Maybe coming to a theater near you: Movies made in the Seattle-area

The Seattle-area film industry has struggled for years to compete with colleagues in Vancouver, B.C., Oregon and California. That’s been due, in large part, to the comparatively low levels of state and local tax incentives and other economic support.

Now King County Executive Dow Constantine has introduced an initiative he hopes will be a first step toward growing the local film industry.

Constantine’s Creative Economy Initiative is part of a $169 million supplemental budget proposal he submitted to the King County Council September 13.

The $306,000 request for the initiative itself would allocate $100,000 for direct grants to film producers who work with traditionally disadvantaged populations.

The rest would pay for an industry consultant to coordinate film-friendly policies.

Constantine also proposes to reduce the fee to film on county property from $500 to $25, and he’s signed an executive order directing the county to focus on short-term real estate deals to support film production.

For example, a national television series is currently using vacant county office space as its production headquarters.

The full County Council will consider Constantine’s new initiative along with the supplemental budget itself later this fall.