Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Hollywood on the Huron: Michigan now a film mecca

Los Angeles Times | September 30, 2008

First it was Louisiana. Then it was New Mexico and New York. Now it’s Michigan’s turn as the latest hot spot for film production. Not since Michael Moore’s documentary “Roger and Me” has the Great Lakes state garnered so much attention from Hollywood.

Once considered a relative backwater as a film destination, Michigan has lured more than 60 features and made-for-TV movies this year, up from just three last year, according to the Michigan Film Office. The projects include upcoming films as well as recently-wrapped movies such as Clint Eastwood’s "Gran Torino," a drama about at Korean War vet who befriends his young neighbor; "Whip It!," a Drew Barrymore-directed comedy starring Ellen Page of "Juno" fame; and the sci-fi thriller "Butterfly Effect: Revelation" (pictured above). Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures all have films lined up to shoot in Michigan this fall.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2008/09/michigan-film-f.html

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Big Screen Entertainment Strikes Deal With Rochester Financial for Michigan Movies

TradingMarkets.com | September 28, 2008

Big Screen Entertainment Group that it has entered into a financing partnership with Rochester Financial Center to develop film financing packages and funds for a number of films to be produced solely in Michigan.

Big Screen will be opening a permanent production branch in Southeast Michigan to capitalize on the remarkable initiative of 40 percent return on all Michigan film expenditures.

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1906431/

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Novi residents debut in Hollywood film

By Kelly Murad • Staff Writer • September 26, 2008

When Drew Barrymore’s upcoming film “Whip It!” debuts, Novi residents might recognize the familiar faces of fellow community members Paul and Sharon Thal on the big screen.

Novi residents of 35 years, the couple recently spent a Saturday afternoon working as extras on the set of Barrymore’s movie, centered around roller derby, which was filmed in Michigan.

Thanks to the Michigan Film Incentive, which went into effect in April, more and more projects are choosing the Great Lakes State for filming their productions.

http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080926/NEWS13/80926011

Friday, September 26, 2008

GOP wants to drop Mich. biz taxes, cap film credit

By DAVID EGGERT | The Associated Press | September 25, 2008

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Republican-controlled Senate committee on Thursday voted to phase out a surcharge on Michigan business taxes over three years and to cap new tax breaks used to attract moviemakers to the state.

Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm immediately opposed any effort to rein in the film incentives.

"Let's give film a chance," spokesman Liz Boyd said.

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-57/1222392253326970.xml&storylist=newsmichigan

Ypsilanti could be one giant movie set

By Brian Vosburg | The Ypsi Tattler - Eastern Michigan University | September 26, 2008

The Tatt was able to get a bit part in the latest Ypsilanti movie, “Whip It!“. Watch for the Tatt during one of the bar scenes sitting next to the poker machine. Not enough to get a SAG card, but it will pay for coffee for the next two months.

During a break in filming the Tatt asked if they had decided where they were planning to host the premiere? The producers said they hadn’t decided.

So the Tatt made a pitch to do the premier at Eastern’s Pease Auditorium.

http://ypsitattler.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/ypsilanti-could-be-one-giant-movie-set/

Thursday, September 25, 2008

'Steam Experiment' wraps up Friday; local premiere possible

By John Serba | The Grand Rapids Press | September 25, 2008

GRAND RAPIDS — One day to go.

"The Steam Experiment," the first film to shoot in Grand Rapids since the Michigan state film initiative passed, is scheduled to wrap Friday. The $4.8 million budgeted movie, starring Val Kilmer and Armand Assante, started filming Sept. 3 and is adhering closely to its 16-day shooting schedule, which included six days in various downtown locations before moving to a soundstage at Deano's Studio on the northeast side.

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/entertainment/index.ssf/2008/09/steam_experiment_wraps_up_frid.html

Holland’s TicTock Studios takes film crew training statewide

By: Deborah Johnson Wood | Rapid Growth Media | September 25, 2008

By training Michigan residents to use carpentry, electrical, lighting and other skills for film crew jobs, Holland-based TicTock Studios has created a reason for out-of-state film crews to come to Michigan: a trained, skilled workforce.

