
web series. They consistently increase the pay of their cast and crew
with every production, and have a long-term goal of paying their casts
and crews ongoing living wages. They are also active in shaping the next
generation of Seattle filmmakers through their internship program that
gives students meaningful filmmaking experience and connects them to
industry professionals who can help them embark on a career after
graduation.
“Seattle’s vibrant film, music and arts scene
contributes greatly to our local economy and is a testament to our
reputation as a city of creativity and innovation,” said Maud Daudon,
President and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. “The
success and innovation at ZOE serves as a model to inspire improvements
and growth in our local film and creative industries.”
As part of the Seattle Jobs Plan, the
In Good Company program
is an ongoing showcase of businesses that spotlights one locally-owned
business every month for being unconventional, transformative, and
exemplary.
Businesses recognized in the
In Good Company program
receive several meaningful prizes to help their business grow and
celebrate their employees, including a mayoral proclamation; a
high-quality video profile featured on the Seattle Channel; a one-year
membership or an upgraded tier of membership at the Seattle Metropolitan
Chamber; and a special gift basket for employees containing food,
drinks and prizes from some of Seattle’s most beloved local companies.
The
highlighted businesses are chosen by the City of Seattle’s Office of
Economic Development and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce by
a committee of staff members who meet quarterly to select businesses to
recognize. Individuals and businesses may also suggest recommendations
via the Office of Economic Development.
For nomination criteria and more information, please visit the
In Good Company website page.
In Good Company is brought to you by: Mayor Mike McGinn as part of the
Seattle Jobs Plan;
Seattle Office of Economic Development;
Seattle Channel;
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce;
Flying Spot; and
206 inc.
Prize partners include:
Alaska Airlines Board Room Airport Lounges;
Banya 5;
DRY Soda;
Fran's Chocolates;
Seattle Mariners;
Theo Chocolate;
The Crumpet Shop; and
Uber.
# # #
Seattle Jobs Plan
Mayor
Mike McGinn’s vision for next generation economic development that
creates a sustainable economy with shared prosperity in Seattle was
launched in August 2010. It consists of new and existing policies,
programs and investments designed to help create quality jobs, protect
the environment, and ensure that taxpayers get true value from the city
of Seattle's public investments. Visit
www.seattle.gov/mayor/jobsplan/
City’s Office of Economic Development (OED)
OED
supports a healthy business environment and empowers companies to grow
and compete. We provide services directly to businesses through
advocacy, retention and expansion assistance, and workforce development.
Visit
www.growseattle.com to access city services for businesses, and for more information about our office, visit
www.seattle.gov/economicdevelopment
Seattle Channel
SEATTLE
CHANNEL is the award winning local TV station that puts video to work
to build and strengthen community. SEATTLE CHANNEL presents programs on
cable television (channel 21 on Comcast and Broadstripe) and via the
Internet to help citizens connect with their city.
www.seattlechannel.org
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
The
Seattle Metropolitan (Seattle Metro) Chamber of Commerce is the largest
and most diverse network of influential business leaders in the Puget
Sound region. Founded in 1882 by local business leaders, the Chamber
today is an independent organization of 2,200 businesses representing a
regional workforce of approximately 700,000 people. Visit
www.seattlechamber.com
Zombie Orpheus Entertainment
Zombie
Orpheus Entertainment (ZOE) is a Seattle-based, independently owned,
production company that produces original and high-quality fantasy,
science fiction, and horror films. Utilizing crowdsourced funding and
fan interaction, the company has drawn a loyal fan following that
supports and sustains all their productions. Through their commitment to
Seattle’s artist community, they hire local actors and production crews
to film all of their projects. ZOE is recognized for their innovative
business model, commitment and engagement of their audience, and their
support of Seattle’s local film industry. Visit
http://zombieorpheus.com/
join Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall, Special Projects Editor Scott Dunbier, and IDW President Greg Goldstein as they set the stage for IDW’s upcoming 15th
year anniversary. Bring some questions, and come prepared for a lively
discussion in a unique town hall format. You just might walk away with a
free book! With sneak peeks, and a few tricks up their sleeves, this
will not be a panel to miss!
(October 31, 2013-New York, NY) Tod Emko is a known conservationist, featured in the popular TV show Whale Wars and founder of Darwin Animal Doctors (
