Name: Lisa Coronado
City: West Seattle
Describe your work: I am an actress. I occasionally will write/produce my own work.
How long have you been in this industry? I started acting in high school theater and have been professionally acting for almost 10 years.
Why is Washington State a great place to film?
Oh man, having grown up here I think I’m a little biased on why I love to film in Washington. But from a filmmaker’s standpoint, Washington offers a wide array of landscapes. Spokane alone was able to provide the Syfy’s Z Nation a backdrop of the whole United States as the characters ‘traveled’ across the country. With our rugged coast to the West, our stunning mountains in the center and our desert like lands in the East, Washington has it all. Add onto that professional crew members and actors who are hungry for work and are so very talented.
How has the incentive program played a part in your career growth?
Washington’s incentive program brought Z Nation to our state. It was such a crazy and exciting time for us actors and crew. And when I booked a recurring role, I just couldn’t believe it. I never thought I could make a living at this. With Z Nation I was able to get health insurance for myself and my family. I think I’m more proud of that than anything! The Washington Film Incentive Program is directly a part of that. It has had a huge impact on my work and my life. And while I’m not allowed to go into specifics, I was also able to shoot on Twin Peaks, (also a WF project) in 2015. Working with David Lynch was a huge career highlight. He’s just brilliant and so kind.
What would you like legislators to know about the incentive renewal?
I think for our legislators, I want them to know that I’m a working class person. I am not Hollywood royalty. I am not wealthy. I’m trying to make a living doing what I love, and I want to do it here. I’m rooted in Washington. My kids go to school here. My husband runs a business here. I could have moved to Los Angeles, but I’m stubborn, and if there’s any way to keep working here, then I’m going to go after it, but I can’t do it alone. The Film Incentive Program has to be here, or we will get passed up by production companies who can go to Canada or Portland, where there are robust incentives. We have to be competitive with them. If the incentive goes away, then so does the likelihood of me being able to sustain a career here, and I would have to explore other options, including a move to L.A., and I know I’m not the only actor in that position.