Michigan’s burgeoning film industry got a major boost last April with the signing of legislation that offers feature filmmakers the most aggressive tax incentives in the country.

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/timnews/tictock0925.aspx?utm_campaign=A%20Community%20of%20Kielbasa%20and%20Student%20Sculpture&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_term=Holland%26rsquo%3Bs%20TicTock%20Studios%20takes%20film%20crew%20training%20statewide

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Shut school may get film role

Valerie Olander / The Detroit News / September 24, 2008

HOWELL -- Howell Public School's $70 million Parker High School, which closed after only one year because a lack of funding, could re-open -- but only for 12 weeks -- to be used as a backdrop for a Hollywood film.

The school district was in negotiations on Tuesday with the Michigan Film Office and Parallel Media, which plans to lease the school building for about $100,000, and pump as much as $6.5 million into the local economy. About 100 crew members are expected to stay in local hotels, dine in restaurants and shop in downtown Howell, beginning as soon as next month.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/METRO04/809240348

Production laden with Mich. ties

By Christopher Behnan | DAILY PRESS & ARGUS | September 23, 2008

A tangled web of Michigan connections links actors, directors and films tied to “High School,” the movie proposed to be filmed at the Howell Public Schools Parker Campus this year.

A quick search of the Internet Movie Database, imdb.com, revealed the following information:

Warren Zide, a producer for “High School,” is a Southfield native perhaps best known for the “American Pie” movie franchise. The first film is set in Michigan and includes references to the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor.

http://www.livingstondaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/NEWS01/809240316/-1/NEWSFRONT2

Residents energized over film project

By Lisa Roose-Church • DAILY PRESS & ARGUS • September 24, 2008

News of a possible feature film being made at the Howell Public Schools Parker Campus — a potential six-figure payoff for the district — has local actors and aspiring film directors excited about possibilities.

Brighton resident Mary Bragg doesn't believe her grandchildren, ages 6 and 12, would fit with the film — "High School," which a producer described as adult content with a humorous look at illegal substances — but Bragg sees the children in future projects that could come to Livingston County.

http://www.livingstondaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/NEWS01/809240316/-1/NEWSFRONT2

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Film industry boosts training

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News / September 23, 2008

DEARBORN -- One of Michigan's hottest industries -- the burgeoning film and television business -- is amping up efforts to train Michigan residents for careers in the wide range of production work needed behind the scenes.

Much of the training is aimed at jobless residents but will soon expand to college students and anyone else interested.

Among those currently getting the training is 19-year-old Michael Hinton, a Detroit resident who was hoping to become a truck driver. He is among the 47 people recruited through Michigan Works! -- the agency that deals with state's jobless -- to take a two-week basic film training class taught by a Hollywood veteran.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080923/SCHOOLS/809230367

Places to Shoot a Movie in Michigan

When someone says ”Michigan,” what comes to mind besides cars, snow and college football? How about ”regional filmmaking capital”?

That idea may be new to some movie fans and movie makers, but it shouldn?t be. After all, the Wolverine State has long attracted filmmakers as a shooting location, thanks to its excellent cities, historically strong economy, and?above all?its great geographical diversity. The state’s great strength, for movie directors, is that it offers many kinds of backdrop, and can stand in for nearly any location in the country. Where else can you find rolling plains (perfect for that epic of nineteenth-century Midwestern life), the rugged Porcupine Mountains (ready for that adventure film you\’re planning), the forested beauty of the Upper Peninsula (the right place for the heroes of your romance film to fall in love), diverse cityscapes (a backdrop for your courtroom drama, crime film, corporate saga, or office comedy), and more?and still never be more than eighty-five miles from the beach? No wonder that movies like Grosse Pointe Blank, Anatomy of a Murder, Ferris Bueller\’s Day Off, RoboCop, Somewhere In Time and The Evil Dead were all partly or wholly shot in Michigan. More recently, 8 Mile, Jumper and the upcoming Youth In Revolt feature Michigan locations.

http://www.vdoedit.com/?p=7407

Parker Campus may be location for shooting 'High School' move

Posted by Tom Tolen | The Livingston Community News | September 23, 2008

The mostly unused Parker Campus of Howell High School is on the verge of being transformed into a movie set that could pump as much as $6 million into the local economy.

