SEATTLE FILMWORKS INC
424B1, 1996-07-01
PHOTOFINISHING LABORATORIES
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<PAGE>
   
PROSPECTUS
    
   
                                                               FILED PURSUANT TO
                                                                  RULE 424(b)(1)
                                                       REGISTRATION NO. 333-4957
    
 
                                1,400,000 SHARES
 
                            [SEATTLE FILMWORKS LOGO]
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
                                   ---------
 
    All  of the 1,400,000 shares of Common Stock of Seattle FilmWorks, Inc. (the
"Company") being offered hereby are being sold by the Selling Shareholders.  See
"Principal  and Selling Shareholders."  The Company will not  receive any of the
proceeds from the sale of shares by the Selling Shareholders.
 
   
    The Common Stock  of the  Company is traded  on the  Nasdaq National  Market
("Nasdaq")  under the symbol  "FOTO." On June  27, 1996, the  last reported sale
price of the Company's Common Stock on  Nasdaq was $17.00 per share. See  "Price
Range of Common Stock."
    
                                 --------------
 
    SEE  "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 5  OF THIS PROSPECTUS FOR A DISCUSSION
OF CERTAIN FACTORS THAT  SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY  PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS OF  THE
COMMON STOCK.
                                 -------------
THESE  SECURITIES  HAVE  NOT  BEEN APPROVED  OR  DISAPPROVED  BY  THE SECURITIES
 AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR ANY  STATE  SECURITIES COMMISSION  NOR  HAS  THE
  SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR  ANY  STATE  SECURITIES COMMISSION
      PASSED  UPON   THE   ACCURACY   OR  ADEQUACY   OF   THIS   PROSPECTUS.
              ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           UNDERWRITING
                                                       PRICE TO           DISCOUNTS AND      PROCEEDS TO SELLING
                                                        PUBLIC            COMMISSIONS(1)       SHAREHOLDERS(2)
<S>                                              <C>                   <C>                   <C>
Per Share                                               $16.00                $0.96                 $15.04
Total(3)                                             $22,400,000            $1,344,000           $21,056,000
</TABLE>
    
 
(1)   For  information  regarding  indemnification   of  the  Underwriters,  see
    "Underwriting."
 
(2) Before  deducting expenses  estimated  at $350,000,  of which  $175,000  are
    payable by the Selling Shareholders and $175,000 are payable by the Company.
 
   
(3)  One of the  Selling Shareholders has  granted to the  Underwriters a 30-day
    option to purchase up to 210,000 additional shares of Common Stock solely to
    cover over-allotments,  if  any.  See  "Underwriting."  If  such  option  is
    exercised  in full,  the total Price  to Public,  Underwriting Discounts and
    Commissions and  Proceeds  to  Selling  Shareholders  will  be  $25,760,000,
    $1,545,600 and $24,214,400, respectively.
    
                               ------------------
 
   
    The  shares of  Common Stock are  being offered by  the several Underwriters
named herein,  subject to  prior sale,  when, as  and if  accepted by  them  and
subject  to certain conditions. It is  expected that certificates for the shares
of Common Stock offered hereby will be  available for delivery on or about  July
3,  1996, at the office of Smith Barney  Inc., 333 W. 34th Street, New York, New
York 10001.
    
                                 --------------
 
SMITH BARNEY INC.                                              HAMBRECHT & QUIST
 
   
June 27, 1996
    
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
INSIDE   FRONT    COVER:  Seattle  FilmWorks  Logo;  Six  Amateur  Photographs;  Six  Photographic and
                          Graphic Representations  of  Various  Promotional  Materials,  Services  and
                          Products,  including the following  captions: "2 Rolls  of Film Introductory
                          Offer"; "Pictures Plus-TM- Index";  "Pictures On Disk-TM-";  "PhotoWorks-TM-
                          Software";   "PhotoMail-TM-  Internet  Delivery:   Download  your  developed
                          pictures directly from our photofinishing  lab via your on-line or  Internet
                          Service";  "FilmWorksNet-TM-"; "Your personal  and private home  page on the
                          Seattle FilmWorks Web site. Free for all Seattle FilmWorks customers."
 
INSIDE BACK COVER:        Seattle FilmWorks  Logo; Seven  Amateur Photographs;  Five Photographic  and
                          Graphic  Representations  of  Various  Promotional  Materials,  Services and
                          Products, including  the following  captions: "Backprinting  and  Referenced
                          Negatives";  "Corresponding  numbers and  dates  appear on  both  prints and
                          negatives"; "Slides  and  Prints  from  any  36mm  color  film";  "Professor
                          FilmWorks."
</TABLE>
 
                                 [PHOTOGRAPHS]
 
                                 --------------
 
    IN  CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY OVER-ALLOT OR EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE OF THE COMMON STOCK OF
THE COMPANY AT  A LEVEL ABOVE  THAT WHICH  MIGHT OTHERWISE PREVAIL  IN THE  OPEN
MARKET.  SUCH  STABILIZING MAY  BE  EFFECTED ON  THE  NASDAQ NATIONAL  MARKET OR
OTHERWISE. SUCH STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.
 
    IN CONNECTION WITH  THIS OFFERING,  CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS  AND SELLING  GROUP
MEMBERS  MAY ENGAGE IN PASSIVE MARKET MAKING TRANSACTIONS IN THE COMMON STOCK OF
THE COMPANY ON THE NASDAQ NATIONAL  MARKET IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 10b-6A  UNDER
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934. SEE "UNDERWRITING."
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
    THE  FOLLOWING SUMMARY  IS QUALIFIED  IN ITS  ENTIRETY BY  THE MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE NOTES THERETO, APPEARING
ELSEWHERE  HEREIN  OR  INCORPORATED  BY  REFERENCE  IN  THIS  PROSPECTUS.   EACH
PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IS URGED TO READ THIS PROSPECTUS IN ITS ENTIRETY.
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    Seattle  FilmWorks, Inc. (the "Company" or "Seattle FilmWorks") is a leading
direct-to-consumer marketer and provider of high-quality amateur  photofinishing
services and products. The Company offers an array of complementary services and
products   primarily  on  a  mail-order  basis  under  the  brand  name  Seattle
FilmWorks-Registered  Trademark-.  The  Company  has  achieved  20   consecutive
quarters  of growth in net revenues and net income compared to the corresponding
quarter of the prior fiscal year. From fiscal 1991 to fiscal 1995, net  revenues
and net income per share increased at a 14% and 26% compound annual growth rate,
respectively.
 
    Since  1978, the Company has been an  industry leader in the introduction of
value-added photo-related  services and  products.  The Company  offers  prints,
slides  and  digital  images, all  from  the  same roll  of  35mm  film. Seattle
FilmWorks was among the first to provide express-mail delivery, cross-referenced
data on prints and negatives, a  composite photo index and a convenient  reorder
system.  To  a  lesser  extent, the  Company  provides  photofinishing services,
products and supplies on a wholesale basis.
 
    Since 1994,  the Company  has been  a pioneer  in providing  digital-imaging
technologies  which enable  photofinishing customers  to creatively  enhance and
share  personal  photographs  with  friends,  family  and  business  associates.
Products  incorporating these technologies  include (i) Pictures  On Disk-TM-, a
single floppy  disk  containing  digital  images  from  a  roll  of  film;  (ii)
PhotoWorks-TM-  software, which can be used  to create digital photograph albums
and screen savers; (iii) PhotoMail-TM-, a service which reduces turnaround  time
by  privately delivering digital images to customers over the Internet; and (iv)
most recently, FilmWorks Net-TM-,  a free service  which provides customers  the
ability  to share pictures  through the creation of  a private photographic home
page uploaded to the Seattle FilmWorks Web site (www.filmworks.com). The Company
is currently developing additional digital-imaging and Internet-related services
and products.
 
    The Company attributes its growth  in photofinishing revenues in large  part
to  its direct-marketing  programs, which  are primarily  based on  the customer
acquisition technique  of  offering  two  rolls  of  film  for  $2.00  or  less.
Direct-marketing  techniques enable  the Company  to target  selected consumers,
measure customer  response and  obtain direct  customer feedback  to changes  in
marketing  strategies. Recently, the Company has targeted the growing population
of  personal   computer   users  in   connection   with  the   introduction   of
digital-imaging  services and products. The  Company has developed comprehensive
statistical models for the design and analysis of its direct-response  marketing
programs using proprietary customer data compiled over 15 years.
 
    From  fiscal 1991 to fiscal 1995,  net revenues increased from $36.6 million
to $62.2 million  and net income  increased from $2.4  million to $5.7  million,
respectively.  For the six months  ended March 25, 1995  and March 30, 1996, net
revenues increased from $24.6 million to $34.5 million and net income  increased
from  $1.0 million to $1.5 million,  respectively. Beginning in fiscal 1995, the
Company  shifted  the  focus  of,  and  substantially  expanded,  its   customer
acquisition  programs.  Management believes  that  these steps  are  the primary
reasons for the  acceleration in growth  of net revenues  and net income  during
fiscal 1995 and the first six months of fiscal 1996.
 
    The Company's strategy for growth is to continue to leverage the strength of
its  services, products and  marketing programs to  acquire additional customers
and increase the level of business  with prospective and existing customers.  In
an  effort to promote customer loyalty and increase consumer demand, the Company
develops new  services  and  products and  continuously  refines  its  marketing
programs.
 
    The Company was incorporated in Washington State in June 1976. The Company's
executive  offices are  located at  1260 16th  Avenue West,  Seattle, Washington
98119, and its telephone number is (206) 281-1390.
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
                                  THE OFFERING
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
Common Stock offered by the
 Selling Shareholders.............  1,400,000 shares
Common Stock to be outstanding
 after this offering (1)..........  10,818,688 shares
Use of proceeds...................  The Company will  not receive any  of the proceeds  from
                                    the sale of Common Stock offered hereby.
Nasdaq National Market symbol.....  FOTO
</TABLE>
    
 
                         SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
          (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PERCENTAGE, PER SHARE AND SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   FISCAL YEAR ENDED (2)
                              ---------------------------------------------------------------
                               SEPT. 28,    SEPT. 26,    SEPT. 25,    SEPT. 24,    SEPT. 30,
                                 1991         1992         1993         1994         1995
                              -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                                                                                    SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                                                                               --------------------------
                                                                                                MARCH 25,     MARCH 30,
                                                                                                   1995          1996
                                                                                               ------------  ------------
                                                                                               (UNAUDITED)   (UNAUDITED)
STATEMENTS OF INCOME:
<S>                           <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>
  Net revenues..............    $  36,645    $  38,442    $  42,728    $  49,753    $  62,185    $  24,563     $  34,510
  Gross profit..............       15,083       15,694       17,269       18,907       24,057        8,742        13,603
  Operating expenses........       11,666       11,660       12,284       12,709       15,729        7,363        11,537
  Income from operations....        3,417        4,034        4,985        6,198        8,328        1,379         2,066
  Net income................        2,373        2,905        3,570        4,438        5,682          994         1,454
  Net income per share......    $    0.19    $    0.24    $    0.29    $    0.36    $    0.48    $    0.09     $    0.12
  Fully diluted weighted
   average shares
   outstanding (3)..........   12,180,794   12,266,046   12,358,157   12,394,677   11,731,761    11,555,702    11,844,024
  Net income as a percentage
   of net revenues..........         6.5%         7.6%         8.4%         8.9%         9.1%         4.0%          4.2%
  Net income per share
   growth rate over prior
   period...................        18.8%(4)       26.3%       20.8%       24.1%        33.3%        28.6% (4)       33.3%
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                         MARCH 30,
                                                                                                           1996
                                                                                                        -----------
                                                                                                        (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                                                     <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Cash (5)............................................................................................   $   7,114
  Capitalized customer acquisition expenditures.......................................................       9,645
  Total assets........................................................................................      31,492
  Long-term debt......................................................................................           0
  Shareholders' equity................................................................................      19,639
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------
 
   
(1) Does not include 1,689,210 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon
    exercise of options under the Company's stock option plans, of which options
    to  purchase 1,306,498  shares had  been granted  as of  June 26,  1996 at a
    weighted average exercise price of $3.88 per share.
    
 
(2) Fiscal 1991, 1992,  1993 and 1994  were 52-week periods;  fiscal 1995 was  a
    53-week period.
 
(3)  Common  share  equivalents included  in  the computation  of  share amounts
    represent shares issuable upon exercise of stock options using the  treasury
    stock method.
 
(4)  As compared to the  prior fiscal year or  corresponding period in the prior
    fiscal year.
 
(5) Includes cash, cash equivalents and securities available for sale.
 
                         ------------------------------
 
    THIS PROSPECTUS CONTAINS  CERTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS WHICH  INVOLVE
KNOWN  AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER FACTORS WHICH MAY CAUSE ACTUAL
RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMPANY OR INDUSTRY TRENDS TO DIFFER
MATERIALLY FROM THOSE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH FORWARD- LOOKING  STATEMENTS.
SUCH  FACTORS  INCLUDE,  AMONG OTHERS,  THOSE  DISCUSSED IN  "RISK  FACTORS" AND
ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND IN DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE  HEREIN.
THE  COMPANY'S  FISCAL  YEAR ENDS  ON  THE  LAST SATURDAY  IN  SEPTEMBER. UNLESS
OTHERWISE INDICATED,  THE  INFORMATION  IN  THIS  PROSPECTUS  ASSUMES  THAT  THE
UNDERWRITERS'  OVER-ALLOTMENT  OPTION IS  NOT EXERCISED  AND REFLECTS  A 3-FOR-2
STOCK SPLIT EFFECTIVE MARCH 15, 1996, A 3-FOR-2 STOCK SPLIT EFFECTIVE MARCH  15,
1995,  A 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT EFFECTIVE MARCH  16, 1994 AND A 3-FOR-2 STOCK SPLIT
EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 26, 1993.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    IN  ADDITION TO THE OTHER INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS, THE FOLLOWING RISK
FACTORS SHOULD  BE  CAREFULLY  CONSIDERED  IN EVALUATING  THE  COMPANY  AND  ITS
BUSINESS BEFORE PURCHASING ANY OF THE SHARES OFFERED HEREBY.
 
ABILITY TO SUSTAIN AND MANAGE GROWTH
 
    The Company has experienced significant growth in revenues and profitability
in  recent periods. This growth has occurred  despite little or no growth in the
U.S. photofinishing industry in the 1990s and an actual decline in the number of
rolls processed  by  the mail-order  film  processing portion  of  the  domestic
photofinishing  market  during  the same  period.  See "Business--Photofinishing
Industry and Direct-Marketing Overview." The  continued growth of the  Company's
revenues  and profitability is dependent in large part on its ability to acquire
new customers at a reasonable cost. There  can be no assurance that the  Company
will  continue to  grow or to  effectively manage its  growth. See "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of  Financial Condition and  Results of Operations"  and
"Business."  The Company may, when and  if the opportunity arises, acquire other
businesses involved in activities or having  service and product lines that  are
compatible  with  the  Company's  business,  but  the  Company  has  no  current
understanding, agreement or arrangement  to make any acquisitions.  Acquisitions
involve  numerous  risks, which  could  have a  material  adverse effect  on the
Company's business, financial condition and operating results.
 
DEPENDENCE ON DIRECT-MARKETING PROGRAMS; ACCOUNTING FOR CUSTOMER ACQUISITION
 
    Management  believes  that  a  large   part  of  the  Company's  growth   in
photofinishing  revenues is attributable to its direct-marketing programs, which
are primarily based on its customer acquisition technique of offering two  rolls
of  film for  $2.00 or  less. The Company  devotes substantial  resources to and
regularly tests  new and  modified  direct-marketing programs  in an  effort  to
improve  the efficiency of its customer acquisition and retention efforts. There
can be  no  assurance that  the  Company's customer  acquisition  and  retention
efforts  will continue to be effective. A  decline in the effectiveness of these
efforts or a failure to compete effectively against new or existing  competitors
which  use direct-marketing techniques  could have a  material adverse effect on
the  Company's  business,  financial   condition  and  operating  results.   See
"Business--Marketing and Customer Acquisition" and "--Competition."
 
    The  direct costs  of customer acquisition  programs, primarily  the cost of
film, postage and  printed materials  for the  Company's free  or low-cost  film
offers  sent to  prospective and  existing customers,  but excluding advertising
costs, are deferred and amortized over a period of up to three years as part  of
customer acquisition costs. The Company establishes amortization rates for these
capitalized  assets based on  estimates of the timing  of future roll processing
volumes per customer. Rates of amortization are compared from time to time  with
the  actual timing  of roll  processing volumes in  order to  assess whether the
amortization rates appropriately match the direct costs of customer  acquisition
with  the related revenues. If the Company  were to experience a material change
in the timing of roll processing volumes, it could be required to accelerate the
rate of  amortization of  capitalized customer  acquisition expenditures,  which
could  have  a  material adverse  effect  on the  Company's  business, financial
condition and operating results. Moreover, if  the Company were to experience  a
significant  decline in  the amount  of revenues  from its  customers without an
offsetting decrease in direct customer acquisition costs, the Company may not be
allowed to  capitalize  customer  acquisition  costs  under  generally  accepted
accounting  principles,  which  could  have a  material  adverse  effect  on the
Company's business, financial condition and operating results. See "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
 
RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
 
    The  photography  industry  is  characterized  by  evolving  technology  and
changing  services and products.  The introduction of  photographic services and
products embodying new technologies could render existing services and  products
obsolete.  The Company's future  success will depend  in part on  its ability to
adapt to  new technologies  and  develop new  or  modify existing  services  and
products to
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
satisfy  evolving consumer needs. For example, the commercialization of filmless
digital imaging technologies,  including mass-market  filmless digital  cameras,
may have a negative impact on companies such as Seattle FilmWorks, which process
traditional  film-based images and slides. The development of these or other new
technologies, or  any  failure by  the  Company to  anticipate  or  successfully
respond  to  such developments,  could  have a  material  adverse effect  on the
Company's   business,   financial   condition   and   operating   results.   See
"Business--Competition."
 
FLUCTUATIONS IN QUARTERLY RESULTS AND SEASONALITY
 
    The  Company's quarterly operating  results have fluctuated  in the past and
are expected to fluctuate  in the future  as a result of  a variety of  factors,
including  changes in  the mix  of sales,  intensity of  promotional activities,
price increases  by  suppliers,  introductions of  new  products,  research  and
development  requirements,  actions  by competitors,  foreign  currency exchange
rates, conditions  in  the  direct-to-consumer  market  and  the  photofinishing
industry  in general, national and global economic conditions and other factors.
Moreover, demand for the Company's photo-related services and products is highly
seasonal, with the  highest volume of  photofinishing activity occurring  during
the  summer months. As a result, the  Company's operating results for any period
are not necessarily  indicative of  results for any  future period.  Due to  the
foregoing  factors, the  Company's operating results  in a future  period may be
below the expectations of public market  analysts and investors. In such  event,
the  price  of  the  Common  Stock may  be  materially  adversely  affected. See
"Management's Discussion  and Analysis  of Financial  Condition and  Results  of
Operations."
 
