The First Annual Northwest Production Summit will take place during the 34th Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) from June 12-15.

The summit takes place under the aegis of the festival in partnership with the Mayor's Office of Film + Music, WashingtonFilmWorks and the Washington State Film Office.

Headline events include an invite-only three-day symposium, an IFP/Seattle mentorship programme and three specialised panels.

The mentorship programme will grant access to and participation in the symposium events for five IFP members, three from Washington state and two from other US chapters.

The panels will cover finance (Show Me The Money), producing (So You Want to Be an Independent Producer') and pitching (The Pitch Slam).

'Our objective with the summit is to personalise the VIP experience so that our film-making guests have a deeper understanding of the vibrant creative community that defines Washington State,' Lindsey Johnson, interim manager of the Washington State Film Office, said.

SIFF runs until June 15. For further information visit www.siff.net.