While contract negotiations continue for use of the building in Marion Township, production work on a movie called, appropriately enough, "High School," appears to be on the fast track. The Howell Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the contract in a special meeting Monday, Sept. 29.

http://blog.mlive.com/lcn/2008/09/high_school_movie_may_be_shot.html

New Video Produced by S3 Entertainment Group Shows Film Industry Positively Impacting Michigan's Economy

Clint Eastwood says, "Michigan will be the new film capital of the world."

DETROIT, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- A new video released today highlights the tremendous positive impact that the film industry incentive is having on the Michigan economy after only a few short months. The video, released by S3 Entertainment Group (S3EG), a Ferndale, Mich.-based direct provider of the infrastructure necessary for successful film production in the state, and Avalon Films, a Royal Oak, Mich.-based commercial production company, features local Detroit hip-hop artist, Stretch Money, emphasizing the positive impact the motion picture industry has had on Michigan and the positive experiences of filmmakers in the state. Jeffery Spilman, managing partner of S3EG, made the announcement.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-23-2008/0004890864&EDATE=

50 nifty filmmaking states

By Alexandyr Kent, USA TODAY

What's shot where? The following outlines what projects have been shot — partially or mostly — in each state. (Years are date of release, according to imdb.com):

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-09-21-hollywood-usa-side_N.htm

Parker in focus for studio film


By Lisa Roose-Church • DAILY PRESS & ARGUS • September 23, 2008

The Howell Public Schools Parker Campus may be mostly shuttered, but it could open to "students" if a deal to film an upcoming movie is inked.

Producers of the film "High School" hope to begin filming Nov. 3 on the estimated $9.5 million film, which producers hope will star William H. Macy as the principal, but no deal with the actor has been inked.

After initial reservations due to the movie's content — described as adult content with a humorous look at illegal substances — the school district's Board of Education authorized its superintendent and assistant superintendent of business to enter into negotiations with producers.

http://www.livingstondaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080923/NEWS01/809230309/-1/NEWSFRONT2

Monday, September 22, 2008

Rochester ready to say hello to Hollywood

By Annette Kingsbury • Eccentric Staff Writer • September 19, 2008

People who live in greater Rochester know what a scenic place it is with its rivers, trails, bluffs and historic buildings.

But film producers who have recently begun looking seriously at Michigan for locations, thanks to generous tax incentives, had no way of knowing — until now.

Last week, the cities of Rochester and Rochester Hills unveiled a new Web site — www.filmrochesterarea.org — that is their attempt to lure the film industry to town. Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett and Rochester City Manager Jaymes Vettraino said combining their efforts made all kinds of sense.

http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080919/NEWS17/80919009

Morning Edition: Magazines, Movies and More

By Mary Morgan | September 24, 2008 | Ann Arbor Chronicle

Cars and movies bookended the topics covered at Wednesday’s Morning Edition, a monthly gathering that features short talks by community and business leaders.

Up first was Jean Jennings, the high-energy president and editor-in-chief of Automobile Magazine, which has offices above Champion House at the corner of Fourth & Liberty.

http://annarborchronicle.com/2008/09/24/morning-edition-magazines-movies-and-more/

Extra! Extra! Get yourself on film

Detroit Free Press | September 22, 2008

Want to be a movie extra? Interested in working on a film crew? Think you could be a production assistant?

The Michigan Film Office lists local job opportunities on its Web site, www.mi.gov/filmoffice.

Classic car roles
Maybe you don't have the acting chops, but your classic car could be awaiting its movie debut.

Ferndale-based production services company S3 Entertainment Group has formed a subsidiary that is compiling a list of vehicles built through the 1980s that could be rented for use in movies. Owners could be paid $200 to $2,000 a day, depending on the vehicle.