COMPETITION
 
   
    The  market for consumer photofinishing services is characterized by intense
competition among a  number of  firms competing in  a segment  in which  average
revenue   per   roll  processed   declined  during   the  1990s,   according  to
photofinishing  industry   data.  Many   of  the   Company's  competitors   have
substantially greater financial, technical and other resources than the Company.
The  Company faces competition in the  consumer photofinishing market from other
direct marketers and from competitors in other distribution channels,  including
much larger companies which provide photofinishing services on a wholesale basis
to  independent  retail  outlets and,  in  some cases,  through  multiple retail
outlets owned by the photofinisher, many of which provide photofinishing service
within hours. There are  no significant proprietary or  other barriers to  entry
into  the  photofinishing  industry.  Many of  the  Company's  competitors offer
similar photofinishing services  and products at  lower prices and  with a  more
rapid  turnaround time than  those offered by the  Company. However, the Company
has sought to differentiate its photofinishing services by offering a number  of
value-added services and products and emphasizing quality and convenience rather
than seeking to be a low-price or rapid turnaround provider. Although management
believes  the  Company  is  a  leader  in  developing  and  marketing innovative
photo-related services  and products,  competitors can  and do  provide  similar
services  and products. There can  be no assurance the  Company will continue to
compete effectively through development of  innovative services and products  or
to  respond appropriately to industry trends or to activities of competitors. In
addition, the wholesale distribution market  for rolled film and  photofinishing
supplies  is highly competitive and is  dominated by suppliers which manufacture
what they sell  and may, therefore,  potentially have lower  costs of goods  for
these items than the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will be
able  to  compete effectively  with current  or future  competitors or  that the
competitive pressures faced  by the  Company will  not have  a material  adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and operating results. See
"Business--Competition."
    
 
DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL
 
    The  Company's success depends in large  part on the abilities and continued
service of its executive officers and other key employees, in particular Gary R.
Christophersen, the  Company's  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer.  These
individuals,  including  Mr.  Christophersen,  are  not  subject  to  employment
agreements that would  prevent them from  leaving the Company.  There can be  no
assurance that the Company will be able to retain the services of such executive
officers  and  other key  employees.  The loss  of  key personnel  could  have a
material adverse  effect  on the  Company's  business, financial  condition  and
operating results. See "Management."
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
DEPENDENCE ON THE INTERNET AND POTENTIAL LIABILITY FOR CONTENT
 
   
    In  October 1995,  the Company  introduced the  private delivery  of digital
photographs from its laboratory directly to customers over the Internet  through
its PhotoMail-Registered Trademark- delivery service. More recently, the Company
announced  FilmWorksNet-TM-, a free  service to its  customers through which the
customer can create and upload a private personal photographic home page to  the
Seattle  FilmWorks  Web  site  for  viewing  by  friends,  family  and  business
associates to whom  the customer gives  a guest password.  Although the  Company
provides  its services and products  through multiple distribution channels, the
Company's success may depend in part on the continued expansion of the  Internet
and  its network  infrastructure. Rapid  growth in  interest in  and use  of the
Internet is  a  recent  phenomenon, and  there  can  be no  assurance  that  the
Company's  Internet-related services will  prove to be  a competitive advantage.
Moreover,  critical  issues  concerning  the  commercial  use  of  the  Internet
(including  security, reliability, cost,  ease of use and  access and quality of
service) remain unresolved and  may affect both the  growth of Internet use  and
the  Company's financial results.  The law relating to  the liability of on-line
services companies,  Internet access  and/or content  providers, Web  hosts  and
electronic  publishers for information carried  on or disseminated through their
systems for,  among  other  things,  infringement  of  copyrighted  material  or
trademarks,   violations  of  personal  rights  of  privacy  and  publicity  and
dissemination of material legally judged to be obscene, indecent or  defamatory,
is  currently unclear. Such claims have been brought, and sometimes successfully
asserted, against on-line services, including cases against Prodigy and  NETCOM.
In   addition,  the  recently   passed  Telecommunications  Act   of  1996  (the
"Telecommunications Act")  imposes,  in  some circumstances,  liability  for  or
prohibits the transmission over the Internet of certain types of information and
content.  Although a federal district court recently blocked enforcement of that
portion of the Telecommunications Act intended to regulate obscene content, this
or other  legislation could  result in  significant potential  liability to  the
Company,  as well as additional costs  and technological challenges in complying
with mandatory  requirements.  From  time  to time,  the  Company  has  assisted
authorities  in the discovery and prosecution of child pornography. However, the
Company does not  assume responsibility to  edit the content  of its  customers'
photographs,  slides, digital images or personal home pages unless responding to
a specific complaint. The  potential liability for  content made available  over
the  Internet  through  its Web  site  could  require the  Company  to implement
additional measures to reduce its exposure to such liability, which may  require
it  to incur  significant expense or  to discontinue certain  service or product
offerings. While the Company carries general liability insurance, such insurance
may not cover potential claims of this type or may not be adequate to compensate
the Company for any liability that may be imposed for information carried on  or
disseminated through its systems. Any costs not covered by insurance incurred as
a  result of such liability or asserted  liability could have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and operating results. See
"Business--Governmental Regulation."
    
 
RELIANCE ON KEY VENDOR AND SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS; FOREIGN SOURCING
 
    The  Company  obtains  its   conventional  35mm  film   from  a  few   large
manufacturers  of photographic film, including Agfa Corporation ("Agfa") and 3M,
Inc., its supply of Eastman motion  picture film as surplus from motion  picture
studios  and  television production  companies  and its  photographic  paper and
chemicals from a single  supplier, Agfa. In  addition, the individual  cassettes
into  which the Company spools 35mm film  for still cameras are manufactured for
the Company by foreign sources, principally  in China and South Korea. As  there
are  relatively few  suppliers of  film, photographic  paper and  chemicals, the
elimination of any  one supplier could  cause a material  disruption within  the
industry  and could  have a material  adverse effect on  the Company's business,
financial condition and  operating results.  Other than an  agreement with  Agfa
which  is  subject  to possible  termination  beginning in  September  1996, the
Company has no long-term  purchase contracts or  other contractual assurance  of
continued  supply, pricing  or access  to film,  paper, chemicals  or cassettes.
Although the Company has experienced limited  delays in the delivery of  certain
supplies  in the  past, such  delays have  not had  a significant  impact on the
Company's operations. While management believes that alternate sources of  film,
paper, chemicals and cassettes are available, there can be no assurance that the
Company  will be able to continue to acquire its requirements for these supplies
in sufficient
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
quantities or on terms as favorable to the Company as those currently  available
to  it.  Also, conversion  to an  alternate supplier  may cause  delays, reduced
quality or other problems. The Company's operations may be adversely affected by
political  instability  resulting  in  the  disruption  of  trade  with  foreign
countries  in  which the  Company's contractors  and  suppliers are  located and
existing or potential duties, tariffs or  quotas that may limit the quantity  of
certain  types of goods that  may be imported into  the United States. Moreover,
sales of the Company's services and products on a direct-to-consumer  mail-order
basis are largely dependent on the U.S. Postal Service for receipt of orders and
delivery  of processed  film or other  products. Any significant  changes in the
operations of  or  prices  charged  by  the  U.S.  Postal  Service  or  extended
interruptions  in postal deliveries could have  a material adverse effect on the
Company's   business,   financial   condition   and   operating   results.   See
"Business--Operations" and "--Suppliers."
 
DEPENDENCE ON PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES, STATISTICAL MODELS AND MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
 
    The Company depends on its management information systems to process orders,
provide  rapid  response to  customer inquiries,  manage inventory  and accounts
receivable collections, purchase, sell  and ship products  efficiently and on  a
timely  basis and maintain  cost-efficient operations. The  Company has recently
replaced and upgraded a portion of its systems hardware. It is not uncommon  for
system  defects, shutdowns, slowdowns  or other problems  to occur in connection
with conversion to new data-processing equipment. While the Company has taken  a
number of precautions against certain events that could disrupt the operation of
its  management information systems,  including in connection  with the hardware
upgrade, there can be no assurance that the Company will not experience  systems
failures  or interruptions,  which could have  a material adverse  effect on its
business, financial condition and  operating results. See  "Business--Management
Information  Systems." The Company also  depends on statistical models developed
to measure the effectiveness of its marketing programs and on its employees  who
are  knowledgeable about such models. In addition, the Company continually faces
risks regarding  the availability  and cost  of labor,  the potential  need  for
additional capital equipment, plant and equipment obsolescence, quality control,
excess  or insufficient capacity and disruption in the Company's operations. The
loss of  employees knowledgeable  about the  Company's statistical  models or  a
disruption  in the Company's photofinishing or direct-marketing operations could
have a material adverse  effect on the  Company's business, financial  condition
and operating results. See "Business--Operations" and "--Suppliers."
 
GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION
 
    The  Company's direct-mail operations are subject  to regulation by the U.S.
Postal Service,  the  Federal Trade  Commission  and various  state,  local  and
private  consumer protection and other regulatory authorities. In general, these
regulations govern the  manner in which  orders may be  solicited, the form  and
content  of advertisements,  information which  must be  provided to prospective
customers, the time within which orders must be filled, obligations to customers
if orders are not shipped within a specified period of time and the time  within
which  refunds  must  be  paid  if the  ordered  merchandise  is  unavailable or
returned. From  time to  time the  Company  has modified  its methods  of  doing
business and its marketing operations in response to inquiries and requests from
regulatory  authorities. To date, such changes have not had an adverse effect on
the Company's  business.  There  can  be  no  assurance,  however,  that  future
regulatory  requirements or actions  will not have a  material adverse effect on
the  Company's  business,  financial   condition  and  operating  results.   See
"Business--Governmental Regulation."
 
POTENTIAL ADVERSE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
 
    The Company's photofinishing operations involve the use of several chemicals
which  are subject to federal, state and local governmental regulations relating
to the  storage, use,  handling  and disposal  of  such chemicals.  The  Company
actively  monitors  its compliance  with applicable  regulations and  works with
regulatory authorities to ensure compliance. However, there can be no  assurance
that  changes in environmental regulations or in  the kinds of chemicals used by
the Company will not impose the  need for additional capital equipment or  other
requirements.  Any failure by the  Company to control the  use of, or adequately
restrict   the   discharge   of,   hazardous   substances   under   present   or
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
future  regulations could subject it to substantial liability or could cause its
operations to be  suspended. Such  liability or suspension  of operations  could
have  a material adverse  effect on the  Company's business, financial condition
and operating results. See "Business--Environmental Compliance."
 
STATE SALES TAX
 
    Many states impose  taxes on the  sale or use  of products and  the sale  of
certain  services within the taxing  state's borders. To the  extent a seller of
taxable products or services is subject  to the jurisdiction of a taxing  state,
the  state may impose a sales tax directly on the seller or may impose a duty on
the seller to collect a sales or  use tax from the seller's customers. A  seller
is  generally considered subject to the jurisdiction of a taxing state for sales
or use tax purposes when the seller  has an in-state presence that is beyond  de
minimis.  An in-state presence  can include solicitation of  orders for sales in
the taxing state  either in-person or  through an employee  or other agent.  The
Company  currently collects and pays sales tax only with respect to shipments to
the state of Washington. The Company  has structured its operations in a  manner
designed  to minimize the likelihood that it has more than a de minimis physical
presence in  any  state  other  than Washington.  However,  if  a  state  taxing
authority  determines that  the Company has  established more than  a de minimis
physical presence in that  particular state, the Company  could be obligated  to
collect  a sales or use tax  (or pay a sales tax in  states that impose a tax on
the seller) on some sales  of its services and  products. Should the Company  be
found  liable by  a state  taxing authority  for unpaid  historic sales  and use
taxes, such liabilities could  have a material adverse  effect on the  Company's
business,  financial  condition  and  operating  results.  From  time  to  time,
legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress that, if enacted into  law,
would  impose a  state sales  or use  tax collection  obligation on out-of-state
mail-order companies  such as  the Company.  Enactment of  any such  legislation
could  have  a  material adverse  effect  on the  Company's  business, financial
condition and operating results.
 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
 
    The Company considers a  large portion of  its PhotoWorks-TM- software,  its
process for production of Pictures On Disk-TM- and certain other processes to be
proprietary.  The Company has  not filed any patents  or patent applications, in
part to avoid disclosure of  its competitive strengths. Moreover, the  Company's
PhotoWorks-TM-  Plus product is shipped in  sealed packages on which notices are
prominently displayed informing the end-user that, by breaking the package seal,
the end-user  agrees to  be bound  by  the license  agreement contained  in  the
package.  The legal  and practical  enforceability and  extent of  liability for
violations of license agreements that purport to become effective upon opening a
sealed package are unclear. See "Business--Proprietary Technology."
 
POSSIBLE VOLATILITY OF STOCK PRICE
 
    The market price of the Common Stock has been, and is likely to continue  to
be,  volatile. There  can be no  assurance that  the market price  of the Common
Stock will not fluctuate significantly from its current level. The market  price
of  the Common Stock could be subject to significant fluctuations in response to
a number of factors, such as  actual or anticipated variations in the  Company's
quarterly operating results, the introduction of new services or products by the
Company  or  its  competitors, changes  in  other  conditions or  trends  in the
Company's industry, changes in  governmental regulations, changes in  securities
analysts'  estimates of the Company's, or its competitors' or industry's, future
performance or  general  market  conditions. See  "Management's  Discussion  and
Analysis  of Financial Condition and Results  of Operations." In addition, stock
markets have experienced extreme  price and volume  volatility in recent  years,
and  this  volatility has  had  a substantial  effect  on the  market  prices of
securities of many smaller public companies for reasons frequently unrelated  to
the operating performance of such companies. These broad market fluctuations may
adversely  affect the  market price  of the  Common Stock.  See "Price  Range of
Common Stock."
 
ANTITAKEOVER CONSIDERATIONS
 
    The Company's  Board of  Directors has  the authority,  without  shareholder
approval,  to issue  up to 2,000,000  shares of  Preferred Stock and  to fix the
rights and preferences thereof. This authority, together with certain provisions
of the  Company's  Amended  and  Restated  Articles  of  Incorporation  and  the
Washington  Business Corporation Act, may discourage takeover attempts or tender
offers that could  result in shareholders  receiving a premium  over the  market
price  for the Common Stock or that shareholders may otherwise consider to be in
their best interests.
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    The Company will not receive any proceeds  from the sale of Common Stock  by
the Selling Shareholders.
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
    The  Company has never declared  or paid cash dividends  on the Common Stock
and does not  anticipate paying  any dividends  in the  foreseeable future.  The
Company currently intends to retain its earnings, if any, for the development of
its  business. In addition, the  Company is restricted under  the covenants of a
bank loan agreement from declaring any dividends on shares of its capital  stock
in  excess of $4  million in any  fiscal year, noncumulative  from year to year,
without the bank's prior consent.
 
                          PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
 
    The Common Stock is traded on Nasdaq under the symbol "FOTO." The  following
table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low sale prices of the
Common Stock as reported on Nasdaq, as adjusted for stock splits.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                 HIGH        LOW
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
<S>                                                                                            <C>        <C>
Fiscal Year Ended September 24, 1994
  First Quarter..............................................................................  $    4.44  $    3.83
  Second Quarter.............................................................................       7.61       4.00
  Third Quarter..............................................................................       7.00       5.00
  Fourth Quarter.............................................................................       8.89       5.78
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 1995
  First Quarter..............................................................................  $    8.56  $    6.56
  Second Quarter.............................................................................      10.22       7.28
  Third Quarter..............................................................................      11.83       8.33
  Fourth Quarter.............................................................................      15.83      11.17
Fiscal Year Ending September 28, 1996
  First Quarter..............................................................................  $   15.83  $   12.00
  Second Quarter.............................................................................      20.50      13.33
  Third Quarter (through June 27, 1996)......................................................      21.75      16.25
</TABLE>
    
 
   
    On  June 27,  1996, the last  sale price  reported on Nasdaq  for the Common
Stock was $17.00 per share.  At June 26, 1996, the  Common Stock was held by  an
estimated 5,400 shareholders, with 402 holders of record.
    
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
                            SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
          (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PERCENTAGE, PER SHARE AND SHARE DATA)
 
    The  following selected  financial data should  be read  in conjunction with
"Management's Discussion  and Analysis  of Financial  Condition and  Results  of
Operations"  and the Company's Financial Statements  and Notes thereto and other
financial information  included  elsewhere  in  this  Prospectus.  The  selected
financial  data  set forth  below with  respect to  the Company's  statements of
income for the  fiscal years ended  September 30, 1995,  September 24, 1994  and
September  25, 1993, and the Company's balance  sheets at September 30, 1995 and
September 24, 1994,  are derived from  the audited financial  statements of  the
Company  included elsewhere in this Prospectus and should be read in conjunction
with those  financial statements  and  the notes  thereto. The  selected  income
statement  data for the fiscal years ended  September 26, 1992 and September 28,
1991 and the selected  balance sheet data at  September 25, 1993, September  26,
1992 and September 28, 1991 are derived from audited financial statements of the
Company  which are  not included in  this Prospectus. In  addition, the selected
financial data set forth below for each  of the six months ended March 30,  1996
and  March 25, 1995 have been derived from the unaudited financial statements of
the Company. In the opinion of the Company's management, the unaudited financial
statements have been prepared on a  basis consistent with the audited  financial
statements  and include all adjustments, which  are of a normal recurring nature
(except as described  in the  Notes thereto),  necessary to  present fairly  the
financial  position and  results of  operations and  cash flows  for the interim
periods, but are not necessarily indicative  of the results of operations for  a
full year.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       FISCAL YEAR ENDED(1)                               SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                ------------------------------------------------------------------    ------------------------
                                SEPT. 28,     SEPT. 26,     SEPT. 25,     SEPT. 24,     SEPT. 30,     MARCH 25,     MARCH 30,
                                   1991          1992          1993          1994          1995          1995          1996
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
                                                                                                      (UNAUDITED)   (UNAUDITED)
<S>                             <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
STATEMENTS OF INCOME:
  Net revenues................  $   36,645    $   38,442    $   42,728    $   49,753    $   62,185    $   24,563    $   34,510
  Cost of goods and
   services...................      21,562        22,748        25,459        30,846        38,128        15,821        20,907
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
      Gross profit............      15,083        15,694        17,269        18,907        24,057         8,742        13,603
  Operating expenses:
    Customer acquisition
     costs....................       7,268         6,948         7,115         6,516         8,579         4,056         5,774
    Other selling expenses....       2,393         2,468         2,868         3,458         4,035         1,815         3,462
    Research and
     development (2)..........           0             0           285           459           458           211           521
    General and
     administrative...........       2,005         2,244         2,016         2,276         2,657         1,281         1,780
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
      Total operating
       expenses...............      11,666        11,660        12,284        12,709        15,729         7,363        11,537
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
  Income from operations......       3,417         4,034         4,985         6,198         8,328         1,379         2,066
  Total other income..........          24           140           290           187           252           118           160
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
  Income before income taxes..       3,441         4,174         5,275         6,385         8,580         1,497         2,226
  Provision for income
   taxes......................       1,068         1,269         1,705         1,947         2,898           503           772
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
  Net income..................  $    2,373    $    2,905    $    3,570    $    4,438    $    5,682    $      994    $    1,454
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
  Net income per share (3)....  $     0.19    $     0.24    $     0.29    $     0.36    $     0.48    $     0.09    $     0.12
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
  Fully diluted weighted
   average shares outstanding
   (3)........................  12,180,794    12,266,046    12,358,157    12,394,677    11,731,761    11,555,702    11,844,024
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
                                ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------    ----------
  Net income as a percentage
   of net revenues............        6.5%          7.6%          8.4%          8.9%          9.1%          4.0%          4.2%
  Net income per share growth
   rate over prior period.....       18.8%(4)      26.3%         20.8%         24.1%         33.3%         28.6%(4)      33.3%
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
  Cash (6)....................  $    3,103    $    6,337    $    9,257    $    4,041    $    9,905    $    3,299    $    7,114
  Capitalized customer
   acquisition expenditures...       3,283         3,349         3,832         4,458         7,356         4,945         9,645
  Total assets................      11,474        15,538        19,632        18,835(5)     28,244        19,504        31,492
  Long-term debt..............           0             0             0             0             0             0             0
  Shareholders' equity........       6,541         9,553        13,376        11,347(5)     17,932        12,523        19,639
</TABLE>
 
- --------------------------
Footnotes on following page.
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
(1)  Fiscal 1991, 1992,  1993 and 1994  were 52-week periods;  fiscal 1995 was a
    53-week period.
 
