New bill aims to bring film industry back to Michigan
With an economy that's running on empty and an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent, Michigan needs a tune-up, and the film industry just might be pushing the right buttons.
Michigan is no Hollywood, but with the recently passed Michigan Film Incentive, the mitten might get the boost it needs to get back into the race.
"(The incentive is) a fantastic first step toward bringing more film production to Michigan," said Hopwood DePree, CEO of TicTock Studios, a new production studio in Holland.
In the past 15 years, the film industry has brought as much as $20 million into the state in a single year, but Michigan Film Office Director Janet Lockwood said she'd be lucky to come up with $2 million for her 2006 figures.
"The state is in such dire straits economically," Lockwood said at the Michigan Film Advisory Commission meeting Friday.
The Film Office, located in Lansing, is responsible for bringing production companies to the state and promoting Michigan's film industry. As director of the office, Lockwood said in the past, Michigan has lost a lot of film industry business to those states with incentives already in place - but she's hoping some of the lost business will return.
About the bill
Sponsored by Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, the Michigan Film Incentive will give money back to film production companies - local and out-of-state - for spending between $200,000 and $10 million in Michigan.
A company can receive up to a 20 percent refund, depending on how much money it spends in the state. There is $7 million total available each tax year, which will be used on a first-come, first-serve basis, Lockwood said.
Dale Hull, Huizenga's chief of staff, said the representative has always been involved with the behind-the-scenes aspect of the movie industry.
Huizenga introduced the bill when he was elected to office four years ago, and it passed in the House of Representatives but died in the Senate, Hull said.
"It took a while for the legislators to understand what the other states were doing and understand the industry itself," Hull said.
In December 2006, the bill was approved by both the House and Senate, and Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed the incentive into law Jan. 9.
Why Michigan?
For people who live in Michigan, it's easy to complain about having four seasons. But for filmmakers, it can be one of the state's greatest assets.
Snow and the Great Lakes are great for filming, said Sandra Jurado, president of the MSU Filmmakers Club and an intern at the Film Office.
The Great Lakes are "something that we try to push (to filmmakers)," the film studies and Spanish junior said.
In Los Angeles, where it always looks and feels like summer, it's possible to create the look of fall or winter using fake sets or graphics, but it's not always cost-effective, Lockwood said.
She said filmmakers are better off filming in a location already set with vibrant fall colors.
"(Michigan has) anything other than sun and palm trees," said Laurie Meeker, president of the Screen Actors Guild's Detroit chapter. "(Filmmakers) need outdoor shots."
DePree, a co-founder of Saugatuck's annual Waterfront Film Festival, said when directors from Los Angeles and New York come to Waterfront, they are still "amazed at the beauty in Michigan."
Film studies Professor Bill Vincent, adviser of the MSU Filmmakers Club, said he's not sure if Michigan is ideal for movies because of its "iffy" weather.
However, he said the state has a lot of talent and "lots of really interesting places to shoot."
Lockwood said that in addition to outdoor features, Michigan has an excellent behind-the-scenes crew base, which includes production companies, camera crews and equipment.
Problems in the past
DePree said many directors have expressed interest in shooting movies in the state, but what it came down to was that economically, "Michigan didn't necessarily make sense."
Ann Mayle, account manager at Forest Post Productions in Farmington Hills, agreed that filming in Michigan "never made sense financially."
"I know lots of filmmakers, especially ones from Michigan, who want to shoot here but couldn't afford to," said Jim Burnstein, who has been working as a screenwriter in Hollywood for almost 20 years. He also coordinates the University of Michigan's screenwriting program and wrote the screenplays for the movies "Renaissance Man" and "D3: The Mighty Ducks."
"What's worse is not only do the people from Hollywood not come back here to make films, but you lose people from Michigan who are trained (in the state)," Burnstein said.
Despite Michigan's great outdoor resources and hard workers, Jurado said many MSU film studies graduates head out to Los Angeles to get started in the film business.
"For Michigan, people who live here, it finally gives them a reason and a purpose to stay here and work here," Mayle said. "The Michigan community is such a hardworking, dedicated and creative group."
Looking ahead
Michigan isn't the first state to introduce this type of film incentive. Several states - including Louisiana, Georgia and New Mexico - have implemented similar programs to encourage more film production.
The 2002 Louisiana Motion Picture Incentive Act provides tax credits to filmmakers who spend money in the state.
In 2002, Michigan and Louisiana were both making about $10 million per year in film production, DePree said. But while Louisiana passed the film incentive, Michigan did not. He said Louisiana is now making about $600 million per year in the film business and employing thousands of people in the state.
"It's really exciting to see that kind of potential," DePree said.
Hull said in the first two years alone, Louisiana gave away $83 million in tax credits and generated $200 million more in new funds.
"There was so much production taking place," Hull said. "We were a little bit behind the eight ball."
Lockwood said 2007 will be "a very positive year for the Film Office."
"It's exciting for me as a Michigan native who lives in (Los Angeles)," said DePree, who grew up in western Michigan and for almost 20 years has been working in California as a writer, director, actor and producer.
"It's exciting to be able to come home and shoot my movies there."