For information, go to www.cars4movies.net or e-mail cars@s3eg.com.

Colleges help students get film experience

BY ROBIN ERB • FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER • September 22, 2008

Sure, she made a Starbucks run for crew members the first day. But by the end of the summer, 19-year-old Sarah DeBoer was a production assistant in a headset -- herding extras and locking down the sets when the cameras rolled.

Those long days shooting "Prayers for Bobby," a Lifetime Original Movie, and a pilot for the TV show "Prince of Motor City" provided an experience unmatched elsewhere, said the Michigan State University telecommunications major from Milford.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080922/NEWS06/809220317

Metro Detroit cities cutting red tape for moviemakers

BY GINA DAMRON • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • September 22, 2008

As film companies head to Michigan to make movies and get hefty tax breaks from the state, municipal leaders across metro Detroit are working to promote their communities and make it easier for film crews to shoot there.

Cities like Rochester Hills, Royal Oak and Ferndale have simplified or created new processes for getting permits to close streets, erect temporary structures and move forward with filmmaking.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080922/NEWS05/809220316

Colleges help students get ready for close-up

Associated Press | September 22, 2008

DETROIT - Some Michigan colleges have been retooling their curriculum as Hollywood heads to the state to take advantage of lucrative tax breaks for filmmakers.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Dearborn's Henry Ford Community College starts classes Monday to retrain workers for technical jobs in the film industry. Others include Wayne County Community College and Detroit's Wayne State University.

Michigan Film Office Chief Operating Officer Tony Wenson says the office expects to add a manager of job training, education and development by next month. That person would coordinate with the state's higher education institutions to meet needs.

Filmmakers have been flocking to Michigan since April, when Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed the package of bills into law.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-films-michigancol,0,799302.story

EVENT OF INTEREST: Bob Brown of Purple Rose Films

The DealGateway Presents:
Bob Brown of Purple Rose Films

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2008
5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
THE BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HOUSE
380 SOUTH BATES ST., BIRMINGHAM, MICHIGAN 48009

EVENT SCHEDULE:

5:00 Networking and Viewing of Entrepreneur Exhibits
6:00 Howard Hertz of Hertz Schram PC on the Michigan Film Incentive program
6:10 Keynote Speaker - Bob Brown, Purple Rose Films and Member Michigan Film Advisory Commission
6:45 Follow-up Networking and Exhibit Presentations

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Michigan’s Digital Production Divide

By Nick Parish

All this looks like small beer compared to the meltdown here on Wall Street this month, but I was back in Michigan over Labor Day and found myself thinking the state’s huge production incentives program isn’t being fully utilized.

Up North, things are particularly bleak. In the town where my parents stay, Boyne City, 95 people started Labor Day weekend with a pink slip, as LexaMar, one of the biggest corporations in the town of 3500 laid them off on Friday. It made small talk everywhere, downtown, strolling past the classic cars on display, at the police-sponsored drag race at the city airstrip, another midsized manufacturer slicing off jobs as the economy expels another ragged breath.

The one point of light in a state with its biggest industry, automobiles, breaking down, is film production. It’s exceptionally cheap to shoot anything in Michigan right now, and that has ushered in the closest thing to a business renaissance the region has seen in years, at least the latest Band-Aid to create an economic buffer around the doomed car business, like Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson’s Automation Alley plan that began about a decade ago.

http://nickparish.net/advertising/michigan-digital-production-divide/

Wanna be in the Movies?? Here's your chance...

By Terry Westbrook ~ Realtor(R) Grand Rapids Mi Ada/Cascade Real Estate

I just received this email yesterday, with the announcement of the statewide launch of film training program for Michigan workers. If you ever wanted to be in the movies, here's your chance. Behind the scenes, but still part of the overall picture, no pun intended. You could be a "Grip" or "Electrical" support on the Michigan film crew. With many new movies being scheduled for filming in Michigan, even here in Grand Rapids, here is your opportunity to enroll in classes now.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/700822/Wanna-be-in-the

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Metalsmith's sculptures get small role in upcoming 'Miss January'

By Susan R. Pollack / The Detroit News / September 18, 2008

A "scrappy" dog named Big Buck and a 10-foot metal lizard, creations of a local industrial artist, will play bit parts in a Hollywood movie being filmed now in Michigan.