(2) Prior to  fiscal 1993,  research and development  expenses, which  primarily
    related  to photofinishing  and film-spooling  equipment, were  not material
    and, accordingly, were  included in general  and administrative expenses  or
    cost of goods and services.
 
(3)  All share and per share data  reflect a 3-for-2 stock split effective March
    15, 1996, a 3-for-2  stock split effective March  15, 1995, a 2-for-1  stock
    split  effective March 16, 1994 and a 3-for-2 stock split effective February
    26, 1993.  Common share  equivalents included  in the  computation of  share
    amounts  represent shares issuable upon exercise  of stock options using the
    treasury stock method.
 
(4) As compared to the  prior fiscal year or  corresponding period in the  prior
    fiscal year.
 
(5)  Reflects the  impact of repurchasing  1,125,000 shares of  Common Stock for
    $6,643,000 during the fourth quarter of fiscal 1994.
 
(6) Includes cash, cash equivalents and securities available for sale.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
                          FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
 
    This Prospectus contains  certain forward-looking  statements which  involve
known  and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual
results, performance or achievements of the Company or industry trends to differ
materially from those expressed or  implied by such forward-looking  statements.
Such  factors  include,  among others,  those  discussed in  "Risk  Factors" and
elsewhere in this Prospectus and in documents incorporated by reference herein.
 
                      MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
                OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION  AND ANALYSIS  SHOULD BE READ  IN CONJUNCTION  WITH
"SELECTED  FINANCIAL  DATA" AND  THE  COMPANY'S FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  AND NOTES
THERETO INCLUDED ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
 
OVERVIEW
 
    Seattle FilmWorks,  Inc. (the  "Company")  is a  leading  direct-to-consumer
marketer  and  provider  of  high-quality  amateur  photofinishing  services and
products. The Company  offers an  array of complementary  services and  products
primarily    on   a   mail-order   basis    under   the   brand   name   Seattle
FilmWorks-Registered Trademark-. The Company has experienced an increase in  net
revenues   in  each  year  since  1990.   Management  believes  this  growth  is
attributable  principally  to  its  direct-marketing  programs,  including   the
customer  acquisition technique of offering two rolls  of film for $2.00 or less
(the  "Introductory  Offer").  The   Introductory  Offer  has  been   nationally
advertised  in package inserts, newspaper  supplements and magazines and through
various other direct-response media.
 
    Beginning  in  fiscal  1995,   the  Company  shifted   the  focus  of,   and
substantially  expanded, its customer  acquisition programs. Management believes
that these steps are the primary reasons  for the acceleration in growth of  net
revenues  and net income during  fiscal 1995 and the  first six months of fiscal
1996. In  addition, management  believes its  core photofinishing  business  has
benefitted  from  the introduction  of new  products, such  as the  January 1994
introduction of Pictures On Disk-TM- and PhotoWorks-TM-.
 
    Customer acquisition costs are comprised of  the costs of generating a  lead
and  the amortization of direct costs  associated with the Company's promotional
offers sent to  prospective and existing  customers. The costs  of generating  a
lead  include all direct-response media,  advertising and other costs associated
with developing target customer lists. These costs per lead have declined during
each of the last  three fiscal years. The  direct costs of customer  acquisition
include  film, postage  and printed material  costs associated  with mailings to
prospective and  existing customers.  These direct  costs per  recipient of  the
Introductory  Offer  have also  declined during  each of  the last  three fiscal
years.
 
    The direct costs of customer acquisition are capitalized as an asset on  the
Company's  balance sheet under  "capitalized customer acquisition expenditures."
Capitalized customer acquisition expenditures relating to prospective  customers
are   amortized  over   three  years,   and  capitalized   customer  acquisition
expenditures relating  to certain  marketing activities  to groups  of  existing
customers  are amortized over six months.  These amortization rates are based on
estimates of the  timing of  future roll  processing volumes  per customer.  The
proportion of capitalized customer acquisition expenditures to be amortized over
three  years relative to  those to be  amortized over six  months will vary from
period to period based on the timing and mix of promotional activities. Rates of
amortization are  compared from  time to  time with  the actual  timing of  roll
processing   volumes  in  order   to  assess  whether   the  amortization  rates
appropriately match the direct  costs of customer  acquisition with the  related
revenues.  If the Company were to experience  a material change in the timing of
roll processing  volumes,  it  could  be required  to  accelerate  the  rate  of
amortization  of capitalized customer acquisition expenditures, which could have
a material adverse  effect on  the Company's business,  financial condition  and
operating results.
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
    Customer  acquisition costs as a percentage of net revenues were essentially
flat in the first six  months of fiscal 1996 as  compared to the same period  of
fiscal 1995 and increased to 13.8% in fiscal 1995 as compared to 13.1% in fiscal
1994.  However, customer acquisition  costs as a percentage  of net revenues has
declined significantly from  19.8% in fiscal  1991 to 18.1%  in fiscal 1992  and
16.6%  in fiscal 1993. Management believes this trend toward decreasing customer
acquisition costs  as a  percentage of  net revenues  is due  primarily to  more
efficient  customer acquisition  programs. Future periods  may reflect increased
customer acquisition  costs due  to timing  of the  amortization of  capitalized
expenditures or the development and initiation of additional marketing programs.
For  tax purposes, customer  acquisition expenditures are  expensed as incurred,
thereby reducing current federal income tax liabilities and increasing  deferred
federal income tax liabilities. See Note F of Notes to Financial Statements.
 
    Net  income as a percentage of net revenues has improved from 6.5% in fiscal
1991 to 9.1% in fiscal 1995 primarily due to the relationship between changes in
costs of goods sold and customer  acquisition costs which in turn are  primarily
driven  by changes in sales mix and the Company's customer acquisition strategy.
Operating results will  fluctuate in the  future due  to changes in  the mix  of
sales,  intensity  of  promotional  activities,  price  increases  by suppliers,
introductions of new products, research and development requirements, actions by
competitors,   foreign   currency    exchange   rates,    conditions   in    the
direct-to-consumer  market and the photofinishing  industry in general, national
and global economic conditions and other factors.
 
    SEASONALITY.  Demand for the  Company's photo-related services and  products
is highly seasonal, with the highest volume of photofinishing activity occurring
during  the  summer months.  This seasonality,  when  combined with  the general
growth  of  the   Company's  photofinishing  business,   has  produced   greater
photofinishing  net revenues during  the last half of  the Company's fiscal year
(April through September), with a peak  occurring in the fourth fiscal  quarter.
Net  income is affected by the seasonality  of the Company's net revenues due to
the fixed nature  of a  portion of  the Company's  operating expenses,  seasonal
variation in sales mix and the Company's practice of relatively higher marketing
program expenditures prior to the summer months.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    The  following  table  sets  forth  income  statement  data  of  the Company
expressed as a percentage of net revenues for the periods indicated.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        FISCAL YEAR ENDED                     SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                          ---------------------------------------------   -------------------------
                                          SEPTEMBER 25,   SEPTEMBER 24,   SEPTEMBER 30,    MARCH 25,     MARCH 30,
                                              1993            1994            1995           1995          1996
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
                                                                                          (UNAUDITED)   (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                       <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>           <C>
Net Revenues............................     100.0%          100.0%          100.0%          100.0%        100.0%
Cost of Goods and Services..............      59.6            62.0            61.3            64.4          60.6
                                             -----           -----           -----           -----         -----
    Gross Profit........................      40.4            38.0            38.7            35.6          39.4
Operating Expenses:
  Customer Acquisition Costs............      16.6            13.1            13.8            16.5          16.7
  Other Selling Expenses................       6.7             6.9             6.5             7.4          10.0
  Research and Development..............       0.7             0.9             0.7             0.9           1.5
  General and Administrative............       4.7             4.6             4.3             5.2           5.2
                                             -----           -----           -----           -----         -----
    Total Operating Expenses............      28.7            25.5            25.3            30.0          33.4
                                             -----           -----           -----           -----         -----
Income from Operations..................      11.7            12.5            13.4             5.6           6.0
Total Other Income......................       0.7             0.3             0.4             0.5           0.4
                                             -----           -----           -----           -----         -----
Income Before Income Taxes..............      12.4            12.8            13.8             6.1           6.4
Provision for Income Taxes..............       4.0             3.9             4.7             2.1           2.2
                                             -----           -----           -----           -----         -----
Net Income..............................       8.4%            8.9%            9.1%            4.0%          4.2%
                                             -----           -----           -----           -----         -----
                                             -----           -----           -----           -----         -----
</TABLE>
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
    SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 30, 1996 COMPARED TO SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 25, 1995
 
    Net revenues for  the six  months ended March  30, 1996  increased 40.5%  to
$34,510,000  as compared to $24,563,000 for the same period of fiscal 1995. This
increase was  primarily  due to  expanded  customer acquisition  activities  and
marketing  to existing customers during fiscal 1995  and the first six months of
fiscal 1996, as described below, which  have resulted in increased net  revenues
from  photofinishing services  and products.  The quarter  ended March  30, 1996
marks the fourth consecutive quarter  of expanded customer acquisition  efforts.
Management  also  believes  that  its  Seattle  FilmWorks-Registered  Trademark-
branded business  has benefitted  from  the Company's  entry into  the  personal
computer market with its PhotoWorks-TM- and Pictures On Disk-TM- products, which
were introduced in January 1994.
 
    Gross  profit for the first six months  of fiscal 1996 increased to 39.4% of
net revenues as compared to 35.6% for  the same period of fiscal 1995  primarily
due  to a product  mix containing a  higher percentage of  the Company's Seattle
FilmWorks-Registered Trademark-  branded products,  which carry  a higher  gross
profit  margin than the Company's other  services and products. Gross profit was
also favorably impacted by the reversal  of $227,000 of state tax reserves  upon
the  resolution of  uncertainties related to  a recent tax  examination. Cost of
goods and  services  consist of  labor,  postage  and supplies  related  to  the
Company's services and products.
 
    Total  operating expenses for the first  six months of fiscal 1996 increased
to 33.4% of  net revenues as  compared to 30.0%  for the same  period of  fiscal
1995.  The increase in total operating expenses was primarily due to an increase
in customer acquisition and other  selling activities, which affect revenues  in
current  and future periods. Effective as of the beginning of the second quarter
of fiscal  1996,  the Company  reduced  from twelve  months  to six  months  the
amortization  period  for certain  marketing  activities to  specific  groups of
existing customers. This change in  accounting estimate resulted in  incremental
amortization  of $414,000 of previously deferred customer acquisition costs. The
Company capitalized  $7,413,000 of  customer  acquisition expenditures  for  the
first  six months  of fiscal 1996  as compared  to $3,066,000 for  the first six
months of fiscal 1995. Capitalized customer acquisition expenditures as of March
30, 1996 increased to $9,645,000 as  compared to $7,356,000 as of September  30,
1995.
 
    Other  selling expenses for the first six months of fiscal 1996 increased to
10.0% of net  revenues as compared  to 7.4% of  net revenues for  the first  six
months  of  fiscal 1995.  The increase  in  1996 is  primarily due  to increased
marketing activities associated with expanded promotional activities to new  and
existing customers as compared to the fiscal 1995 period. Other selling expenses
include  marketing costs associated  with building brand  awareness, testing new
marketing strategies and  marketing to  existing customers, as  well as  certain
costs  associated  with acquiring  new customers.  The  increase in  fiscal 1996
includes approximately $43,000 resulting from  an increase in amortization of  a
noncompete  agreement due to  a change in  the estimated life  from ten years to
five years and the accrual of  $126,000 in expenses related to securing  certain
rights to the "PhotoWorks" mark claimed by a third party.
 
    Research  and development expenses  for the first six  months of fiscal 1996
increased to $521,000 as compared to $211,000 for the first six months of fiscal
1995. This increase was primarily due to the Company's continued development  of
digital  services  and  products.  Research  and  development  expenses  consist
primarily of  costs incurred  in researching  new computerized  digital  imaging
concepts, developing computer software products and creating equipment necessary
to  provide  customers  with  new  computer-related  photographic  services  and
products.
 
    General and administrative  expenses increased  $499,000 for  the first  six
months  of fiscal  1996 as  compared to the  same period  of fiscal  1995 due to
increased  compensation  expenses  based  on  the  Company's  profitability  and
increased  legal  and  accounting  costs.  General  and  administrative expenses
remained at 5.2% of net  revenues for the first six  months of both fiscal  1996
and fiscal 1995. General and administrative expenses consist of costs related to
computer  operations,  human resource  functions, finance,  accounting, investor
relations and general corporate activities.
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
    Total other income increased to $160,000 for the first six months of  fiscal
1996  as  compared to  $118,000 for  the first  six months  of fiscal  1995. The
increase was  primarily  due  to interest  income  from  short-term  investments
attributable to higher levels of cash generated by operations.
 
    The  federal income  tax rate  for the  first six  months of  fiscal 1996 as
compared to the first six months of  fiscal 1995 increased to 34.7% from  33.6%.
The  increase in the effective  tax rate is due primarily  to an increase in the
marginal federal corporate tax rate due to expected income levels.
 
    Net income for the first six months of fiscal 1996 was $1,454,000, or  $0.12
per  share, as compared to $994,000, or $0.09  per share, for the same period in
fiscal 1995. The increase in  net income in the 1996  period as compared to  the
1995  period is primarily attributable to the increase in net revenues and gross
profit and is partially offset by the increase in operating expenses.
 
    FISCAL YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1995, SEPTEMBER 24, 1994 AND SEPTEMBER 25,
1993
 
    Net revenues increased 25.0% to $62,185,000 in fiscal 1995 from  $49,753,000
in  fiscal 1994. Net revenues in fiscal 1994 increased 16.4% to $49,753,000 from
$42,728,000 in  fiscal  1993.  The  increases were  primarily  due  to  expanded
investment  in customer acquisition  and other selling  activities during fiscal
1995, fiscal 1994 and fiscal 1993,  which increased the number of new  customers
and photofinishing orders processed in fiscal 1995 and fiscal 1994. In addition,
increased  distribution of rolled film and photo-related products on a wholesale
basis during fiscal 1995 and fiscal 1994, including sales generated as a  result
of  the acquisition  of selected  assets of a  wholesale film  business in 1994,
favorably  affected  net  revenues.  Management  also  believes  that  its  core
photofinishing  business benefitted from  the Company's entry  into the personal
computer market with its PhotoWorks-TM- and Pictures On Disk-TM- products, which
were introduced in January 1994. The increased revenues in fiscal 1995 were also
favorably affected by an additional one-week reporting period in fiscal 1995  as
compared to fiscal 1994 and fiscal 1993.
 
    Gross  profit as a percentage  of net revenues for  fiscal 1995, fiscal 1994
and fiscal 1993 was 38.7%, 38.0% and 40.4%, respectively. The increase in  gross
profit percentage in fiscal 1995 as compared to fiscal 1994 was primarily due to
a  sales mix  containing a higher  proportion of  photofinishing services, which
have a  higher  gross  profit  margin than  the  Company's  wholesale  film  and
photo-related supplies business. Gross profit as a percentage of net revenues in
fiscal  1994  was lower  than fiscal  1993, resulting  from changes  in customer
acquisition promotional activities, including  free film offers, which  resulted
in  a  decrease  in revenues  received  in connection  with  certain promotional
offers. Also, fiscal 1994 net revenues included a higher proportion of sales  of
lower-margin  wholesale film  and photo-related  supplies as  compared to fiscal
1993.
 
    Total operating expenses as  a percentage of net  revenues for fiscal  1995,
fiscal  1994 and fiscal 1993 were 25.3%, 25.5% and 28.7%, respectively. Although
total operating expenses  increased in actual  dollars in both  fiscal 1995  and
fiscal  1994 as compared to the prior fiscal year, total operating expenses as a
percentage of  net  revenues were  substantially  unchanged in  fiscal  1995  as
compared to fiscal 1994, but decreased in fiscal 1994 as compared to fiscal 1993
primarily due to a decrease in customer acquisition costs as a percentage of net
revenues and an increase in net revenues in each of those years that was greater
than  the increases in operating  expenses. The decrease as  a percentage of net
revenues in fiscal  1995 and  fiscal 1994  as compared  to fiscal  1993 is  also
attributable to more cost-effective advertising programs.
 
    Customer  acquisition costs  as a percentage  of net revenues  were 13.8% in
fiscal 1995, up from 13.1%  in fiscal 1994 and down  from 16.6% in fiscal  1993.
The  increase in fiscal 1995 was primarily due to increased expenditures related
to the Company's  customer acquisition  programs targeted  at personal  computer
users. The decrease in fiscal 1994 from fiscal 1993 was primarily due to changes
in  customer acquisition  promotional activities,  which allowed  the Company to
maintain the response rate to the Introductory Offer while reducing  advertising
expenses associated with attracting new customers.
 
