Monday, February 12, 2024
Discover Seattle’s new video by Visit Seattle, showcasing its nature, culture, and history, directed by Matty Brown with poetry by Quenton Baker.
The non-profit organization dedicated to marketing Seattle and its surrounding regions, Visit Seattle, recently launched a captivating new video to promote the destination. Directed by the esteemed recipient of the Film Independent Spirit Award, Matty Brown, and enriched with the profound poetry of Seattle’s own Quenton Baker, a distinguished poet, educator, and member of the Cave Canem fellowship, the video beautifully portrays Seattle’s deep ties to nature, its lively cultural scene, diverse gastronomic delights, and historical heritage.
Spanning over three minutes, this video is set to be showcased across a variety of digital media platforms. Its purpose is to draw the attention of prospective visitors, encouraging them to discover more about what Seattle has to offer. This piece is a key component of Visit Seattle’s promotional strategy, intended for broad dissemination to reach numerous audiences. It also aims to draw the interest of those planning meetings and conventions.
The objective behind this initiative was to highlight the diverse cultural fabric of Seattle, a city that not only attracts tourists but also instills a sense of pride among its residents. The collaboration between Matty Brown and Quenton Baker brought this vision to life, showcasing their extraordinary talents. Brown’s involvement was particularly noteworthy as he was the inaugural recipient of the Seattle Story Award from Visit Seattle and Film Independent, bringing his work to the attention of over 75 million viewers during the broadcast of the Independent Spirit Awards on the IFC network.
“Seattle has always been home for me,” Brown said. “Even on my travels around the world I yearn to return to it. No other metropolitan city has really captured the sense of wonder and nature the way Seattle does. Its culturally rich background and modern edge give it such a grand mix of life. I wanted to give us a flurried glimpse through the unique personality of the city, sort of a roller coaster through the heart of it all. There were too many locations and activities to capture – we couldn’t add everything – but it definitely gives you a full range of what Seattle has to offer.”
The narrative of the video is driven by Baker’s poem, which draws inspiration from the eclectic allure of Seattle, creating a poetic tribute to the city’s charm. The poem includes a nod to Washington’s musical legacy, particularly the iconic 1991 Nirvana song, “Come As You Are.”
“When I set out to write this poem, it was natural for me to think of the city as a collection of texts. Of the intertwined, intertextual nature of the disparate communities of people, wildlife, environments, etc. that make Seattle what it is,” said Baker. “A city is a complicated thing. It raises you, it scars you, it shapes you, it gives you context, it constricts, limits you. Parts of it die and fade; it changes and surprises. Sometimes it disappoints. All of this lives in me, someone who was born here and has lived here my whole life. The opportunity to write this poem, then, means quite a bit. To attend to all of that complexity, all that it’s given to me, everything that’s been lost, I carry it with me. It sings and wails inside me at different registers. The chance to sing back is a gift.”
Featured in the video are several of Seattle’s landmarks and attractions such as MBar, the colorful streets of Capitol Hill, the Wing Luke Museum, Twice Sold Tales bookstore, Kerry Park, The Crocodile music venue, Pike Place Market, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Alki Beach, the Fremont Troll, Seattle Aquarium, and others, showcasing the wide range of experiences available to both visitors and locals alike.
“Seattle is a welcoming place for individuals of all demographics, ages, abilities, and identities,” states Tammy Canavan, President & CEO of Visit Seattle. “Inclusion of this diversity and sense of acceptance was crucial for this project, as it highlights one of the aspects of the destination that make us uniquely Seattle. Quenton Baker’s words perfectly articulate all the things, tangible and intangible, that make Seattle an incredibly special place.”
Produced in partnership with Seattle’s creative agency PB&, the video premiered on February 9 at a special event at The Crocodile, named Here After. The premiere included a panel discussion with special guests, including Matty Brown and Quenton Baker, marking a significant moment for Visit Seattle’s marketing endeavors.
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Saturday, April 27, 2024
