Being a film guy, I was really happy to hear that Michigan is finally going to be giving some incentives for films to be shot here. Films can bring a lot of money to a state through sales taxes and jobs. Big cities have a whole film office, Michigan has one person for the entire state.
Michigan has been all over the place with trying to get filmmakers to come here. A few years back I had a friend that worked for the Michigan film commissioner. Their job was to supposed to be to attract films to shoot in Michigan, but most of their job ended up being sending Michigan license plates to films set in Michigan but shot elsewhere. For a very brief time Michigan had a film council to help the film commissioner but that didn't last very long ( I only remember hearing of a few meetings). A few years ago Michigan was battling with Chicago for the title of 3rd coast, but neither followed through with the title.
The sad thing is, at one point Michigan had the 3rd largest film industry in the country since most of the auto companies would shoot their commercials, running footage, and b-roll packages here. More feet of film was shot in Michigan than in New York and LA combined. There are still some of that kinda of stuff shot here, but most of the crews that do it now are from Chicago.
Michigan has been all over the place with trying to get filmmakers to come here. A few years back I had a friend that worked for the Michigan film commissioner. Their job was to supposed to be to attract films to shoot in Michigan, but most of their job ended up being sending Michigan license plates to films set in Michigan but shot elsewhere. For a very brief time Michigan had a film council to help the film commissioner but that didn't last very long ( I only remember hearing of a few meetings). A few years ago Michigan was battling with Chicago for the title of 3rd coast, but neither followed through with the title.
The sad thing is, at one point Michigan had the 3rd largest film industry in the country since most of the auto companies would shoot their commercials, running footage, and b-roll packages here. More feet of film was shot in Michigan than in New York and LA combined. There are still some of that kinda of stuff shot here, but most of the crews that do it now are from Chicago.
I really would like to see at least the films that are supposed to be set in Michigan shot here. Locations are much cheaper to get here than in LA and NYC and most places you don't need a permit to shoot; if you do they are much cheaper.
I have worked on three independent feature films shot here in Michigan, so it does happen. You just don't see many big films come here, the kind that bring a lot of money. The last big film that shot in Michigan that I know of is The Island. It shot for two weeks in Detroit.
I have worked on three independent feature films shot here in Michigan, so it does happen. You just don't see many big films come here, the kind that bring a lot of money. The last big film that shot in Michigan that I know of is The Island. It shot for two weeks in Detroit.
1 comment:
Let us know when you do another film!
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