    Other selling expenses increased to $4,035,000 in fiscal 1995 as compared to
$3,458,000 in fiscal 1994 and $2,868,000 in fiscal 1993. The increases in fiscal
1995 and fiscal 1994 were primarily due to
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
increased  expenditures for selling activities promoting the sale of rolled film
and other photo-related products and increased marketing to existing  customers.
Other selling expenses in fiscal 1995 and fiscal 1994 also included amortization
of  a  noncompete  agreement associated  with  the January  1994  acquisition of
certain assets of a wholesale  film business. See Note  B of Notes to  Financial
Statements.  Expressed as a  percentage of net  revenues, other selling expenses
decreased to 6.5% in fiscal 1995 as compared to 6.9% in fiscal 1994 and 6.7%  in
fiscal 1993.
 
    General  and administrative expenses increased  to $2,657,000 in fiscal 1995
as compared  to $2,276,000  in fiscal  1994.  The increase  in fiscal  1995  was
primarily  due to increased expenditures relating to recruitment, consulting and
additional labor costs due  to increased volumes. Expressed  as a percentage  of
net  revenues, general  and administrative expenses  declined to  4.3% in fiscal
1995 as compared to 4.6% in fiscal 1994 and 4.7% in fiscal 1993.
 
    Research and development expenses during fiscal 1995, fiscal 1994 and fiscal
1993 were $458,000, $459,000 and $285,000, respectively, increasing from  fiscal
1993   primarily   in  connection   with  the   development  of   the  Company's
PhotoWorks-TM- and Pictures On Disk-TM- products. Prior to fiscal 1993, research
and  development  expenses,  which  primarily  related  to  photofinishing   and
film-spooling  equipment, were not  material and, accordingly,  were included in
general and administrative expenses or cost of goods sold.
 
    Total other income in  fiscal 1995 was $252,000  as compared to $187,000  in
fiscal  1994 and $290,000 in fiscal 1993.  The increase in total other income in
fiscal 1995 as compared to fiscal 1994 was primarily due to interest income from
short-term investments due to the  availability of cash reserves generated  from
operations during fiscal 1995. The decrease in total other income in fiscal 1994
as  compared to  fiscal 1993  resulted primarily from  the receipt  of sales tax
refunds in fiscal  1993 and no  comparable refunds  in fiscal 1994,  as well  as
slightly higher interest expense in fiscal 1994.
 
    Net  income increased to $0.48 per share in fiscal 1995 as compared to $0.36
per share in  fiscal 1994  and $0.29  per share  in fiscal  1993. The  increases
resulted   primarily  from  higher  net   revenues  and  increased  income  from
operations. Earnings per share  for both fiscal 1995  and fiscal 1994 were  also
favorably  affected by the repurchase of 1,125,000 shares of Common Stock by the
Company during the fourth quarter of fiscal 1994.
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
    Net cash used  in operating activities  for the six  months ended March  30,
1996 and March 25, 1995 was $726,000 and $419,000, respectively. The increase in
net cash used in operating activities for the six months ended March 30, 1996 as
compared  to March  25, 1995  was primarily  due to  a net  increase in customer
acquisition expenditures, which was partially offset by increases in net income,
depreciation and amortization and deferred taxes. Net cash provided by operating
activities was $6,908,000, $4,330,000 and $4,329,000 in fiscal 1995, fiscal 1994
and fiscal  1993,  respectively. The  increase  in cash  provided  by  operating
activities  in fiscal 1995  as compared to  fiscal 1994 was  primarily due to an
increase in net  income, deferred  taxes and accounts  payable. These  increases
were  partially offset by the increase in net customer acquisition expenditures.
Net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal 1994 as compared to  fiscal
1993  was  relatively unchanged  as  the increase  in  net income,  income taxes
payable and  accrued expenses  was offset  in  part by  a decrease  in  accounts
payable and increases in accounts receivable and inventories.
 
    Net  cash used in  investing activities for  the six months  ended March 30,
1996 was $1,473,000 as compared to $675,000 provided by investing activities for
the six months ended March 25, 1995. The use of cash in investing activities for
the six months ended March 30, 1996 relates primarily to an increase in  capital
expenditures. Net cash used in investing activities was $1,629,000, $809,000 and
$4,641,000  in fiscal 1995, fiscal 1994  and fiscal 1993, respectively. Net cash
used in investing activities during fiscal 1995 increased primarily due to a net
decrease in sales  of securities.  The decrease in  net cash  used in  investing
activities  in fiscal  1994 as compared  to fiscal  1993 was primarily  due to a
decrease in the purchases  of securities available for  sale and an increase  in
sales  of  securities. The  sales of  securities in  fiscal 1994  were partially
offset by $1,637,000  paid in  connection with the  acquisition of  assets of  a
wholesale film business.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
    Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended March 30,
1996  was $253,000 as  compared to $181,000  for the six  months ended March 25,
1995. Net cash provided by financing  activities was $570,000 in fiscal 1995  as
compared  to net cash used in financing activities of $6,517,000 and $318,000 in
fiscal 1994 and fiscal 1993, respectively. The increase in net cash provided  by
financing  activities in  fiscal 1995  as compared  to fiscal  1994 is primarily
attributable to the  Company's repurchase  of 1,125,000 shares  of Common  Stock
during fiscal 1994. The repurchase of Common Stock in fiscal 1994 is the primary
reason  for the increase in net cash used in financing activities as compared to
fiscal 1993.
 
    As of April 30, 1996, the Company's principal sources of liquidity  included
cash  and short-term investments  of $5,771,135 and an  unused revolving line of
credit  of  $6,000,000.  The  Company's  ratio  of  current  assets  to  current
liabilities  was 1.9 to  1 at March  30, 1996, down  slightly from the  2.0 to 1
ratio as of September 30,  1995. During the first  two quarters of fiscal  1996,
the  Company increased  inventory levels  by $2,366,000  to accommodate expanded
marketing plans,  achieve  faster  turnaround of  customer  orders  and  support
increased  photofinishing  volume.  This  increase  in  inventory  was  also the
principal reason for the $1,688,000 increase in accounts payable during the same
period. Federal income taxes payable were favorably affected by the increase  in
capitalized  customer acquisition  expenditures, which are  expensed as incurred
for federal  income tax  purposes, thereby  having the  effect of  substantially
reducing current federal income tax liabilities.
 
    Capital expenditures during the first two quarters of fiscal 1996 and fiscal
1995  totaled $2,320,000 and $521,000, respectively, including equipment for new
photofinishing services and  for expanding capacity  of existing  photofinishing
operations.  The  Company has  committed to  purchase  equipment related  to its
Pictures On Disk-TM- product in  the amount of $470,000  by January 1, 1997.  In
addition,  the  Company  plans  to expend  approximately  $1,180,000  during the
remainder of  fiscal  1996,  principally for  capital  equipment  and  leasehold
improvements  to expand production  capacity and for  data processing equipment,
although it currently has binding commitments for only a portion of this amount.
 
    The  Company  currently  anticipates  that  existing  funds,  together  with
anticipated cash flow from operations and the Company's available line of credit
of  $6,000,000, will be sufficient to finance its operations and planned capital
expenditures, and  to  service its  indebtedness,  for the  foreseeable  future.
However,  if the  Company does not  generate sufficient cash  from operations to
satisfy its ongoing expenses,  it will be required  to seek external sources  of
financing  or refinance its  obligations. Possible sources  of financing include
the sale of  equity securities or  additional bank borrowings.  There can be  no
assurance  that the  Company will  be able to  obtain adequate  financing in the
future. See "Risk Factors."
 
IMPACT OF INFLATION
 
    The results of the Company's operations have not been significantly affected
by inflation during any of the last three fiscal years. Although the Company has
incurred moderately increased costs for labor, materials, postage and  overhead,
it  has  been able  to offset  the  impact of  such increases  primarily through
enhanced operating efficiencies.
 
ADOPTION OF ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
 
    In October 1995, the Financial  Accounting Standards Board issued  Statement
No.   123,  "Accounting   for  Stock-Based   Compensation."  This  pronouncement
establishes  accounting  and  reporting   standards  for  stock-based   employee
compensation  plans,  including stock  purchase plans,  stock options  and stock
appreciation  rights.  This  standard  defines  a  fair  value-based  method  of
accounting for these equity instruments, which method measures compensation cost
based  on  the value  of the  award and  recognizes that  cost over  the service
period. Companies may elect to adopt this standard or to continue accounting for
these types of equity instruments under current guidance, Accounting  Principles
Board  ("APB") Opinion No.  25, "Accounting for Stock  Issued to Employees." The
Company has elected to follow APB Opinion No. 25 and related interpretations  in
accounting for its employee stock options.
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
                                    BUSINESS
 
OVERVIEW
 
    Seattle  FilmWorks is a leading  direct-to-consumer marketer and provider of
high-quality amateur photofinishing services and products. The Company offers an
array of complementary  services and  products primarily on  a mail-order  basis
under  the brand name  Seattle FilmWorks-Registered Trademark-.  The Company has
achieved 20  consecutive quarters  of  growth in  net  revenues and  net  income
compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior fiscal year. From fiscal 1991
to fiscal 1995, net revenues and net income per share increased at a 14% and 26%
compound annual growth rate, respectively.
 
    Since  1978, the Company has been an  industry leader in the introduction of
value-added photo-related  services and  products.  The Company  offers  prints,
slides  and  digital  images, all  from  the  same roll  of  35mm  film. Seattle
FilmWorks was among the first to provide express-mail delivery, cross-referenced
data on prints and negatives, a  composite photo index and a convenient  reorder
system.  To  a  lesser  extent, the  Company  provides  photofinishing services,
products and supplies on a wholesale basis.
 
    Since 1994,  the Company  has been  a pioneer  in providing  digital-imaging
technologies  which enable  photofinishing customers  to creatively  enhance and
share  personal  photographs  with  friends,  family  and  business  associates.
Products  incorporating these technologies  include (i) Pictures  On Disk-TM-, a
single floppy  disk  containing  digital  images  from  a  roll  of  film;  (ii)
PhotoWorks-TM-  software, which can be used  to create digital photograph albums
and screen savers; (iii) PhotoMail-TM-, a service which reduces turnaround  time
by  privately delivering digital images to customers over the Internet; and (iv)
most recently, FilmWorks Net-TM-,  a free service  which provides customers  the
ability  to share pictures  through the creation of  a private photographic home
page uploaded to the Seattle FilmWorks Web site (www.filmworks.com). The Company
is currently developing additional digital-imaging and Internet-related services
and products.
 
    The Company attributes its growth  in photofinishing revenues in large  part
to  its direct-marketing  programs, which  are primarily  based on  the customer
acquisition technique  of  offering  two  rolls  of  film  for  $2.00  or  less.
Direct-marketing  techniques enable  the Company  to target  selected consumers,
measure customer  response and  obtain direct  customer feedback  to changes  in
marketing  strategies. Recently, the Company has targeted the growing population
of  personal   computer   users  in   connection   with  the   introduction   of
digital-imaging  services and products. The  Company has developed comprehensive
statistical models for the design and analysis of its direct-response  marketing
programs using proprietary customer data compiled over 15 years.
 
PHOTOFINISHING INDUSTRY AND DIRECT-MARKETING OVERVIEW
 
    According  to  information  published  by  the  Photo  Marketing Association
International  ("PMAI"),   domestic   amateur  photofinishing   sales   totalled
approximately  $5.5 billion in 1994, having  exhibited little or no growth since
1990. In 1994, the dominant  method of distributing photofinishing services  and
products  was  through retail  stores,  including discount  and  mass merchants,
drugstores, supermarkets and  camera/specialty stores.  Management believes  the
vast majority of rolls of film are sent to wholesale photofinishing laboratories
for    processing,   although   a   growing   percentage   are   processed   in-
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
store using  on-site equipment.  The  following table  sets forth  U.S.  amateur
photofinishing  industry market  shares in  terms of  rolls processed  and total
sales for the years 1990 through 1994, based on information provided by PMAI:
 
               U.S. AMATEUR PHOTOFINISHING INDUSTRY MARKET SHARES
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     ROLLS PROCESSED (IN MILLIONS)         DOLLAR SALES (IN BILLIONS)
                                                    -------------------------------       -----------------------------
                                                         1990             1994                1990            1994
                                                    --------------   --------------       -------------   -------------
                                                    ROLLS     %      ROLLS     %            $      %        $      %
                                                    -----   ------   -----   ------       -----  ------   -----  ------
<S>                                                 <C>     <C>      <C>     <C>          <C>    <C>      <C>    <C>
Discount and mass merchants, drugstores,
 supermarkets and camera/specialty stores.........   468      67.1%   540      75.4%      $3.46    62.9%  $3.72    67.7%
Standalone minilabs...............................   127      18.2     99      13.8        1.48    26.9    1.29    23.4
Mail order........................................    65       9.3     55       7.7         .30     5.4     .31     5.6
Other.............................................    38       5.4     22       3.1         .26     4.8     .18     3.3
                                                    -----   ------   -----   ------       -----  ------   -----  ------
  Total...........................................   698     100.0%   716     100.0%      $5.50   100.0%  $5.50   100.0%
                                                    -----   ------   -----   ------       -----  ------   -----  ------
                                                    -----   ------   -----   ------       -----  ------   -----  ------
</TABLE>
 
    Outside the  photofinishing  industry,  direct-to-consumer  marketing,  with
distribution  through the mail, has grown significantly in recent years. Leading
users of  direct  marketing  include  mail-order  houses  and  catalog  mailers,
magazine  publishers,  insurance  companies, book  and  record  clubs, financial
institutions and credit card companies. Management believes growth in the use of
direct-marketing is generally attributable to social, economic and technological
changes and to the  relative cost-effectiveness of direct-marketing  techniques.
Management  also believes several factors  have enhanced consumer responsiveness
to direct marketing as  a purchasing medium, including  growth in the number  of
people  in the most active  segment of the purchasing  population, growth in the
number of two-career families that have more disposable income with less time to
shop and increased availability and use of credit cards. In the future,  on-line
services and increased use of personal computers may provide additional channels
for    direct-to-consumer   marketing.   See    "Risk   Factors--Dependence   on
Direct-Marketing   Programs;   Accounting   for   Customer   Acquisition"    and
"--Dependence on the Internet and Potential Liability for Content."
 
    Management  has  long  believed that  in  order  to grow  successfully  as a
direct-to-consumer mail-order provider of  photofinishing services, the  Company
must  continually  differentiate its  services and  products  from those  of its
industry peers.
 
OPERATING STRATEGY
 
    Over the past five years, Seattle FilmWorks has consistently achieved annual
and corresponding quarter  growth in  net revenues  and net  income through  the
execution  of its  operating strategy, the  principal elements of  which are the
introduction of innovative,  value-added services and  products, application  of
direct-to-consumer   marketing   techniques   and  a   commitment   to  customer
satisfaction.
 
    INNOVATIVE, VALUE-ADDED  SERVICES AND  PRODUCTS.   Management believes  that
Seattle  FilmWorks has distinguished itself from its competitors through service
and product  differentiation.  The  Company strives  to  develop  and  introduce
value-added  photofinishing services and products  based on focused research and
development efforts as  well as  anticipation of consumer  demand by  monitoring
customer  feedback.  Management believes  that the  continuous expansion  of its
array of complementary services and products promotes (i) increased  acquisition
of  new  customers,  (ii)  retention  of  existing  customers  and  (iii) higher
average-order sizes.  Management  believes  that  this  operating  strategy  has
contributed to the Company's growth in an industry characterized by little or no
growth.
 
    In the late 1970s, the Company introduced Seattle
FilmWorks-Registered  Trademark- branded film and shortly thereafter offered its
customers the option of prints  and/or individually color-corrected slides  from
the  same  roll  of  film. More  recently,  the  Company has  been  a  leader in
introducing  numerous   other  value-added   features,  including   express-mail
delivery,   cross-referencing  data  on  prints  and  negatives,  Pictures  Plus
Index-TM-, a  convenient Easy-Order  System  and Professor  FilmWorks-TM-  (free
telephone pre-recorded mini-lessons on photography).
 
    In  addition,  the Company  has been  a  leader in  marketing photofinishing
services  which  employ  digital  technology.  These  include  (i)  Pictures  On
Disk-TM-, a single floppy disk containing digital images
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
from  a roll of film; (ii) PhotoWorks-TM-  software, which can be used to create
digital photograph  albums and  screen savers;  (iii) PhotoMail-TM-,  a  service
which  reduces  turnaround  time  by  privately  delivering  digital  images  to
customers over the Internet; and (iv)  most recently, FilmWorks Net-TM-, a  free
service  which  provides customers  the ability  to  share pictures  through the
creation of a private photographic home  page uploaded to the Seattle  FilmWorks
Web  site (www.filmworks.com).  The Company  is currently  developing additional
digital-imaging   and    Internet-related    services    and    products.    See
"Business--Services and Products."
 
    DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER  MARKETING.  The  Company's business model  is founded on
direct-response marketing.  Management believes  an important  advantage of  its
direct-marketing  strategy  is  the opportunity  to  contact a  large  number of
consumers who may  appreciate the convenience  of mail order  and the  Company's
array of complementary services and products. Direct access to consumers permits
the  Company to  target and monitor  selected potential  and existing customers,
measure customer  response and  obtain direct  customer feedback  to changes  in
marketing  strategies. Generally,  the Company attempts  to identify prospective
customers  by   targeting   specific   groups   of   individuals   with   common
characteristics.  For  example, recently  the Company  has targeted  the growing
population of personal computer users in connection with the introduction of its
digital-imaging services and  products. Information derived  from the  Company's
extensive  database compiled over  15 years has been  used to create statistical
models to develop  targeted marketing  programs and estimate  future demand.  In
addition,  the Company's proprietary database  is utilized to plan, personalize,
implement and evaluate marketing programs for existing customers.  Historically,
the  Company  has been  able  to identify  targeted  consumer groups  that, when
extended the Introductory Offer,  yield economically attractive response  rates.
See "Business--Marketing and Customer Acquisition."
 
   
    COMMITMENT  TO  CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.   The  Company  seeks to  develop and
provide high-quality,  user-friendly and  reliable photofinishing  services  and
products  to enhance brand  recognition for "Seattle  FilmWorks" and to engender
customer loyalty. Management believes that a significant portion of its business
comes from repeat  customers. As  part of  its dedication  to customer  service,
Seattle  FilmWorks offers a 100%  money-back satisfaction guarantee, provides an
Easy-Order System whereby a customer sets up a standing order, thus avoiding the
need  to  fill  out  an  order  form  with  each  order,  and  offers  Professor
FilmWorks-TM-,  free  telephone  pre-recorded  mini-lessons  on  photography. In
addition, to achieve its customer  service goals, the Company conducts  customer
surveys and holds management meetings to identify areas for service enhancement.
Moreover,  through investments in automation and state-of-the-art photofinishing
equipment, as  well  as through  the  commitment  of its  employees  to  quality
control,  the Company delivers greater than 99.8%  of its orders without loss or
damage. See "Business--Customer Service and Support."
    
