Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Michigan provides $48 million in film incentives

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Film Office says filmmakers qualified for $48 million in payments from the state during the first 10 months of an incentive program enacted last year.

The report obtained by the Detroit Free Press says about $125 million was spent on the projects, although an economic analysis commissioned by the film office and submitted to the Legislature this week said project spending totaled only $65.4 million.

The report says the 35 projects, including 22 feature films, provided jobs for about 2,800 people.

The report doesn't mention how the film incentives are affecting the state budget. State economists have cautioned that new economic activity generated by the incentives likely won't offset the high cost of the program.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090303/News01/903030099/-1/XML

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