Plucked from artist Tom Crimboli's Eastpointe backyard, the metal animal sculptures and six other oversized works -- including a specially commissioned piece he welded from old car parts -- will appear in the Camelot Pictures film "Miss January," starring Kim Cattrall ("Sex in the City") and Brian Dennehy ("F/X").

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809180399

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Update: Robert Duvall is coming to West Michigan

By John Serba | September 187, 2008 | Grand Rapids Press

Time to eat crow on that last blog: Jerry Zandstra, vice president of American Saga Productions, corrected me via e-mail: "Duvall IS coming to W Mi for both interiors and exteriors" for the TV miniseries "La Linea," he wrote.

Zandstra was unavailable for further comment; he was attending the John McCain rally downtown.

Welcome to the ever-shifting waters of the movie business, I guess. First Samuel L. Jackson was coming to Grand Rapids for "Unthinkable," then he wasn't. Joe Mantegna was coming here for "The Fifth Mafia," and that fell through. Reports will surely continue to change and be conflicting, but in this case, I consider myself corrected.

http://blog.mlive.com/projectmayhem/2008/09/update_robert_duvall_is_coming.html

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Detroit Woman Wins Grand Prize in Tim Allen "Be An Editor for a Day" Video Editing Contest

On Friday July 18th, Tim announced a his “Be An Editor for a Day” contest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, in which the public was invited to edit a scene using actual film clips from his new movie “Crazy on the Outside” — the same clips Tim himself used to cut together the scene!

Diane Checklich from Detroit has been named the GRAND PRIZE WINNER. She learned of the Tim Allen Editing Contest from an announcement sent out by the West Michigan Film Video Alliance (www.wmfva.org).

According to the website: “This video montage was chosen for the great pacing, clever timing on bits, and the great choice of music, which really punctuated individual moments. Great job.”

Diane will receive a Tim Allen Signature Tool Kit, a personally autographed costume worn by Tim Allen in “Crazy on the Outside” and 2 invitations to attend the premiere or private screening!

http://www.timallen.com/COTO_contest/winners.php

Monday, September 15, 2008

Next step: Making great movies

Monday, September 15, 2008 Kalamazoo

Traverse City Record-Eagle

In just over four years the Traverse City Film Festival has matured into a financial and cultural juggernaut.

Over six days this year the festival sold about 24,000 tickets for more than 70 films from all over the world. Five film industry discussion panels and other appearances drew 23 directors and a number of actors and other players. Madonna brought a little international glitz. Restaurants and retail shops say they've been swamped, and some have extended store hours to cash in on the crowds.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/columns-3/122149024789860.xml&coll=7

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Dearborn going Hollywood?

By Jason Carmel Davis | Press & Guide Newspapers | September 14, 2008

DEARBORN - There had been some talk about a prominent movie production company buying the now-closed Ford Motor Co. Wixom plant and setting up a studio in the plant.

Rumors have also surfaced of airport scenes being shot in the now-defunct Smith Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus.

http://www.pressandguide.com/stories/091408/loc_20080914001.shtml

Friday, September 12, 2008

Movie Being Filmed in mid-Michigan

WLS | September 12, 2008

Michigan may be officially becoming a movie-making machine. Filming started on yet another project and the company producing the film is cashing in on Michigan's film incentives. The Michigan film office says the incentives provide a tax credit of up to 40%. Companies hiring local residents may also receive extra benefits. It's lights, camera, action, in Oceola Township. The rural, Livingston County town sets the scene of the upcoming family-friendly film, Horse Crazy.

Matthew Ward, Executive Producer: "We found great resources out here."

Matthew Ward oversees the film financing. He caught wind of Michigan's film incentives, which offers tax rebates that few other states offer.

http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=8997151&nav=0RbQ

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Betting on film

By Jake LaDuke | Business Review Western Michigan | Thursday September 11, 2008

Five months into Michigan's adoption of what Gov. Jennifer Granholm calls the most-aggressive film-incentive program in the country, industry leaders are questioning what many say is a booming success.