 
GROWTH STRATEGY
 
    The Company's strategy for growth is to continue to leverage the strength of
its services, products  and marketing programs  to acquire additional  customers
and increase the level of business with prospective and existing customers.
 
    NEW  CUSTOMERS.  Historically,  the Company has  grown primarily through the
acquisition of new  customers. In a  mail-order photofinishing environment  that
has  recently  exhibited little  or  no growth,  the  Company has  increased net
revenues at a 14% compound annual growth rate during the past five years and has
increased the total number  of its customers.  The Company continuously  refines
existing,  and  develops,  tests  and  implements  new,  marketing  programs  to
additional groups  of consumers  with different  demographic characteristics  to
offset  the potential impact  of market saturation in  any given target customer
group. In  addition,  the  Company  continues  to  explore  alternative  direct-
marketing  platforms in order to acquire  additional customers. To this end, the
Company has  established a  Web site  on the  Internet (www.filmworks.com)  from
which  customers  can access  answers  to frequently  asked  questions, download
versions of  Company software,  create and  view personal  home pages  and  send
electronic messages to customer service.
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
    INCREASING  SALES TO  NEW AND EXISTING  CUSTOMERS.   Management believes its
complementary value-added  services and  products promote  customer loyalty  and
increase  customer demand.  The Company strives  to increase  both average order
size and order  frequency by  informing both  targeted consumers  and its  large
existing  customer base  of its integrated  array of services  and products. The
Company's commitment to expanding its  service and product offerings,  including
enhancements  to  its  Internet-related offerings,  supports  this  strategy. In
addition,  the  Company   employs  a   variety  of   other  specially   designed
direct-marketing  techniques to  increase business  from existing  customers and
generate business from inactive customers.
 
MARKETING AND CUSTOMER ACQUISITION
 
    One of the key elements of  the Company's operating strategy is to  generate
demand  by utilizing  its proprietary direct-marketing  techniques and extensive
database to efficiently target existing  and prospective customers. The  Company
has used mail, print media, television, radio, telephone and, more recently, the
Internet  and on-line  services to  target groups  of consumers  and businesses,
bypassing the traditional distribution channel of retail outlets.
 
    The Company makes  extensive use  of marketing  tests in  order to  evaluate
which  of a  variety of  marketing programs offers  the best  probable return on
investment. The Company's direct-marketing programs use coded advertisements  to
monitor  consumer  response and  to provide  measurable  results for  a specific
marketing program. Measuring  the effectiveness  of marketing  tests takes  into
account  both the response  rate to advertised offers  and estimates of customer
lifetime value to the  Company, measured in terms  of profit generated from  the
estimated  future  stream of  orders, thereby  allowing for  the targeting  of a
marketing effort to specific market segments through selected media. The Company
uses computers to maintain and analyze extensive data and segment markets  using
geographic, demographic and psychographic information about potential customers.
 
    Since  the  early 1980s,  the  primary method  the  Company has  utilized to
acquire new  film processing  customers  has been  its Introductory  Offer.  The
Company  regularly refines the Introductory  Offer to improve its effectiveness,
but the basic concept of sending two rolls of branded film to targeted potential
customers  has  remained  fairly  constant.  The  Introductory  Offer  has  been
nationally  advertised through direct-response media, including package inserts,
newspaper supplements and magazines.  The Company also  has a customer  referral
program  in  which existing  customers suggest  family and  friends to  whom the
Company mails  an introductory  package. Beginning  in early  1995, the  Company
further  refined  its  Introductory  Offer  program  by  targeting  the  growing
population of personal computer users. Favorable rates of return from this group
led to an expansion in the Company's customer acquisition investment. See  "Risk
Factors--Dependence   on  Direct-Marketing  Programs;  Accounting  for  Customer
Acquisition."
 
SERVICES AND PRODUCTS
 
    Seattle FilmWorks  is  a  leader  in the  development  and  introduction  of
innovative  photofinishing  services and  products. Beginning  in 1978  with the
introduction of its  privately branded film  and continuing with  the option  of
receiving    both   photographic   prints   and   individually   color-corrected
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
slides from the same roll of film, the Company established an early tradition of
service  and  product  differentiation.  The  following  table  illustrates  the
Company's service and product introductions during the past five years:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              YEAR OF
SERVICE OR PRODUCT                                                          INTRODUCTION
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------  ------------------
<S>                                                                      <C>
FilmWorksNet-TM-.......................................................         1996
PhotoMail-TM-..........................................................         1995
PhotoWorks-TM- for Macintosh...........................................         1995
PhotoWorks-TM- Plus for Windows........................................         1994
PhotoWorks-TM- for Windows.............................................         1994
PhotoWorks-TM- for MS-DOS..............................................         1994
Pictures On Disk-TM-...................................................         1994
Pictures Plus-TM- Index................................................         1993
Professor FilmWorks-TM-................................................         1992
Backprinting & Referenced Negatives....................................         1992
Easy-Order System......................................................         1991
Express-Mail Delivery..................................................         1991
</TABLE>
 
   
    In  1991, the Company began to offer mail-order photofinishing customers the
options of express-mail pickup and  delivery service and the Easy-Order  System,
whereby  a customer sets up a standing order, thus avoiding the need to fill out
an order form with  each order. This pattern  of service and product  innovation
continued  with  the introduction  in  early 1992  of  the Company's  system for
printing the date,  roll identification  and print number  on the  back of  each
print  and the  corresponding information on  each strip of  negatives (known as
backprinting) and Professor  FilmWorks-TM-. Additionally, in  1993, the  Company
introduced  the Pictures Plus-TM-  Index, which offers  thumbnail-size copies of
images from a roll of film on a single  4" by 6" print as a handy reference  for
the customer.
    
 
    In  early 1994, the Company introduced  Pictures On Disk-TM-, which delivers
on a single floppy disk a digital version of each photograph on a roll of  film.
This  product  was coupled  with the  introduction  of the  Company's internally
developed PhotoWorks-TM- software, which enables users to create digital  albums
of  their photographs  and to  incorporate the  digital images  into text, slide
shows and  screen  savers. PhotoWorks-TM-  software  is available  in  Microsoft
Windows, MS-DOS and Apple Macintosh versions and is provided at no charge with a
customer's first order of Pictures On Disk-TM-. PhotoWorks-TM- is also available
for  free download over the  Internet from the Company's  Web site. A more fully
featured version,  PhotoWorks-TM- Plus,  is  sold directly  to customers  as  an
upgrade and is available through selected retail software stores.
 
    In  October 1995,  the Company  introduced the  private delivery  of digital
photographs from its laboratory directly to customers over the Internet  through
its  PhotoMail-TM- delivery service. Customers requesting PhotoMail-TM- delivery
are sent  an  e-mail  notifying  them  that  their  photographs  are  ready  for
downloading  at the Company's  Web site (www.filmworks.com).  Such customers can
then share their photographs  with friends, family  and business associates  who
may download the photographs using a download password. Management believes that
communication  with  digital  versions  of  personal  photographs  is  a natural
extension of  the rapid  proliferation of  e-mail and  other forms  of  Internet
communication.
 
    In  February 1996,  the Company  announced FilmWorksNet-TM-,  a free service
through which  its  customers  can  create and  upload  a  private  personalized
photographic  home page to the Seattle FilmWorks  Web site using the most recent
version of the PhotoWorks-TM-  software (which is available  for download at  no
charge).  By providing the guest password  to their home page, Seattle FilmWorks
customers  can  share  their  photographs  with  friends,  family  and  business
associates   worldwide.   Both   PhotoMail-TM-   and   FilmWorksNet-TM-  provide
flexibility and creativity in this new way of sharing photographs.
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
    Although mail-order  photofinishing  is  viewed as  a  convenience  by  many
consumers,  mail-order turnaround time  (generally seven to  ten days) is longer
than many alternative sources for photofinishing services (in some cases  within
one  hour).  The Company  has addressed  this  issue by  offering the  option of
express-mail pickup and delivery service by means of the U.S. Postal Service for
an extra charge and, more recently, with an immediate  delivery-after-processing
option  through its PhotoMail-TM- Internet delivery service. However, turnaround
time remains a competitive disadvantage for the Company.
 
    Management believes  that  the prices  for  its services  and  products  are
competitive.  The Company, however,  has chosen not to  compete primarily on the
basis of price, but rather by offering a variety of value-added, innovative  and
high-quality services and products, thereby seeking to differentiate itself from
other photofinishers.
 
    The  Company also provides a variety of reprint and enlargement services for
its mail-order  customers,  as well  as  selling 35mm  rolled  film,  single-use
cameras  and  photofinishing supplies  on  a wholesale  basis  to photofinishing
minilabs, retail  stores  and  commercial  users  of  photographic  film.  These
products  are packaged by the Company and marketed under the brand OptiColor-TM-
Film & Photo. Rolled film and single-use cameras are also marketed on a  private
label  basis  with  the customer  specifying  its  own brand  name.  Although it
represents  a  small   percentage  of  revenues,   the  Company  also   provides
photofinishing services on private label, retail and wholesale bases.
 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 
    Through  internal and external research and development efforts, the Company
has  established  the  capability  to  develop  innovative  digital  media   and
photofinishing  services and  products. The  Company seeks  to identify customer
needs and  shifts in  consumer preferences  in  order to  design or  refine  the
Company's  services and products. During the first six months of fiscal 1996 and
in fiscal 1995, fiscal 1994 and  fiscal 1993, the Company incurred research  and
development expenses of $521,000, $458,000, $459,000 and $285,000, respectively,
primarily    in   connection   with   development   and   enhancement   of   its
FilmWorksNet-TM-,  PhotoMail-TM-,  PhotoWorks-TM-   and  Pictures  On   Disk-TM-
services  and products. See  "Management's Discussion and  Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations--Results of Operations."
 
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT
 
    Management believes that customer satisfaction is critical to the  Company's
ongoing success. The Company has a 100% money-back satisfaction-guarantee policy
under  which it  will provide  a full  refund if  a customer's  complaint cannot
otherwise be resolved.
 
    The direct-to-consumer  photofinishing  business involves  contacts  with  a
large  number  of  customers.  For customer  convenience,  the  Company provides
toll-free telephone access at 1-800-FILMWORKS. As  of May 11, 1996, the  Company
had  a customer service staff of 46, which is equipped with direct access to the
Company's extensive proprietary database  and is trained  to promote certain  of
the  Company's services and  products, as well as  to answer questions regarding
order status, basic  photography and  photofinishing and  use of  PhotoWorks-TM-
software. On average, in a week the Company's customer support personnel respond
to  approximately 22,000 telephone calls from customers, 2,000 written inquiries
and  2,000  e-mail  messages.  The  majority  of  these  inquiries  are  general
information requests and order status inquiries. In addition, the Company offers
free  pre-recorded mini-lessons on photography over the telephone from Professor
FilmWorks-TM-.
 
    The Company also maintains a  Web site on the Internet  (www.filmworks.com).
While  on-line,  customers  may  download  versions  of  Company  software, view
personal home  pages, access  answers  to frequently  asked questions  and  send
electronic  messages to customer service. In  the future, the Company expects to
offer its  customers the  ability to  determine the  status of  their orders  by
direct access through the Company's Web site.
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
OPERATIONS
 
    The  Company  operates  a  laboratory  in  a  single  facility  in  Seattle,
Washington,   which   is   designed   to   produce   consistent,    high-quality
photofinishing.   The  system  is  designed   for  24-hour  in-house  turnaround
processing of photofinishing  orders. The  process for  producing prints  begins
with  the entry  of each order  into the Company's  customer database, primarily
using information provided by the customer on the order form. Each roll received
for processing  is barcoded  with an  identification number,  which enables  the
tracking of each order throughout the production process. Following order entry,
individual  rolls of film are spliced together into a reel of film which is then
developed as a  batch. Once  the film is  developed, each  negative is  computer
analyzed,  and the color-corrected image is  printed on photographic paper using
state-of-the-art equipment. Order  information is  then printed on  the back  of
each  print and the corresponding information is printed on a paper tab which is
attached to each sleeved negative. After a visual quality inspection, the orders
are packaged for delivery to the  customer. If a customer requests,  photographs
are digitized and delivered through the mail on 3 1/2" diskettes or via download
over  the  Internet.  Although much  of  the photofinishing  and  order handling
process has been  automated, trained personnel  operate machinery and  regularly
monitor  product  quality  with  the  assistance  of  computerized  control  and
measurement systems.
 
    The Company has  the ability to  process various types  of 35mm color  film,
including  those manufactured by  Eastman Kodak Company,  Fuji Photo Film U.S.A,
Inc., an  affiliate  of Konica  Corporation,  3M,  Inc., Agfa  and  other  major
producers  of conventional  35mm color negative  film. The Company  also has the
ability to  process  35mm color  negative  film manufactured  by  Eastman  Kodak
Company  for professional motion picture studios  which has been packaged by the
Company or others for use in 35mm still cameras.
 
    Currently, the Company  estimates that  it is  capable of  processing up  to
approximately  120,000 rolls of  film per week with  its existing facilities and
equipment. The Company has initiated steps to expand its processing capacity.
 
SUPPLIERS
 
    The  Company  obtains  its   conventional  35mm  film   from  a  few   large
manufacturers  of photographic film, including Agfa  and 3M, Inc., its supply of
Eastman  motion  picture  film  as  surplus  from  motion  picture  studios  and
television  production companies and its photographic paper and chemicals from a
single supplier,  Agfa. In  addition, the  individual cassettes  into which  the
Company  spools 35mm film for still cameras  are manufactured for the Company by
foreign sources, principally in China and South Korea. Currently,  substantially
all  of the  Company's purchases  from foreign  suppliers are  paid for  in U.S.
dollars. The  Company's mail-order  services and  products are  handled  largely
through  the U.S. Postal Service. See  "Risk Factors--Reliance on Key Vendor and
Supplier Relationships; Foreign Sourcing."
 
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
 
   
    Management information systems  ("MIS") are  an essential  component of  the
Company's  strategy to provide superior service to  its customers, as well as to
effectively support internal operations. The  systems support all major  aspects
of  the  Company's  business,  including  mail-order  operations,  order  entry,
production,  warehousing,  distribution,   purchasing,  inventory  control   and
customer   service,  as  well  as   various  financial  systems  and  electronic
communication  systems.  All  shared  data,  including  the  Company's  customer
database  files, are backed up on a regular basis, with tapes stored at a secure
off-site facility. The Company uses MIS  to automate much of its  photofinishing
operations.
    
 
    The  Company  has  recently  replaced  and upgraded  a  portion  of  its MIS
hardware. It is not uncommon for  system defects, shutdowns, slowdowns or  other
problems   to  occur  in  connection  with  conversion  to  new  data-processing
equipment. While the Company has taken  a number of precautions against  certain
events that could disrupt the operation of its MIS, including in connection with
the  hardware  upgrade, there  can be  no  assurance that  the Company  will not
experience systems failures
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
or interruptions, which could  have a material adverse  effect on its  business,
financial  condition  and operating  results.  See "Risk  Factors--Dependence on
Production Capabilities, Statistical Models and Management Information Systems."
 
COMPETITION
 
    The market for consumer photofinishing services is characterized by  intense
competition  among a  number of  firms competing in  a segment  in which average
revenue  per   roll  processed   declined  during   the  1990s,   according   to
photofinishing   industry  data.   Many  of   the  Company's   competitors  have
substantially greater financial, technical and other resources than the Company.
The Company faces competition in  the consumer photofinishing market from  other
direct  marketers and from competitors in other distribution channels, including
much larger companies which provide photofinishing services on a wholesale basis
to independent  retail  outlets and,  in  some cases,  through  multiple  retail
outlets owned by the photofinisher, many of which provide photofinishing service
within  hours. The largest of the wholesale photofinishers are Qualex Inc., FUJI
TruColor and  Konica Corporation  and its  affiliates. In  addition,  management
believes  that the largest mail-order  photofinishers include Nashua Corporation
(dba York Labs), District Photo Inc. (dba Clark) and Mystic Color Lab Inc.
 
    Management believes that the principal  competitive factors in the  consumer
photofinishing  industry are  price, convenience,  range of  available services,
quality of processing, speed of  service and product differentiation. There  are
no  significant proprietary or  other barriers to  entry into the photofinishing
industry. The Company has sought to differentiate its photofinishing services by
offering a number of value-added  services and products and emphasizing  quality
and  convenience  rather than  seeking  to be  a  low-price or  rapid turnaround
provider. Although management believes the Company is a leader in developing and
marketing innovative photo-related services and products, competitors can and do
provide similar services and products. Some of these competitors have introduced
products  which   compete  with   the  Company's   Pictures  On   Disk-TM-   and
PhotoWorks-TM-  products. Also,  sales of consumer  photofinishing services have
experienced little  or  no  growth  since  1990.  See  "Business--Photofinishing
Industry  and Direct-Marketing Overview." Accordingly,  the Company's growth has
been the result of market share gain.
 
    In  addition,  the  wholesale  distribution  market  for  rolled  film   and
photofinishing  supplies  is highly  competitive and  is dominated  by suppliers
which manufacture  what they  sell and  may, therefore,  potentially have  lower
costs  of goods for these items than the Company. Relatively few firms, however,
have the  capability to  produce small-production  quantities of  private  label
rolled  film.  Management believes  the  principal competitive  factors  in this
segment of  the wholesale  distribution  market are  price, ability  to  provide
private  label products and capability to deliver small-production quantities on
short notice.
 
    The  photography  industry  is  characterized  by  evolving  technology  and
changing  services and products.  The introduction of  photographic services and
products embodying new technologies could render existing services and  products
obsolete.  The Company's future success  will depend on its  ability to adapt to
new technologies and  develop new or  modify existing services  and products  to
satisfy  evolving consumer needs. For example, the commercialization of filmless
digital imaging technologies may  have a negative  impact on the  photofinishing
industry  generally. Moreover, Advanced  Photo System ("APS"),  which includes a
new film format, has been introduced,  the processing of which requires  special
equipment  the Company does not presently  possess. Management believes that APS
currently constitutes an  insignificant percentage  of the film  the Company  is
asked  to process, and the  Company has therefore decided  not to establish this
capability. However, there can be no assurance that the development of these  or
other  new  technologies  or  any  failure  by  the  Company  to  anticipate  or
successfully respond  to such  developments  will not  have a  material  adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and operating results. See
"Risk Factors--Competition" and "--Rapid Technological Change."
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY
 
    The   Company  markets  its  services  and  products  under  registered  and
common-law trademarks and service marks, including Seattle
FilmWorks-Registered  Trademark-,  OptiColor-TM-  Film  &  Photo,  Pictures   On
Disk-TM-,  PhotoMail-TM-,  PhotoWorks-TM-,  Pictures  Plus-TM-  Index, Professor
FilmWorks-TM- and FilmWorksNet-TM-. In January 1996, the Company filed a lawsuit
against a party which had filed for registration of the "PhotoWorks" mark in the
United States on July 22, 1994.  The Company is currently attempting to  resolve
these  competing claims to the  mark. In the second  quarter of fiscal 1996, the
Company  expensed   $126,000   in   anticipation  of   settlement.   See   "Risk
Factors--Intellectual  Property." The Company  considers a large  portion of its
PhotoWorks-TM- software, its process for production of Pictures On Disk-TM-  and
certain other processes to be proprietary. The Company has not filed any patents
or  patent  applications,  in  part  to  avoid  disclosure  of  its  competitive
strengths. The Company, however, does attempt to protect its proprietary  rights
to  software through a combination of copyright, trademark and trade secret laws
and employee and third-party nondisclosure agreements, by restricting access  to
certain  portions of its  premises and by  including contractual restrictions on
use  and  disclosure   in  its  end-user   licenses.  Moreover,  the   Company's
PhotoWorks-TM-  Plus product is shipped in  sealed packages on which notices are
prominently displayed informing the end-user that, by breaking the package seal,
the end-user  agrees to  be bound  by  the license  agreement contained  in  the
package.  The legal  and practical  enforceability and  extent of  liability for
violations of license agreements that purport to become effective upon opening a
sealed package are unclear.
 
