It's no accident that Seattle, Washington has wound up on MM's "Top 10 Cities to be an Independent Moviemaker" for three years in a row. With the largest independent film program in the Northwest, the Seattle Film Institute is satiating the Emerald City's interest in moviemaking. Founded in 1994, the school has seen tremendous growth over the past nine years, while continuing its original commitment to individual attention and hands-on learning. Here, SFI founder David Shulman shares with MM his philosophy of eating, living and breathing film.

Jennifer Wood (MM): How would you define the mission of the Seattle Film Institute?

David Shulman (DS): Our mission is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, tools and experience needed to pursue a career in the motion picture industry. We encourage them to follow their own creative paths as independent filmmakers or screenwriters; to furnish a foundation in filmmaking for work in digital video, new technologies or on the Web.

MM: What sets you apart from other film programs?

DS: The Seattle Film Institute offers the largest independent film program in the Northwest. Our 40-week certificate program has small classes, accessible tuition, a real hands-on curriculum with more shooting days

than practically anyplace else. And it is perhaps the only certificate program in the country to offer industry internships to every single student who completes the program.

MM: What are the main disciplines the Seattle Film Institute teaches? What are some of the topics/areas of filmmaking that you find students are most interested in learning about?

DS: The 40-week, full-time total immersion program provides a complete hands-on overview of the filmmaking and screenwriting process, as well as a solid grounding in film history. Students are in class four days a week for four hours a day. One day a week is devoted to screenwriting, two days each week to production and one day each week to film analysis. By the end of the program, students have completed a feature-length screenplay, have done a number of digital video projects and have completed several 16mm films. Students who come to the Seattle Film Institute have a strong interest in production and are particularly interested in as broad an education as possible.

MM: Who are your students, for the most part? Are they recent graduates, or working professionals? Are there different educational levels?

DS: Students who come to the Institute are after a film school education. Though some students have previous experience, the program is designed to take a student with little or no previous experience and prepare him or her for a career in the film industry or as an independent filmmaker. The median age of students is in the mid-20s. The current class has a number of students who have just graduated from high school, as well as students who are have already had successful careers in other professions.

MM: Who are some of the local companies and organizations you work with to further the "hands-on" approach you take to learning?

DS: The Seattle Film Institute has a strong connection with the local film industry. Students have internships at a wide variety of businesses, ranging from film labs such as Alpha Cine to production houses such as Victory Productions. Not only do students gain valuable experience in their internships, but our graduates are actively sought after and are much respected by the local film community. Local companies also tend to be very supportive of our alumni as they start work on their own projects after they have completed the certificate program.

MM: Can you talk a bit about your faculty-are they typically working professionals or academics?

DS: The faculty at the Seattle Film Institute are, at one and the same time, working professionals and experienced teachers. Faculty members have their own careers as directors, screenwriters, producers and cinematographers. Alec Carlin, who teaches advanced screenwriting, just won Best of Festival at Palm Springs for his film, Outpatient, which he wrote and directed. Students receive the benefit and stimulation of being taught by people who are working in the industry, but who also know what it's like to learn in a film school environment. Many of the faculty attended film schools themselves, including the University of Southern California.

MM: How do you think being in Seattle helps your students learn about the moviemaking industry? How does it hurt them not being in a traditional moviemaking center like NYC or LA?

DS: Seattle is a great place to both study and live. It's also a great place to make films in terms of externals-locations and local support of projects. The local film industry is also large enough so that students have a great opportunity to use the skills they learn. Students who have moved down to Los Angeles after graduating have all done well, so I believe it comes down to a combination of the student's personality and what they're interested in doing rather than where they learned their skills.

MM: What is one little-known fact about the Seattle film industry/community?

DS: I'll give you two little-known facts. First, the Washington State Film and Video Office has become incredibly supportive of independent and low-budget filmmakers. Normally, these state offices are geared to support the big mainstream projects, but ours really does look out for the smaller fish in the pond. Second, Seattle has a really strong community of actors. At one time there were more equity theatres here than any place outside of New York-and the local acting community is very receptive to participating in all types of projects, including student films.

MM: What is the one piece of advice you'd give to someone looking to enroll in a film education program? And what would you say to someone considering the Seattle Film Institute?

DS: I tell prospective students that since they really don't know where their careers will take them down the road, it's really important to learn about all aspects of filmmaking. Don't do anything that eliminates choices. The best way to become a filmmaker and to develop the craft is by doing. And by doing. And by doing. The Seattle Film Institute is really the place to be for those who want to jumpstart their career by eating, living and breathing film.