Looking to follow the example of states such as Louisiana, Connecticut and New Mexico, Michigan's incentives aim to bring in new dollars and jobs to aid a struggling economy.

The incentives include up to a 42 percent refundable or transferable tax credit for qualified films produced in the state, a 25 percent tax credit for film media infrastructure and a 50 percent worker-training tax credit for production companies providing on-the-job training for Michigan residents.

http://www.mlive.com/businessreview/western/index.ssf/2008/09/betting_on_film.html

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Film brings star power to Plymouth community

By Lester L. Holmes, Jr. | The Journal News | September 10, 2008

Hollywood is coming to Plymouth and a local restaurant will be featured in major motion film.

Beginning on Oct. 1 Bennigan’s Restaurant, located on Ann Arbor Road in Plymouth Township, will be closed for three days as crews shoot scenes for the upcoming Parallel Media film Demoted, starring Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings, The Goonies).

Demoted is a comedy about two tire salesmen (Astin and Michael Vartan) who in addition to being a bit chauvinistic constantly pull pranks on their fellow co-worker (David Cross) Things start to change, however when their boss dies and both pranksters are demoted to secretaries by the co-worker they once tormented. The movie is scheduled to appear in theatres sometime in 2009.

http://www.journalgroup.com/Plymouth/8351/film-brings-star-power-to-plymouth-community

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Celeb-a-razzi: 'Company Men' film shooting here

Detroit News | September 9, 2008

'Company Men' to shoot main photography in Detroit

Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau , Steve Buscemi ("Fargo" and "Ghost World") and Ron Livingston ("Office Space") will star in the indie drama "The Company Men," reports the Hollywood Reporter. The Raul Sanchez Inglis ' film will "chronicle the employees of a collapsing toy company. Principal photography is set to begin in November in Detroit."

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/ENT09/809090328

Governor Announces Appointments, Reappointments to Michigan Film Office Advisory Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 9, 2008
Contact: Megan Brown (517-335-6397)

LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced the following appointments and reappointments to the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council:

---William H. Black of Rochester Hills, legislative and community affairs director of the Michigan Teamsters, is appointed for a term expiring September 30, 2010.

---Robert L. Brown of Farmington, managing partner of Purple Rose Films and Charity Island Pictures, is appointed to represent broad areas of film and motion picture making, production of television programs and commercials, and related industries in Michigan for a term expiring September 30, 2008, and is reappointed for a term expiring September 30, 2012.

---James S. Burnstein of Plymouth, owner of Elsinore, LLC, is appointed to represent broad areas of film and motion picture making, production of television programs and commercials, and related industries in Michigan for a term expiring September 30, 2011.

---Xenia E. Castillo-Hunter of Southfield, manager of Film Detroit, a division of Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, is appointed to represent local film offices for a term expiring September 30, 2008, and is reappointed for a term expiring September 30, 2012.

---Hopwood DePree of Holland, chief executive officer of TicTock Studios and co-founder of the Waterfront Film Festival, is appointed to represent broad areas of film and motion picture making, production of television programs and commercials, and related industries in Michigan for a term expiring September 30, 2009.

---Marcia C. Fishman of Southfield, Detroit branch executive director of the Screen Actor’s Guild, is appointed to represent film, television, or related industry unions for a term expiring September 30, 2008, and is reappointed for a term expiring September 30, 2012.

---Cory A. Jacobson of Southfield, owner of Phoenix Theaters, is appointed to represent Michigan-based theater owners for a term expiring September 30, 2009.

---Danialle Karmanos of Orchard Lake, founder and executive director of Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out, is appointed as a nominee of the Senate majority leader for a term expiring September 30, 2011.

---Emery C. King of Bloomfield Hills, owner and vice president of Kingberry Productions Company and communications director for the Detroit Medical Center, is appointed for a term expiring September 30, 2009. Mr. King is also designated to serve as chairperson of the commission for a term expiring at the pleasure of the governor.