    This Prospectus contains trademarks other than those of the Company.
 
GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION
 
   
    The Company's direct-mail operations, including its transmission of  digital
images  over the Internet, are subject to regulation by the U.S. Postal Service,
the Federal  Trade Commission  and  various state,  local and  private  consumer
protection  and  other  regulatory authorities.  In  general,  these regulations
govern the manner  in which orders  may be  solicited, the form  and content  of
advertisements, information which must be provided to prospective customers, the
time  within which orders must be filled, obligations to customers if orders are
not shipped within a specified period of time and the time within which  refunds
must  be paid  if the  ordered merchandise is  unavailable or  returned. The law
relating to the liability of on-line services companies, Internet access  and/or
content  providers, Web hosts and  electronic publishers for information carried
on or disseminated through their  systems for, among other things,  infringement
of  copyrighted material or trademarks, violations of personal rights of privacy
and publicity  and  dissemination of  material  legally judged  to  be  obscene,
indecent or defamatory, is currently unclear. Such claims have been brought, and
sometimes  successfully  asserted,  against  on-line  services,  including cases
against Prodigy and NETCOM. In addition, the recently passed  Telecommunications
Act  imposes, in some circumstances, liability for or prohibits the transmission
over the  Internet of  certain  types of  information  and content.  Although  a
federal  district  court recently  blocked enforcement  of  that portion  of the
Telecommunications Act  intended  to regulate  obscene  content, this  or  other
legislation  could result in significant potential  liability to the Company, as
well  as  additional  costs  and  technological  challenges  in  complying  with
mandatory  requirements.  See  "Risk  Factors--Dependence  on  the  Internet and
Potential Liability for Content" and "--Governmental Regulation."
    
 
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE
 
    The Company's photofinishing operations involve the use of several chemicals
which are subject to federal, state and local governmental regulations  relating
to  the  storage, use,  handling  and disposal  of  such chemicals.  The Company
actively monitors  its compliance  with applicable  regulations and  works  with
regulatory  authorities  to  ensure  compliance.  To  the  best  of management's
knowledge, the Company  has never received  a significant citation  or fine  for
failure to comply with applicable environmental requirements. However, there can
be  no assurance that  changes in environmental  regulations or in  the kinds of
chemicals used by the  Company will not impose  the need for additional  capital
equipment  or other requirements. See "Risk Factors--Potential Adverse Impact of
Environmental Regulations."
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
EMPLOYEES
 
    As of May 11, 1996, the Company had 582 employees, of whom approximately 439
were engaged in production operations, 68 in administration, 21 in marketing, 46
in customer support  and 8 in  research and development.  None of the  Company's
employees  is  covered  by  a collective  bargaining  agreement,  and management
believes its relations with its employees are good.
 
PROPERTIES
 
    The Company's headquarters are located in Seattle, Washington. This building
also  houses  the  Company's  photofinishing  and  mail-order  operations.   The
building's  square footage  has recently  been expanded  to approximately 60,000
square feet  to accommodate  increased  levels of  production. The  building  is
occupied under a lease which expires in September 2000.
 
    The Company also occupies an 80,000-square-foot building that is utilized as
a  warehouse storage and limited production  facility. This building, located in
Seattle, Washington, is occupied under  a three-year lease expiring January  31,
1999,  with options to extend  the lease for two  additional one-year periods to
January 31, 2001.
 
    Management believes that its corporate headquarters and warehouse facilities
will be adequate to support existing  and anticipated levels of business for  at
least the next 12 months.
 
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
    The Company is involved in various routine legal proceedings incident to the
ordinary  course  of its  business.  The Company  also  has filed  a  lawsuit in
connection with the  use of  the mark  "PhotoWorks." See  "Business--Proprietary
Technology."   Management  believes  that  the  outcome  of  all  pending  legal
proceedings in the  aggregate will  not have a  material adverse  effect on  the
Company's business, financial condition and operating results.
 
                                       28
<PAGE>
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
    The directors and executive officers of the Company are as follows:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              NAME                    AGE                               POSITION
- --------------------------------      ---      ----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>          <C>
Gary R. Christophersen                    49   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Michael F. Lass                           41   Vice President--Operations
Case H. Kuehn                             43   Vice President--Finance, Chief Financial Officer and
                                                Treasurer
Bruce A. Ericson                          46   Vice President--Marketing
Annette F. Mack                           39   Vice President--Human Resources
Sam Rubinstein                            78   Director
Douglas A. Swerland                       51   Director
Craig E. Tall                             50   Director
Peter H. van Oppen                        44   Director
</TABLE>
    
 
    All  directors are  elected annually and  hold office until  the next annual
meeting of  the shareholders  of  the Company  and  until their  successors  are
elected  and  qualified.  Officers  serve  at the  discretion  of  the  Board of
Directors.
 
    GARY R. CHRISTOPHERSEN, the Company's President and Chief Executive  Officer
since   August   1988,   joined   the   Company   in   January   1982   as  Vice
President--Operations and has served  as a Director of  the Company since  1982.
From  May 1983 to August 1988, Mr. Christophersen was a Senior Vice President of
the Company and its General Manager.
 
    MICHAEL F. LASS,  the Company's Vice  President--Operations since  September
1988,  joined the Company in  1984 as Manager of  Operations. From 1982 to 1984,
Mr. Lass  was Vice  President  and General  Manager  of Breezin'  Sportswear,  a
manufacturer and marketer of sportswear, and, from 1980 to 1982, General Manager
and  a director  of Mountain  Safety Research,  Inc., a  manufacturer of outdoor
recreational products.
 
    CASE  H.  KUEHN  has  been  the  Company's  Vice  President--Finance,  Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer since February 1995. From April 1994 to February
1995, Mr. Kuehn was Chief Financial Officer of Shoe Inn, Inc., doing business as
Shoe Pavilion. From January 1992 to March 1994, Mr. Kuehn was General Manager of
Pro  Mark Technologies, Inc., a  manufacturer of computer/video-based inspection
equipment, and,  from March  1990 to  January 1992,  Vice President,  Commercial
Lending, at First National Bank of Chicago. From November 1985 to February 1990,
Mr. Kuehn performed business valuation consulting with Price Waterhouse.
 
    BRUCE  A. ERICSON,  the Company's  Vice President--Marketing  since November
1989, joined the Company in May 1984 as Director of Publishing and, from January
1988 to October 1989, was its Director of Marketing.
 
    ANNETTE F. MACK, the Company's Vice President--Human Resources since January
1996, joined the  Company in  March 1986 as  Human Resources  Manager and,  from
August 1988 to December 1995, was its Director of Human Resources.
 
    SAM  RUBINSTEIN became a  Director of the  Company in March  1986. From June
1985 to May 1988, he was the  Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive  Officer
of  Farwest Fisheries, Inc., a seafood  processing and marketing firm. From 1974
to December  1987,  Mr. Rubinstein  was  the Chairman  of  the Board  and  Chief
Executive  Officer of  Bonanza Stores, Inc.,  an operator of  variety stores and
drugstores, and, from February 1984 to  January 1986, the Chairman of the  Board
and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Whitney-Fidalgo  Seafoods,  Inc.,  a seafood
processor.
 
    DOUGLAS A. SWERLAND  became a Director  of the Company  in October 1988.  In
December 1993, Mr. Swerland founded and became the President of Swerland Apparel
Ventures, Inc., a clothing
 
                                       29
<PAGE>
superstore  retailer specializing  in designer  clothing. Mr.  Swerland had been
employed by  Jay Jacobs,  Inc., the  operator  of a  chain of  specialty  retail
apparel  stores,  in  various capacities  beginning  in 1969,  most  recently as
President and a director from  1978 to November 1995.  Jay Jacobs, Inc. filed  a
voluntary  petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 1994 and emerged
therefrom in November 1995.
 
    CRAIG E.  TALL became  a Director  of  the Company  in October  1988.  Since
September  1990, Mr.  Tall has  been an  Executive Vice  President of Washington
Mutual, Inc., a bank  holding company. In addition,  since April 1987, Mr.  Tall
has been an Executive Vice President of Washington Mutual Bank.
 
    PETER  H. VAN OPPEN became a Director  of the Company in October 1988. Since
February 1995,  Mr.  van  Oppen  has been  Chairman  and  President  and,  since
September  1989, Chief Executive  Officer of Interpoint  Corporation, a publicly
held manufacturer  of  proprietary and  custom  electronic components  and  data
storage  libraries  ("Interpoint").  Mr.  van  Oppen  was  President  and  Chief
Operating Officer of Interpoint from March 1987 to September 1989 and, from 1985
to March 1987, its Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations. Mr.  van
Oppen is also a director of Interpoint.
 
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
    The  Company's Board of Directors has  an Audit Committee and a Compensation
Committee. The Audit  Committee consists of  Messrs. Rubinstein, Swerland,  Tall
and van Oppen. The Audit Committee meets with the Company's accounting staff and
its  independent  certified  public  accountants to  review  (i)  the  scope and
findings of the annual  audit, (ii) accounting policies  and procedures and  the
Company's  financial  reporting  and  (iii) internal  controls  employed  by the
Company. The  Audit Committee's  findings and  recommendations are  reported  to
management and the Board of Directors for appropriate action.
 
    The Compensation Committee consists of Messrs. Swerland, Tall and van Oppen.
The  Compensation Committee is  responsible for establishing  the policies which
govern executive  officer  compensation,  setting compensation  levels  for  the
Company's  President and Chief Executive  Officer and reviewing the compensation
packages  for  other  executive  officers  recommended  by  the  President.  The
Compensation  Committee also  administers the  Company's stock  option and stock
purchase plans.
 
                                       30
<PAGE>
                       PRINCIPAL AND SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
 
   
    The following table  sets forth  as of  June 26,  1996, and  as adjusted  to
reflect  the  sale  of  the  shares  of  Common  Stock  offered  hereby, certain
information regarding  the  beneficial ownership  of  the Common  Stock  of  the
Company with respect to (i) each person known by the Company to own beneficially
more  than  5% of  the  outstanding Common  Stock,  (ii) each  of  the Company's
directors and executive officers,  (iii) the Selling  Shareholders and (iv)  all
directors  and executive  officers of the  Company as a  group. Unless otherwise
indicated, management believes that  the beneficial owners  of the Common  Stock
listed  below,  based  on  information  furnished  by  such  owners,  have  sole
investment and voting power with respect to all shares of Common Stock owned  by
each  person,  subject  to  community property  laws  where  applicable  and the
information set forth in the footnotes to the table below. Pursuant to the rules
of the Securities  and Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission"), in  calculating
percentage  ownership, each person is deemed to beneficially own shares which he
or she is entitled to purchase pursuant to options which are exercisable  within
60  days after the date of this Prospectus,  but options held by others (even if
exercisable within 60 days) are deemed not to be outstanding shares.
    
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         AMOUNT                                 AMOUNT
                                                   BENEFICIALLY OWNED       AMOUNT        BENEFICIALLY OWNED
                                                 PRIOR TO THE OFFERING    TO BE SOLD      AFTER THE OFFERING
                                                ------------------------    IN THE     ------------------------
NAME AND ADDRESS                                  NUMBER       PERCENT     OFFERING      NUMBER       PERCENT
- ----------------------------------------------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                             <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
Sam Rubinstein (1)............................    1,592,457       14.6%     1,050,000      542,457        5.0%
Suite 2720
1201 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
The Gladys and Sam Rubinstein Foundation......      350,000        3.2%       350,000            0       *
Suite 2720
1201 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (2)............      975,000        9.0%             0      975,000        9.0%
T. Rowe Price Small Cap Fund, Inc.
100 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Robert A. Simms (3)...........................      841,500        7.8%             0      841,500        7.8%
230 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10169
Gary Christophersen (4).......................      698,176        6.3%             0      698,176        6.3%
1260 16th Avenue West
Seattle, WA 98119
Michael F. Lass (5)...........................      252,368        2.3%             0      252,368        2.3%
Bruce A. Ericson (6)..........................      160,747        1.5%             0      160,747        1.5%
Craig E. Tall (7).............................      118,146        1.1%             0      118,146        1.1%
Case H. Kuehn (8).............................        9,370       *                 0        9,370       *
Annette F. Mack (9)...........................       41,589       *                 0       41,589       *
Douglas A. Swerland (10)......................       75,375       *                 0       75,375       *
Peter H. van Oppen............................       15,563       *                 0       15,563       *
All directors and executive officers as a
 group (9 persons) (11).......................    2,963,791        25.5 %   1,400,000    1,913,791        16.5 %
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 *  Less than 1%.
 
                                       31
<PAGE>
 (1)Includes options to purchase  108,000 shares of  Common Stock granted  under
    the   Company's  1987  Stock  Option   Plan,  which  options  are  presently
    exercisable or  exercisable  within 60  days.  Assumes no  exercise  of  the
    Underwriters'   over-allotment  option.  If  the  over-allotment  option  is
    exercised in full,  the number  of shares offered  and beneficial  ownership
    after  this offering  in shares  and as  a percentage  of outstanding shares
    would be 1,610,000, 304,957 and 2.8%, respectively. Does not include 350,000
    shares held by The Gladys and Sam Rubinstein Foundation (the  "Foundation"),
    beneficial ownership of which Mr. Rubinstein disclaims.
 
 (2)The  holding shown is as of February 14,  1996, as reported by T. Rowe Price
    Associates, Inc.  ("Price Associates")  in  a Schedule  13G filed  by  Price
    Associates pursuant to Rule 13d-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
    as  amended (the "Exchange Act"). Price  Associates has indicated that these
    shares are  held by  it in  its capacity  as investment  advisor to  various
    individual  and institutional investors. According to the Schedule 13G filed
    by Price Associates, it has sole dispositive power, and T. Rowe Price  Small
    Cap Fund, Inc. has sole voting power, with respect to the shares.
 
 (3)The  holding shown is as of November 1, 1993, as reported by an amendment to
    a Schedule 13D filed by Mr. Simms pursuant to Rule 13d-1 under the  Exchange
    Act.
 
 (4)Includes  options to purchase  222,080 shares of  Common Stock granted under
    the  Company's  1987  Stock  Option   Plan,  which  options  are   presently
    exercisable  or exercisable within 60 days. Does not include 6,600 shares of
    Common  Stock  held  in  trust  for  Mr.  Christophersen's  minor  children,
    beneficial ownership of which Mr. Christophersen disclaims.
 
 (5)Includes  options to purchase  180,563 shares of  Common Stock granted under
    the  Company's  1987  Stock  Option   Plan,  which  options  are   presently
    exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.
 
 (6)Includes  options to purchase  133,313 shares of  Common Stock granted under
    the  Company's  1987  Stock  Option   Plan,  which  options  are   presently
    exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.
 
 (7)Includes options to purchase 54,000 shares of Common Stock granted under the
    Company's 1987 Stock Option Plan, which options are presently exercisable or
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
 (8)Includes  options to purchase 8,438 shares of Common Stock granted under the
    Company's 1987 Stock Option Plan, which options are presently exercisable or
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
 (9)Includes options to purchase 37,688 shares of Common Stock granted under the
    Company's 1987 Stock Option Plan, which options are presently exercisable or
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
(10)Includes options to purchase 67,500 shares of Common Stock granted under the
    Company's 1987 Stock Option Plan, which options are presently exercisable or
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
(11)Includes options to purchase  811,582 shares of  Common Stock granted  under
    the   Company's  1987  Stock  Option   Plan,  which  options  are  presently
    exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.
 
                                       32
<PAGE>
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
    Upon the terms  and subject  to the  conditions stated  in the  Underwriting
Agreement,  dated the  date hereof, each  Underwriter named  below has severally
agreed to purchase,  and the Selling  Shareholders have agreed  to sell to  such
Underwriter, the number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter.
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                NUMBER
                    NAME                       OF SHARES
- ---------------------------------------------  ---------
<S>                                            <C>
Smith Barney Inc.............................    400,000
Hambrecht & Quist LLC........................    400,000
Alex. Brown & Sons Incorporated..............    100,000
Dain Bosworth Incorporated...................     75,000
Dean Witter Reynolds Inc.....................    100,000
 
<CAPTION>
                                                NUMBER
                    NAME                       OF SHARES
- ---------------------------------------------  ---------
<S>                                            <C>
 
Piper Jaffray Inc............................     75,000
Prudential Securities Incorporated...........    100,000
Ragen MacKenzie Incorporated.................     75,000
Sutro & Co. Incorporated.....................     75,000
                                               ---------
    Total....................................  1,400,000
                                               ---------
                                               ---------
</TABLE>
    
 
    The  Underwriting  Agreement provides  that the  obligations of  the several
Underwriters to  pay  for and  accept  delivery of  the  shares are  subject  to
approval  of certain legal  matters by counsel and  to certain other conditions.
The Underwriters are obligated to  take and pay for  all shares of Common  Stock
offered  hereby (other than those covered by the over-allotment option described
below) if any such shares are taken.
 
   
    The Underwriters, for whom Smith Barney  Inc. and Hambrecht & Quist LLC  are
acting  as the Representatives,  propose to offer  part of the  shares of Common
Stock directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover
page of  this Prospectus  and part  of the  shares of  Common Stock  to  certain
dealers  at a  price which represents  a concession  not in excess  of $0.57 per
share under the  public offering  price. The  Underwriters may  allow, and  such
dealers  may reallow, a concession  not in excess of  $0.10 per share to certain
other dealers.  The Representatives  have advised  the Company  and the  Selling
Shareholders  that the Underwriters  do not intend  to confirm any  sales to any
accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.
    
