Robert De Niro recently finished shooting his latest movie Stone in Dexter.
Comedian Lewis Black will be filming his latest comedy special at the Filmore Detroit this coming Sunday.
Micheal Moore is a key man behind the Traverse City Film Festival and recently moved his film office form New York to Michigan.
Actor Ray Stevenson discusses his character Danny Greene in upcoming Detroit made movie The Irishman.
Though we have heard for months now about the lonely Republican detractors and naysayers that want to end the Michigan Film Tax incentives, we now have a really threat to this burgeoning industry as the State tries to find ways to off set their current tax losses this fall. Several media outlets in State have done some reporting on this issue this week and here is what we have found thus far.
Monday, ABC-12 in Flint did a piece on this issue.
Tuesday Channel 9&10 in Cadillac Michigan talk about the benefits of the incentives.
Tuesday, Channel 29&8 in Traverse City look at the Film Festival and Incentives positive impacts.
Tuesday, WZZM-13 in Grand Rapids take a close look at local businesses that are benefiting form the film industry coming to our state. [video below]
** If you live in State Rep. Pete Lund (R) 36th District of Shelby Township please contact him here and tell him to give the tax incentives more time to work.
The remake of the 1980′s classic Cold War movie Red Dawn may be taking a change in setting from it’s predecessor. Movie website Blast is reporting that actress Adrianne Palicki told them at this past week’s Comic-Con that Red Dawn will be shooting for three and half months in the urban setting of Detroit.
Red Dawn, which is set to star Chris Hemsworth and Kurt Russell, has the potential to be the biggest production ever filmed in Michigan with hundreds of payed local extras and crew needed. There are already legitimate calls for extras for Red Dawn here online.
Yesterday, I called my local State Senator Nancy Cassis and asked her to not cap the Michigan Film Incentives (she has been one of the biggest proponents toward implementing the cap.). Now, if you care about this growing part of Michigan’s economy (“that grew from $2 million to around $125 million last year, in the worst economy since the Depression” **) then contact your local Michigan Senator here and tell them to leave the incentives alone!
** Source The Detroit Free Press
ABC 12 in Flint aired a nice piece tonight on the resent wave of Republican push back on the Michigan Film Tax Credits. There’s also a in depth web article that accommodates the video segment which you can read here.
According to longtime Lansing reporter Tim Skubick, the state Republicans are currently “strong arming ” the governor an effort to repeal the Michigan Film Tax Credits that past just 16 months.
A local production must read Michigan Movie Magazinei has posted some key photos and part of their article on the final weeks of shooting of the upcoming Edward Norton, Robert DeNiro flick Stone. Stone has been shooting all over Michigan the last few months including Jackson and Dexter.
Also on the cover of this month’s issue is a first look at the Detroit made movie The Irishman (staring Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer and Ray Stevenson) so you should start thinking about subscribing today.
Saginaw made, independent mob flick Street Boss takes top honors at this years Detroit-Windsor International Film Festival, while horror film The Rain (featuring one of actor David Carradine’s last on screen performances) won Best Michigan Made Feature.
Scenic Design Studios created larger then life props for the upcoming ABC super game show Crash Course. Crash Course rapped up filming on Detroit’s Belle Isle last week and is set to air on the network in August.
Can Michigan become the film headquarters of the Midwest? Jim Burnstein, University of Michigan professor and Hollywood screenwriter, thinks attracting episodic television to the state is the key to steady job growth in movie making.
Also, DetNews takes a look at Michigan based companies product placement in films.
finally, the chance are very high that the Michigan Film Tax incentives will stay put, it’s clear that right now no one has any real plans to cut them back.
Long time producer Frank DeMartini (Mad Money, Mozart and the Whale) recently posted an op-ed opinion piece on Big Hollywood which gives a very disturbing look at the union film politics in Michigan. His fear is that the new Union “Maryland Rates” that go into effect on August 1st, 2009 will wipe out any gain that productions may get form the new Michigan Tax Credits.
In the latest deal struck with the AMPTP, the IATSE has changed Michigan’s ten most production friendly counties into the Maryland Rates. The change effects Ann Arbor and Detroit’s scenic and wealthier suburbs.
You may ask, how is this killing production and the economy in Michigan? Well, prior to this union agreement which takes effect on August 1, 2009, most of Michigan, except for Detroit’s Wayne County, came within the Area Standards rates which cover most of the country, including South Carolina and Louisiana. According to a production executive at my company, the additional cost of the Maryland Rates will be almost $500,000 over the course of an average production. Hence the benefits of the 40% in tax credits is gone. [read more]
Being that it’s offically Harry Potter mania this week with the release of the new movie, MotorCityFlicks is randomly giving away four copies of the official Wii game for Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince. Just email us here with your name and address for your chance to win!
In the game, players will return to Hogwarts™ to help Harry survive a fraught sixth year. They will also have a chance to engage in exciting wizard duels, mix and brew magical ingredients in Potions class and take to the air to lead the Gryffindor™ Quidditch™ team to victory. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron’s romantic entanglements as they journey towards a dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince.
FEATURES:
• Relive the action of the movie….from the Hogwarts™ Express to the dramatic revelation of the Half-Blood Prince.
• Feel the thrill of Quidditch™: The Wii Remote™ and Nunchuck become your broomstick as you speed through the stadium.
• Defeat the Dark Forces: Use the Wii Remote™ as your wand as you duel your way through the story of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™.
• Perfect your potion-mixing skills: Use the Wii™ Remote to stir, shake and pour potions from the Half-Blood Prince’s recipes.
• Explore Hogwarts™ at night: Take on night-time missions while the castle sleeps.
• Stuck? Call on Nearly Headless Nick™ for clues and tips to help you complete your challenges.
• See more of the wizarding world: Explore new magical places like The Burrow, and the Horcrux cave.
• Uncover the truth: Travel with Dumbledore to piece together Voldermort’s past, and sneak around Hogwarts™ to discover Malfoy’s secrets.