---Timothy F. Magee of Grosse Pointe Park, vice president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and business representative of the The Detroit Local, is appointed to represent film, television, or related industry unions for a term expiring September 30, 2008, and is reappointed for a term expiring September 30, 2012.

---Sue E. Marx of Birmingham, president of Sue Marx Films, Inc., is appointed to represent broad areas of film and motion picture making, production of television programs and commercials, and related industries in Michigan for a term expiring September 30, 2009.

---Michael F. Moore of Central Lake, Oscar winning filmmaker and co-owner of Dog Eat Dog films with his wife Kathleen Glynn in Traverse City, is appointed to represent broad areas of film and motion picture making, production of television programs and related industries in Michigan for a term expiring September 30, 2010.

---William P. O’Reilly of Bloomfield Hills, president of the Montana Corporation, an investment corporation, is appointed for a term expiring September 30, 2011.

---Marc L. Prey of Milford, attorney and proprietor in private practice, is appointed as a nominee of the Speaker of the House of Representatives for a term expiring September 30, 2010.

The Michigan Film Office Advisory Council, formerly the Michigan Film Commission, is responsible for advising the office, the fund, the governor, and the Legislature on how to promote and market Michigan to film, television, digital media, and related industries. The council may make inquiries, studies, and investigations, hold hearings and receive comments from the public.

These appointments are not subject to disapproval by the Michigan Senate.

Holland’s Hopwood DePree gets Governor’s Appointment

WOOD TV8 | September 9, 2008

Today, Hopwood DePree of Holland’s TicTock Studios and co-founder of the Waterfront Film Festival was appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm to the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council.

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2008/09/09/west-michigans-movie-rep-hopwood-depree/

Filmmaking tax credits showing positive results

The Oakland Press | September 9, 2008

Evidence continues to mount that Michigan's new tax incentives for filmmakers who produce their movies here are working. For example, right here in Oakland County, the film "Youth in Revolt" and the pilot episode of ABC's "The Prince of Motor City" were shot during the summer at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills.

"Youth in Revolt" is an adaptation from the novel, starring Michael Cera ("Juno") and Justin Long ("Live Free or Die Hard") about a 14-year-old seeking his dream girl while his parents are divorcing.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/090908/opi_20080909344.shtml

Filmmaking tax credits showing positive results

The Oakland Press | September 8, 2008

Evidence continues to mount that Michigan's new tax incentives for filmmakers who produce their movies here are working. For example, right here in Oakland County, the film "Youth in Revolt" and the pilot episode of ABC's "The Prince of Motor City" were shot during the summer at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills.

"Youth in Revolt" is an adaptation from the novel, starring Michael Cera ("Juno") and Justin Long ("Live Free or Die Hard") about a 14-year-old seeking his dream girl while his parents are divorcing.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/090908/opi_20080909344.shtml

Hollywood may cast Smith Terminal's sequel

By Nathan Hurst | The Detroit News | September 9, 2008

ROMULUS -- The final credits aren't yet rolling for the aged Smith Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

The dated structure, with its '50s-era control tower and dilapidated concourses, retires as an active passenger terminal Sept. 16. But some believe the Smith is slated for a sequel, this time starring as the nation's premier set for movies and TV shows featuring airport scenes.

And while many travelers think the aged terminal can't bow out soon enough, film producers and airport officials alike say the Smith is a moviemaker's dream.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/BIZ/809090382

Thursday, September 4, 2008

“The Steam Experiment” setting up at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

By Aaron Lafferty | WOOD TV8 | September 4, 2008

In a release from PR for the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, the Hotel “will be the headquarter hotel for the production team of “The Steam Experiment”.”

The Press Release also says that the Production Company, based in Florida “Cinepro Pictures Studios” will be filming in various locations that include the Amway Grand Plaza itself.

The release says.. “The crew is currently constructing sets inside the hotel and will feature a ballroom, lobby and the Pantlind’s majestic exterior. According to the script, the property has been dubbed “The Grand Hotel” in recognition of our site.”