 
    One of  the Selling  Shareholders has  granted the  Underwriters an  option,
exercisable  for 30  days from the  date of  this Prospectus, to  purchase up to
210,000 additional shares of Common Stock at  the price to the public set  forth
on  the  cover page  of  this Prospectus  minus  the underwriting  discounts and
commissions. The Underwriters may exercise such option solely for the purpose of
covering over-allotments, if any, in connection with the offering of the  shares
offered hereby. To the extent such option is exercised, each Underwriter will be
obligated,  subject to  certain conditions,  to purchase  approximately the same
percentage of such additional shares as the number of shares set forth  opposite
each  Underwriter's name  in the  preceding table bears  to the  total number of
shares listed in such table.
 
    The Company, its officers  and directors and  the Selling Shareholders  have
agreed  that, for a period of 180 days from the date of this Prospectus (90 days
in the case of  officers and directors who  are not Selling Shareholders),  they
will  not, without the prior written consent  of Smith Barney Inc., offer, sell,
contract to sell  or otherwise  dispose of  any shares  of Common  Stock or  any
securities  convertible into, or exercisable  or exchangeable for, Common Stock,
(i) subject to  certain exceptions relating  to 201,036 shares  of Common  Stock
held in margin accounts, which may be resold upon a margin call, and (ii) except
for  the  issuance of  shares  of Common  Stock or  the  granting of  options to
purchase shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Company's stock option plans and
employee stock purchase plan.
 
    The Company, the Selling  Shareholders and the  Underwriters have agreed  to
indemnify  each other  against certain liabilities,  including liabilities under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").
 
    In connection with  this offering,  the Underwriters may  engage in  passive
market  making transactions  in the Common  Stock on the  Nasdaq National Market
immediately prior to the commencement of  sales in this offering, in  accordance
with Rule 10b-6A under the Exchange Act. Passive market
 
                                       33
<PAGE>
making  consists of displaying bids on the Nasdaq National Market limited by the
bid prices of independent market makers for a security and making purchases of a
security which are  limited by  such prices and  effected in  response to  order
flow.  Net purchases  by a passive  market maker on  each date are  limited to a
specified percentage of the passive market maker's average daily trading  volume
in  the Common Stock  during a specified  prior period and  must be discontinued
when such limit is reached. Passive market making may stabilize the market price
of the Common Stock at a level above that which might otherwise prevail and,  if
commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
    The  validity of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company by Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe, Seattle, Washington. Certain legal
matters  relating  to  this  offering  will  be  passed  upon  for  the  Selling
Shareholders  by  Bogle &  Gates  P.L.L.C., Seattle,  Washington.  Certain legal
matters relating to this  offering will be passed  upon for the Underwriters  by
Perkins Coie, Seattle, Washington.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
    The  financial statements and schedule of  the Company at September 30, 1995
and September 24, 1994,  and for each  of the fiscal  years ended September  30,
1995, September 24, 1994 and September 25, 1993 appearing in this Prospectus and
the  Registration  Statement, and  incorporated herein  by reference  in Seattle
FilmWorks, Inc.'s  Annual  Report on  Form  10-K/A  for the  fiscal  year  ended
September  30,  1995,  have  been  audited by  Ernst  &  Young  LLP, independent
auditors, as set forth in their  reports thereon appearing elsewhere herein  and
incorporated herein by reference, and are included in reliance upon such reports
given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
    The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act
and,  in accordance therewith,  files reports, proxy  and information statements
and other information with the  Commission. Such reports, proxy and  information
statements  and  other information  filed by  the Company  may be  inspected and
copied at the public reference facilities of the Commission located at 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,  and at the Commission's regional  offices
located  at 7 World Trade  Center, 13th Floor, New York,  New York 10048, and at
Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison  Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois  60661.
Copies  of  such information  can  also be  obtained  from the  Public Reference
Section of the Commission at Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549, at prescribed rates.  The Common Stock is  quoted on the Nasdaq  National
Market.  Reports and other  information concerning the  Company may be inspected
and copied  at the  National Association  of Securities  Dealers, Inc.,  1735  K
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006.
 
    The  Company has filed with the  Commission a Registration Statement on Form
S-3, including amendments thereto, under the Securities Act with respect to  the
Common   Stock  offered  hereby.  This  Prospectus  does  not  contain  all  the
information set forth in  the Registration Statement  and the exhibits  thereto,
certain  parts  of which  have been  omitted  in accordance  with the  rules and
regulations of the Commission. Statements contained in this Prospectus as to the
contents of  any contract  or other  document referred  to are  not  necessarily
complete, and in each instance reference is made to the copy of such contract or
other  document  filed  as an  exhibit  or  incorporated by  reference  into the
Registration Statement, each such statement  being qualified in all respects  by
such  reference. For  further information  with respect  to the  Company and the
Common Stock offered hereby, reference is made to the Registration Statement and
the exhibits  thereto. Copies  of the  Registration Statement  and the  exhibits
thereto  may be inspected, without charge, at  the offices of the Commission, or
obtained at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Section of the Commission
at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549.
 
                                       34
<PAGE>
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
   
    The following documents filed by the Company with the Commission are  hereby
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus: (1) the Company's Annual Report on
Form  10-K  for the  fiscal year  ended September  30, 1995,  as amended  by the
Company's Form 10-K/A filed on May 31, 1996; (2) the Company's Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q for the  quarters ended December 30, 1995  and March 30, 1996,  the
latter  as amended by the Company's Form 10-Q/A filed with the Commission on May
31,  1996;  (3)  the  Company's  Proxy  Statement  for  its  Annual  Meeting  of
Shareholders held on February 13, 1996; and (4) the description of the Company's
Common  Stock contained in its Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the
Commission on January  27, 1987, as  amended by the  Company's Form 8-A/A  filed
with the Commission on May 31, 1996. All documents filed by the Company with the
Commission  pursuant to Section  13(a), 13(c), 14  or 15(d) of  the Exchange Act
after the date of this Prospectus and  prior to the termination of the  offering
covered  by this Prospectus will be deemed  to be incorporated by reference into
this Prospectus and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents.
    
 
    Any statement contained herein or in any document incorporated or deemed  to
be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for  purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein
or in any other  subsequently filed document  which also is or  is deemed to  be
incorporated  by  reference herein  modifies or  supersedes such  statement. Any
statement so modified or superseded shall  not be deemed, except as so  modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
 
    The  Company  will  provide, without  charge  to  each person  to  whom this
Prospectus is delivered, upon  written or oral  request, a copy  of any and  all
information  that  has  been  or  may be  incorporated  by  reference  into this
Prospectus, other  than exhibits  to such  documents (unless  such exhibits  are
specifically  incorporated  by  reference into  such  documents).  Such requests
should be directed to Seattle FilmWorks,  Inc., 1260 16th Avenue West,  Seattle,
Washington 98119, Attn: Corporate Secretary, phone number: (206) 281-1390.
 
                                       35
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                         INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                PAGE
                                                                                                             -----------
<S>                                                                                                          <C>
Report of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors..........................................................      F-2
Balance Sheets.............................................................................................      F-3
Statements of Income.......................................................................................      F-4
Statements of Shareholders' Equity.........................................................................      F-5
Statements of Cash Flows...................................................................................      F-6
Notes to Financial Statements..............................................................................      F-7
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-1
<PAGE>
                          REPORT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP
                              INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
Shareholders and Board of Directors
 SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
 
    We  have audited the accompanying balance  sheets of SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
as of September 30, 1995 and September  24, 1994, and the related statements  of
income,  shareholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the
period  ended  September   30,  1995.   These  financial   statements  are   the
responsibility  of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
 
    We conducted  our  audits in  accordance  with generally  accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence  supporting
the  amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles used  and  significant estimates  made  by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
    In our opinion, the financial  statements referred to above present  fairly,
in  all material respects, the financial  position of SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC. at
September 30, 1995 and September 24, 1994, and the results of its operations and
its cash flows for  each of the  three years in the  period ended September  30,
1995, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
                                                               ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Seattle, Washington
November 8, 1995, except for Note G, as to
which the date is March 15, 1996
 
                                      F-2
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                                 BALANCE SHEETS
                (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AND SHARE DATA)
                                     ASSETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          SEPTEMBER 24,   SEPTEMBER 30,    MARCH 30,
                                              1994            1995           1996
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
                                                                          (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                       <C>             <C>             <C>
Current Assets
  Cash and cash equivalents.............     $ 2,711         $ 8,560        $ 6,614
  Securities available for sale.........       1,330           1,345            500
  Accounts receivable, net of allowance
   for doubtful accounts of $461, $546
   and $522 in 1994, 1995 and
   1996, respectively...................       1,369           1,242          1,286
  Inventories...........................       3,659           4,626          6,992
  Capitalized promotional
   expenditures.........................         388             158             43
  Prepaid expenses and other............         191             164            546
  Deferred income taxes.................         316             398            353
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
    Total Current Assets................       9,964          16,493         16,334
Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment, at
 cost, less accumulated depreciation
 (Note C)...............................       2,986           3,200          4,329
Capitalized Customer Acquisition
 Expenditures...........................       4,458           7,356          9,645
Deposits and Other Assets...............          95              68            245
Noncompete Agreements (Note B)..........       1,332           1,127            939
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
    Total Assets........................     $18,835         $28,244        $31,492
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
 
                        LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
Current Liabilities
  Accounts payable......................     $ 2,958         $ 4,782        $ 6,470
  Accrued expenses......................       1,991           2,364          2,257
  Income taxes payable..................       1,141             856             --
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
    Total Current Liabilities...........       6,090           8,002          8,727
  Deferred Income Taxes.................       1,398           2,310          3,126
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
    Total Liabilities...................       7,488          10,312         11,853
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
Shareholders' Equity (Note G)
  Preferred stock, $.01 par value,
   authorized 2,000,000 shares, none
   issued...............................          --              --             --
  Common stock, $.01 par value,
   authorized 67,500,000 shares, issued
   and outstanding 10,510,559,
   10,715,571 and 10,806,988 shares in
   1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively....         105             107            108
  Additional paid-in capital............          54             955          1,207
  Retained earnings.....................      11,188          16,870         18,324
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
    Total Shareholders' Equity..........      11,347          17,932         19,639
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
    Total Liabilities and Shareholders'
     Equity.............................     $18,835         $28,244        $31,492
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
                                          -------------   -------------   -----------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements.
 
                                      F-3
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                              STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AND SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        FISCAL YEAR ENDED                    SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                          ---------------------------------------------   ----------------------
                                          SEPTEMBER 25,   SEPTEMBER 24,   SEPTEMBER 30,   MARCH 25,   MARCH 30,
                                              1993            1994            1995           1995        1996
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
                                                                                          (UNAUDITED) (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                       <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>         <C>
Net Revenues............................   $   42,728      $   49,753      $   62,185     $   24,563  $   34,510
Cost of Goods and Services..............       25,459          30,846          38,128         15,821      20,907
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
    Gross Profit........................       17,269          18,907          24,057          8,742      13,603
Operating Expenses:
  Customer acquisition costs............        7,115           6,516           8,579          4,056       5,774
  Other selling expenses................        2,868           3,458           4,035          1,815       3,462
  Research and development..............          285             459             458            211         521
  General and administrative............        2,016           2,276           2,657          1,281       1,780
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
    Total Operating Expenses............       12,284          12,709          15,729          7,363      11,537
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
Income from Operations..................        4,985           6,198           8,328          1,379       2,066
Other Income (Expense):
  Interest expense......................          (10)            (25)             (4)            (2)         (1)
  Interest income.......................          201             222             276            117         254
  Nonoperating income (expense), net....           99             (10)            (20)             3         (93)
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
    Total Other Income..................          290             187             252            118         160
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
Income Before Income Taxes..............        5,275           6,385           8,580          1,497       2,226
Provision for Income Taxes (Note F).....        1,705           1,947           2,898            503         772
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
Net Income..............................   $    3,570      $    4,438      $    5,682     $      994  $    1,454
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
Net Income Per Share....................   $     0.29      $     0.36      $     0.48     $     0.09  $     0.12
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
Fully Diluted Weighted Average Shares
 Outstanding............................     12,358,157      12,394,677      11,731,761   11,555,702  11,844,024
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   ----------  ----------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements.
 
                                      F-4
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                       STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
                       (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                 COMMON STOCK
                                                           ------------------------
                                                              SHARES         PAR      PAID-IN   RETAINED
                                                            OUTSTANDING     VALUE     CAPITAL   EARNINGS     TOTAL
                                                           -------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                        <C>            <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Balance as of September 26, 1992.........................     11,136,042  $     111  $     154  $   9,288  $   9,553
  Stock options exercised................................        517,334          5          9         --         14
  Income tax benefit of stock options....................             --         --        571         --        571
  Purchase and retirement of Common Stock................       (101,781)        --       (164)      (168)      (332)
  Net income.............................................             --         --         --      3,570      3,570
                                                           -------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Balance as of September 25, 1993.........................     11,551,595        116        570     12,690     13,376
  Stock options exercised................................         57,378          1         32         --         33
  Income tax benefit of stock options....................             --         --         50         --         50
  Employee stock purchase plan...........................         26,586         --         93         --         93
  Purchase and retirement of Common Stock................     (1,125,000)       (12)      (691)    (5,940)    (6,643)
  Net income.............................................             --         --         --      4,438      4,438
                                                           -------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Balance as of September 24, 1994.........................     10,510,559        105         54     11,188     11,347
  Stock options exercised................................        115,950          1        274         --        275
  Income tax benefit of stock options....................             --         --        333         --        333
  Employee stock purchase plan...........................         94,612          1        348         --        349
  Purchase and retirement of Common Stock................         (5,550)        --        (54)        --        (54)
  Net income.............................................             --         --         --      5,682      5,682
                                                           -------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Balance as of September 30, 1995.........................     10,715,571        107        955     16,870     17,932
  Stock options exercised (unaudited)....................         89,783          1        300         --        301
  Employee stock purchase plan (unaudited)...............         13,445         --        162         --        162
  Purchase and retirement of Common Stock (unaudited)....        (11,811)        --       (210)        --       (210)
  Net income (unaudited).................................             --         --         --      1,454      1,454
                                                           -------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Balance as of March 30, 1996 (unaudited).................     10,806,988  $     108  $   1,207  $  18,324  $  19,639
                                                           -------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                           -------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements.
 
                                      F-5
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        FISCAL YEAR ENDED                     SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                          ---------------------------------------------   -------------------------
                                          SEPTEMBER 25,   SEPTEMBER 24,   SEPTEMBER 30,    MARCH 25,     MARCH 30,
                                              1993            1994            1995           1995          1996
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
                                                                                          (UNAUDITED)   (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                       <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>           <C>
Operating Activities:
  Net income............................     $ 3,570         $ 4,438         $ 5,682        $   994       $ 1,454
  Charges to income not affecting cash:
    Depreciation and amortization.......         887           1,320           1,608            791         1,111
    Amortization of capitalized customer
     acquisition expenditures...........       3,542           4,684           6,289          2,579         5,124
    Deferred income taxes...............         (20)            (89)            830            101           861
    Loss (gain) on disposal of
     equipment..........................          16               5              24             (5)           88
  Net change in receivables,
   inventories, payables, and other.....         209            (672)          1,432         (2,066)       (2,066)
  Capitalized promotional expenditures,
   net..................................         150             (46)            230            253           115
  Additions to capitalized customer
   acquisition expenditures.............      (4,025)         (5,310)         (9,187)        (3,066)       (7,413)
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
        Net Cash Provided by (Used in)
         Operating Activities...........       4,329           4,330           6,908           (419)         (726)
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
Investing Activities:
  Purchases of furniture, fixtures, and
   equipment............................      (1,091)         (1,414)         (1,633)          (521)       (2,320)
  Purchases of securities available for
   sale.................................      (4,450)         (3,060)         (1,356)           (11)       (2,350)
  Sales of securities available for
   sale.................................         900           5,280           1,341          1,190         3,195
  Proceeds from sale of equipment.......          --              22              19             17             2
  Purchase of assets from Private Label
   Film, Inc............................          --          (1,637)             --             --            --
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
        Net Cash Provided by (Used in)
         Investing Activities...........      (4,641)           (809)         (1,629)           675        (1,473)
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
Financing Activities:
  Proceeds from issuance of Common
   Stock................................          12             126             624            181           253
  Payment on purchase of Common Stock...        (330)         (6,643)            (54)            --            --
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
        Net Cash Provided by (Used in)
         Financing Activities...........        (318)         (6,517)            570            181           253
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash
 Equivalents............................        (630)         (2,996)          5,849            437        (1,946)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning
 of Year................................       6,337           5,707           2,711          2,711         8,560
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of
 Year...................................     $ 5,707         $ 2,711         $ 8,560        $ 3,148       $ 6,614
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
                                          -------------   -------------   -------------   -----------   -----------
</TABLE>
 
                       See Notes to Financial Statements.
 
                                      F-6
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                         NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 (NOTE I AND ALL INFORMATION FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 25, 1995 AND MARCH
                            30, 1996 ARE UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE A -- OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
    SEATTLE  FILMWORKS,  INC. (the  "Company")  is a  leading direct-to-consumer
 marketer and  provider  of  high-quality amateur  photofinishing  services  and
 products.  The Company offers  an array of  complementary services and products
 primarily   on   a   mail-order   basis   under   the   brand   name    Seattle
 FilmWorks-Registered  Trademark-.  To  a lesser  extent,  the  Company provides
 services, products  and  photofinishing supplies  on  a wholesale  basis  to  a
 variety of commercial customers.
 
    CASH  AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:  Cash and cash equivalents  include cash on hand
and highly liquid  short-term investments  with a  maturity of  less than  three
months from date of purchase.
 
    SECURITIES  AVAILABLE  FOR  SALE:  Securities  available  for  sale  consist
primarily of bankers' acceptances,  commercial paper, and government  securities
issued by financial institutions with high credit ratings. Company policy limits
the  amount of  credit exposure with  any one financial  institution. The fiscal
1994 and 1995  balances of  $1,330,000 and  $1,345,000, respectively,  consisted
primarily  of bankers' acceptances and government securities. The March 30, 1996
balance of $500,000 consisted of commercial  paper with a maturity date of  June
10,  1996. Securities  available for sale  are carried at  amortized cost, which
approximates market.
 
    ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Accounts receivable primarily include amounts due  from
mail-order  customers from the sale of related photographic products and amounts
due from wholesale customers  from the sale of  film and single-use cameras.  An
allowance for doubtful accounts is established for an estimate of bad debts.
 
    INVENTORIES:  Inventories are stated at the  lower of cost (determined using
the first-in, first-out method) or market. Inventories consist primarily of film
and photofinishing supplies.
 
    CAPITALIZED PROMOTIONAL EXPENDITURES: The Company's promotional programs run
for periods of one to six months. Promotional expenditures primarily consist  of
advertising  and  media costs  related to  generating  consumer interest  in the
Company's photofinishing  services.  The  Company  capitalizes  these  costs  as
promotional  and advertising expenditures  and expenses them  the first time the
promotion is run. Advertising expense was $1,652,000, $1,944,000, and $1,882,000
in fiscal 1993, 1994, and 1995 respectively.
 
    DEPRECIATION  AND  AMORTIZATION:  Furniture,  fixtures,  and  equipment   is
depreciated  using the straight-line and  accelerated methods based on estimated
useful asset lives  ranging from three  to seven years.  Expenditures for  major
remodeling and improvements are capitalized as leasehold improvements. Leasehold
improvements are amortized over the shorter of the life of the lease or the life
of the asset.
 
    Noncompete   agreements  are  amortized  as  other  selling  expenses  on  a
straight-line basis.  During fiscal  1996, the  Company recorded  an  additional
$43,000  of amortization related to a change in estimated life of the benefit of
the noncompete agreement from ten years to five years. See Note B.
 
    CAPITALIZED  CUSTOMER  ACQUISITION  EXPENDITURES:  The  Company's  principal
technique  for acquiring new customers is its Introductory Offer of two rolls of
35mm film for  $2.00 or less.  Customer acquisition costs  are comprised of  the
costs  of generating a lead and the amortization of direct costs associated with
the Company's promotional offers sent to prospective and existing customers. The
costs of  generating a  lead, which  are  expensed when  the promotion  is  run,
include  all direct-response media, advertising  and other costs associated with
developing target  customer  lists. The  direct  costs of  customer  acquisition
include  film, postage  and printed material  costs associated  with mailings to
prospective and existing customers.
 
                                      F-7
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 (NOTE I AND ALL INFORMATION FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 25, 1995 AND MARCH
                            30, 1996 ARE UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE A -- OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
    The direct costs of customer acquisition are capitalized as an asset on  the
Company's  balance sheet under  "capitalized customer acquisition expenditures."
Capitalized customer acquisition expenditures relating to prospective  customers
are   amortized  over   three  years,   and  capitalized   customer  acquisition
expenditures relating  to certain  marketing activities  to groups  of  existing
customers  are amortized over six months.  These amortization rates are based on
the estimates of timing of future roll processing volumes per customer. Based on
the historical pattern of roll processing volumes and the estimate of orders  to
be  processed  in the  future,  estimated amortization  of  capitalized customer
acquisition expenditures as of  March 30, 1996  will be $3,775,321,  $3,980,720,
$1,707,839  and $181,371  in fiscal  1996, fiscal  1997, fiscal  1998 and fiscal
1999, respectively.
 
    Effective as of  the beginning  of the second  quarter of  fiscal 1996,  the
Company  reduced from  twelve months to  six months the  amortization period for
certain marketing  activities to  specific groups  of existing  customers.  This
change  in accounting  estimate was made  to more accurately  match revenues and
expenses, and  resulted  in $414,000  of  incremental amortization  of  deferred
customer acquisition costs.
 
    INCOME  TAXES: The provision  for federal income taxes  is computed based on
pretax income reported in the financial statements. Research and development tax
credits are recorded as a reduction of the provision for federal income taxes in
the year realized.  The provision  for income  taxes differs  from income  taxes
currently  payable because certain items of income and expense are recognized in
different periods for  financial reporting  purposes than they  are for  federal
income  tax purposes. Deferred income taxes have been recorded in recognition of
these temporary differences.
 
    The Company adopted  Statement of  Financial Accounting  Standards No.  109,
"Accounting for Income Taxes," in the first quarter of fiscal 1994. The adoption
of this new Standard did not have a significant impact on operating results.
 
    EARNINGS  PER SHARE:  Earnings per  share is  based on  the weighted average
number of shares and  dilutive common stock  equivalents outstanding during  the
fiscal year. Common stock equivalents consist of stock options.
 
    STOCK  COMPENSATION: The Company has elected to follow Accounting Principles
Board Opinion No.  25, "Accounting for  Stock Issued to  Employees" and  related
interpretations  in accounting for  its employee stock  options. Generally stock
compensation, if any, is measured as  the difference between the exercise  price
of  a stock option and the fair market  value of the Company's stock at the date
of the grant, which is then amortized over the related service period.
 
    USE OF ESTIMATES: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles  requires management to make  estimates
and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and
accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
    RECLASSIFICATIONS:  Certain  prior-year  amounts have  been  reclassified to
conform  with  the   1995  financial  statements,   primarily  related  to   the
reclassification  of  all  capitalized  customer  acquisition  expenditures  and
deferred tax liabilities to long term.
 
    INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: The interim  financial statements for the  six
months  ended March 25,  1995 and March  30, 1996 and  as of March  30, 1996 are
unaudited. Certain  information and  footnote disclosures  normally included  in
financial statements presented in accordance with
 
                                      F-8
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 (NOTE I AND ALL INFORMATION FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 25, 1995 AND MARCH
                            30, 1996 ARE UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE A -- OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
generally  accepted accounting  principles have  been condensed  or omitted. The
March 25,  1995  and March  30,  1996 financial  statements  should be  read  in
conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto.
 
    In  the  opinion  of  the  Company's  management,  the  unaudited  financial
statements  reflect  all  adjustments  (which  include  only  normal   recurring
adjustments,  and  changes as  discussed in  this Note  A) necessary  to present
fairly the financial  position, results  of operations  and cash  flows for  the
interim periods. Interim results for the six months ended March 30, 1996 are not
necessarily  indicative of the results that may  be expected for the fiscal year
ending September 28, 1996.
 
NOTE B -- ACQUISITION OF PRIVATE LABEL FILM BUSINESS
    On December 30, 1993, the Company  acquired certain assets of Private  Label
 Film,  Inc. for approximately $1,637,000. The  assets relate to the manufacture
 and sale of private label film and related products to retailers and commercial
 users. This acquisition has been accounted  for using the purchase method.  The
 purchase price was recorded as follows: equipment $100,000; and other assets of
 $1,536,830  related to noncompete agreements,  which includes capitalized legal
 and accounting expenses. See Note A "Depreciation and Amortization."
 
NOTE C -- FURNITURE, FIXTURES, AND EQUIPMENT
    Furniture, fixtures, and equipment consist of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              SEPTEMBER 24,  SEPTEMBER 30,   MARCH 30,
                                                                  1994           1995          1996
                                                              -------------  -------------  -----------
                                                                           (IN THOUSANDS)   (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                           <C>            <C>            <C>
Furniture, fixtures, and equipment..........................   $     9,168    $     9,673    $  11,226
Leasehold improvements......................................         1,610          1,610        2,012
                                                              -------------  -------------  -----------
                                                                    10,778         11,283       13,238
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization..............        (7,792)        (8,083)      (8,909)
                                                              -------------  -------------  -----------
                                                               $     2,986    $     3,200    $   4,329
                                                              -------------  -------------  -----------
                                                              -------------  -------------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
NOTE D -- CREDIT AGREEMENTS AND ACCRUED EXPENSES
    At March 30, 1996,  the Company has a  $6,000,000 available line of  credit,
 with  interest  at the  lending  bank's prime  rate.  There were  no borrowings
 outstanding at the  end of fiscal  1994 and 1995  or for the  six months  ended
 March  30, 1996 under the  line of credit. The  Company is restricted under the
 covenants of a bank  loan agreement from declaring  any dividends on shares  of
 its  capital stock  in excess of  $4,000,000 in any  fiscal year, noncumulative
 from year to year, without the bank's prior consent.
 
    Accrued expenses at the end of fiscal 1994 and fiscal 1995, and as of  March
30, 1996, include accrued compensation of $1,197,000, $1,537,000 and $1,234,000,
respectively.
 
NOTE E -- PROPERTY AND LEASES
    The  Company's primary  lease relates to  its main  operating facility. This
 lease expires in  September 2000. The  Company also has  a lease agreement  for
 additional  warehouse  and  limited  production space.  This  lease  expires in
 January 1999 with an option  to extend the lease  for two one-year periods.  At
 September  30,  1995,  future minimum  payments  under  noncancelable operating
 leases for fiscal
 
                                      F-9
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 (NOTE I AND ALL INFORMATION FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 25, 1995 AND MARCH
                            30, 1996 ARE UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE E -- PROPERTY AND LEASES (CONTINUED)
 1996 through 2000  are $443,000,  $460,000, $460,000,  $314,000, and  $242,000,
 respectively.  Rental  expense relating  to operating  leases for  fiscal 1993,
 1994, and 1995 was $314,000, $335,000, and $353,000, respectively.
 
NOTE F -- INCOME TAXES
    The provision for income taxes is as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             1993       1994       1995
                                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                                   (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                        <C>        <C>        <C>
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
  Current................................................................  $   1,725  $   2,036  $   2,068
  Deferred...............................................................        (20)       (89)       830
                                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                           $   1,705  $   1,947  $   2,898
                                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
    A reconciliation of  the federal statutory  tax rates to  the effective  tax
rates is as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         1993    1994    1995
                                                         -----   -----   -----
    <S>                                                  <C>     <C>     <C>
    Statutory tax rate.................................  34.0%   34.0%   34.0%
    Research and development tax credits...............   (.9)    (.5)    (.4)
    Other, net.........................................   (.8)   (3.0)     .2
                                                         -----   -----   -----
                                                         32.3%   30.5%   33.8%
                                                         -----   -----   -----
                                                         -----   -----   -----
</TABLE>
 
    The estimated effective tax rate for fiscal 1996 is 34.7%, a slight increase
over  the 33.8% effective tax rate for  fiscal 1995 primarily due to an increase
in the marginal federal tax rate applicable to expected taxable income levels.
 
    Principal items  comprising  the cumulative  deferred  income taxes  are  as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                       1994       1995
                                                                                     ---------  ---------
                                                                                        (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                                  <C>        <C>
Deferred tax liabilities:
  Capitalized customer acquisition expenditures....................................  $   1,517  $   2,501
  Other............................................................................        196        175
                                                                                     ---------  ---------
Total deferred tax liabilities.....................................................      1,713      2,676
 
Deferred tax assets:
  Accrued expenses.................................................................        512        573
  Depreciation and amortization....................................................        119        191
                                                                                     ---------  ---------
Total deferred tax assets..........................................................        631        764
                                                                                     ---------  ---------
Net deferred tax liability.........................................................  $   1,082  $   1,912
                                                                                     ---------  ---------
                                                                                     ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
    Taxes  paid  in  1993,  1994,  and  1995  were  $1,070,000,  $1,520,000, and
$2,020,000, respectively.
 
NOTE G -- SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
    STOCK OPTIONS
 
    Pursuant to  the Company's  stock option  plans adopted  in 1982  and  1987,
options  may be granted  to purchase up  to 4,603,125 shares  of Common Stock at
prices equal to the fair market value of the shares at the time the options  are
granted.    Options    generally    vest   over    four    years    and   become
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 (NOTE I AND ALL INFORMATION FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 25, 1995 AND MARCH
                            30, 1996 ARE UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE G -- SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (CONTINUED)
exercisable commencing one year after the date of grant and expiring five  years
after  the date  of grant.  Shares of Common  Stock reserved  for issuance under
these stock option plans totaled 1,700,910  at March 30, 1996, of which  379,762
were available for options to be granted in the future.
 
    The  following schedule  summarizes stock  option activity  for fiscal 1993,
1994, and 1995 and the six months ended March 30, 1996.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                   OPTION PRICE
                                                                             NUMBER OF SHARES       PER SHARE
                                                                             -----------------  ------------------
<S>                                                                          <C>                <C>
Outstanding at September 26, 1992 (1,012,761 shares exercisable)...........        1,403,080       $  .05 - $ 2.63
  Granted during fiscal 1993...............................................          422,100       $ 3.11 - $ 3.78
  Canceled during fiscal 1993..............................................           (3,375)      $  .81 - $ 2.48
  Exercised during fiscal 1993.............................................         (571,318)      $  .05 - $ 1.00
                                                                             -----------------
 
Outstanding at September 25, 1993 (861,971 shares exercisable).............        1,250,487       $  .12 - $ 3.78
  Granted during fiscal 1994...............................................          108,900       $ 4.00 - $ 8.11
  Canceled during fiscal 1994..............................................          (18,675)      $ 1.30 - $ 4.67
  Exercised during fiscal 1994.............................................          (57,376)      $  .12 - $ 3.11
                                                                             -----------------
 
Outstanding at September 24, 1994 (959,729 shares exercisable).............        1,283,336       $  .26 - $ 8.11
  Granted during fiscal 1995...............................................          152,325       $ 7.17 - $14.17
  Canceled during fiscal 1995..............................................          (21,095)      $ 3.11 - $ 7.44
  Exercised during fiscal 1995.............................................         (115,950)      $  .26 - $ 6.56
                                                                             -----------------
 
Outstanding at September 30, 1995 (1,004,825 shares exercisable)...........        1,298,616       $  .28 - $14.17
  Granted during fiscal 1996 (unaudited)...................................          125,850       $12.83 - $18.13
  Canceled during fiscal 1996 (unaudited)..................................          (13,535)      $ 3.11 - $14.17
  Exercised during fiscal 1996 (unaudited).................................          (89,783)      $  .28 - $ 9.11
                                                                             -----------------
Outstanding at March 30, 1996 (unaudited) (1,020,521 shares exercisable)...        1,321,148       $  .31 - $18.13
                                                                             -----------------
                                                                             -----------------
</TABLE>
 
    EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
 
    Effective September 22, 1993, the Company adopted an Employee Stock Purchase
Plan under which  options may be  granted to  purchase up to  337,500 shares  of
Common  Stock. Under  the Plan,  eligible employees  may purchase  shares of the
Company's Common Stock at six-month intervals at 85% of the fair market value on
the first or  last day  of the six-month  offering period,  whichever is  lower.
Employees  may purchase shares having  a value not exceeding  10% of their gross
compensation during the purchase period. During  the first six months of  fiscal
1996, a total of 13,445 shares were issued under the Plan at a price of $12.0417
per share. At March 30, 1996, 202,856 shares were reserved for future issuance.
 
    STOCK SPLITS
 
    All  share data,  per share  data and  related accounts  in the accompanying
financial statements  and these  notes reflect  a retroactive  adjustment for  a
three-for-two stock split effective February 26, 1993, a two-for-one stock split
effective  March 16, 1994, a three-for-two stock split effective March 15, 1995,
and a three-for-two stock split effective March 15, 1996.
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>
                            SEATTLE FILMWORKS, INC.
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 (NOTE I AND ALL INFORMATION FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 25, 1995 AND MARCH
                            30, 1996 ARE UNAUDITED)
 
NOTE G -- SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (CONTINUED)
    PURCHASE AND RETIREMENT OF COMMON STOCK
 
    On July 20, 1994, the Company repurchased 1,125,000 shares, or approximately
10% of its outstanding Common Stock, from Mr. Sam Rubinstein, a Director and the
largest shareholder of the Company, in a private transaction for $5.78 per share
plus legal and brokerage fees.
 
NOTE H -- RETIREMENT AND PROFIT-SHARING PLAN
    The Company maintains  a 401(k)  Plan for substantially  all employees.  The
 Company's  contributions are based  on matching a  percentage of the employee's
 voluntary  contributions  and  discretionary  profit-sharing  contributions  as
 determined  by  the  Board  of  Directors.  The  Company's  contributions  were
 $237,000, $285,000, and $366,000 for fiscal 1993, 1994, and 1995, respectively.
 
NOTE I -- SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)
    The following table  sets forth summary  financial data for  the Company  by
 quarter  for fiscal 1994 and  1995 and for the six  months ended March 30, 1996
 (in thousands, except per share data).
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          QUARTERS
                                                     --------------------------------------------------
                                                        FIRST       SECOND        THIRD       FOURTH
                                                     -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                                     (UNAUDITED)  (UNAUDITED)  (UNAUDITED)  (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                  <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
FISCAL 1994
  Net revenue......................................   $  10,600    $  10,672    $  12,872    $  15,609
  Gross profit.....................................       3,968        3,803        4,776        6,360
  Net income.......................................         543          279        1,176        2,440
  Earnings per share...............................        0.04         0.02         0.09         0.21
FISCAL 1995
  Net revenue......................................   $  12,270    $  12,293    $  15,791    $  21,831
  Gross profit.....................................       4,590        4,152        6,136        9,179
  Net income.......................................         655          339        1,513        3,175
  Earnings per share...............................        0.06         0.03         0.13         0.27
FISCAL 1996
  Net revenue......................................   $  16,689    $  17,821
  Gross profit.....................................       6,292        7,311
  Net income.......................................         951          503
  Earnings per share...............................        0.08         0.04
</TABLE>
 
    The sum  of quarterly  earnings per  share will  not necessarily  equal  the
earnings  per  share reported  for the  entire year  since the  weighted average
shares outstanding used in the earnings per share computation changes throughout
the year. All  earnings per  share data presented  above have  been adjusted  to
reflect stock splits. See Note G.
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>
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    NO  DEALER, SALESPERSON OR ANY OTHER PERSON  HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR TO MAKE  ANY REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN  THOSE CONTAINED IN  THIS
PROSPECTUS IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFER CONTAINED HEREIN, AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE,
SUCH  INFORMATION  OR REPRESENTATIONS  MUST NOT  BE RELIED  UPON AS  HAVING BEEN
AUTHORIZED BY  THE  COMPANY,  BY THE  SELLING  SHAREHOLDERS  OR BY  ANY  OF  THE
UNDERWRITERS.  THIS PROSPECTUS  DOES NOT CONSTITUTE  AN OFFER  OF ANY SECURITIES
OTHER THAN THOSE TO WHICH IT RELATES OR  AN OFFER TO SELL, OR A SOLICITATION  OF
AN OFFER TO BUY, THOSE TO WHICH IT RELATES IN ANY STATE TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM IT
IS  NOT LAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH OFFER IN SUCH STATE. THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS
AT ANY TIME DOES NOT IMPLY THAT THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS CORRECT AS OF ANY TIME
SUBSEQUENT TO ITS DATE.
 
                                 --------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    PAGE
                                                    -----
<S>                                              <C>
Prospectus Summary.............................           3
Risk Factors...................................           5
Use of Proceeds................................          10
Dividend Policy................................          10
Price Range of Common Stock....................          10
Selected Financial Data........................          11
Forward-Looking Information....................          13
Management's Discussion and Analysis of
 Financial Condition and Results of
 Operations....................................          13
Business.......................................          19
Management.....................................          29
Principal and Selling Shareholders.............          31
Underwriting...................................          33
Legal Matters..................................          34
Experts........................................          34
Available Information..........................          34
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
 Reference.....................................          35
Index to Financial Statements..................         F-1
</TABLE>
 
                                1,400,000 SHARES
 
                            [SEATTLE FILMWORKS LOGO]
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
 
                                   ---------
 
                                   PROSPECTUS
 
   
                                 JUNE 27, 1996
    
 
                                   ---------
 
                               SMITH BARNEY INC.
 
                               HAMBRECHT & QUIST
 
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