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2008/09/04/whoa-trying-to-confirm-the-biggest-movie-yet/

Film industry buzz gives Michigan top billing; State featured in Variety magazine

By Carol Azizian | The Flint Journal | September 04, 2008

The Great Lakes State, or Hollywood East?

Last week, our fair state made it into Variety, the film industry trade magazine (www.variety.com).

"The land of 'The Evil Dead,' 'Blue Collar' and other last-generation films looks to become the next-generation state of choice when Hollywood goes on location," the magazine wrote.

http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/entertainment/index.ssf/2008/09/film_industry_buzz_gives_michi.html

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Doors of Opportunity

Kate Carolan Reed

Back in the 1950s, Detroit was a top city in the world for shooting pictures.

Commercials, automobile promotions, you name it – the Motor City had more film on tape than any other place in the country.

So it’s no stretch to say that Michigan is going back to its roots, in a sense. State lawmakers this year, stung from a shell-shocked economy and partisan wrangling, agreed on measures that make Michigan’s film industry the most competitive in the nation. The legislation that became law in April offers movie producers almost half their money back if they shoot their projects here. The bills give filmmakers a 40 percent rebate and another two percent if they shoot in core cities.

http://www.lansingbusinessmonthly.com/article_read.asp?articleID=4713

Local Sound Studio Makes Some Noise

By Christine Caswell

Three clocks in the entryway show the time in Los Angeles, Lansing and Paris.

“It started out as a joke, but now we do so much work all over the place that we actually use the clocks as a reference point,” explained Steve Curran, co-owner of Harvest Music + Sound Design.

“We’ve been in business now for 26 years,” said Curran. “We started out working in music production. We still focus on a lot of original music and sound design for television, film, radio and new media, but we have evolved into a ‘creative boutique.’”

http://www.lansingbusinessmonthly.com/article_read.asp?articleID=4714

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Movie to be filmed at The Press' downtown office

By John Serba | The Grand Rapids Press | September 02, 2008

GRAND RAPIDS -- The downtown office of The Grand Rapids Press may be featured in a Hollywood film.

The film "The Steam Experiment," set to film in Grand Rapids, is scheduled to use the site as one of its many local locations.

"It's exciting for the paper and the community," Press Editor-in-Chief Mike Lloyd said. "Everybody's interested in having the movie business come here, and so are we. It brings jobs, and it's kind of a kick."

http://www.mlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2008/09/movie_to_be_filmed_at_the_pres.html

Big Week for Big Screen Entertainment Group

HOLLYWOOD, Sep 02, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Big Screen Entertainment Group is pleased to announce it will post the company's financials and other pertinent corporate data on the web service OTC Pink Market.com on the premium service OTCIQ on Friday, September 5....

Following the festival, Mr. Manasseri will be heading to Michigan to set up BSEG's Michigan production office and begin prepping the family film franchise of four films, "Code Ninja." Manasseri is spearheading the company's plans to open a permanent production branch in Michigan taking advantage of the state's newly passed film incentive program offering up to 40% back on film investments made within the state.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/big-week-big-screen-entertainment/story.aspx?guid=%7BAFCDECB8-C24D-482F-8A0B-6395A6EA6649%7D&dist=hppr

Monday, September 1, 2008

Movie exec talks more about possible local soundstage

By Roger LeLievre | The Ann Arbor News |September 01, 2008

Ann Arbor may soon take another step toward becoming Hollywood East.

David O'Malley, a Michigan native whose California-based company, V-One Entertainment, plans to build three movie soundstages in the state, including one in the Ann Arbor area, said development locally could begin next summer.

"We have been looking at properties in Ann Arbor - we were there about three weeks ago," he said Thursday. "I can tell you we've been looking to the south, in the Saline area. On our next trip we hope to look beyond that. At the moment we've only explored south of Ann Arbor - that just happened to be where many of the properties were located that were recommended by local Realtors."

http://blog.mlive.com/encorea2/2008/09/movie_exec_talks_more_about_po.html