WXYZ looks at last night’s rally to support the Michigan Film Incentives at the Crofoot in downtown Pontiac.

CNN’s reports on Michigan’s efforts to lure the entertainment industry.

The Second Annual Detroit Windsor International Film Festival is calling all entries for this year’s event.

DWIFF is a four-day celebration of the art of cinema, happens June 25-28, 2009 in both neighboring cities.  The festival will exhibit short and feature length films in narrative, documentary and animated forms. It is open to all  filmmakers and is not limited to only recent productions.

Learn more here.

State film officials say they are on the verge of sealing an $80 million development deal that would create three film and television production studios in southeast Michigan, boosting one of the state’s few fast-growing industries.

With a substantial number of films anticipated coming into Michigan in 2009, Fletcher Camera - Detroit and the International Cinematographer Guild, Local 600, will be putting on a Film Loader Workshop on Dec. 30th and Jan. 7th. This workshop will help prepare new assistants for potential job opportunities in the rapidly emerging Michigan Film industry. (learn more)

New PBS TV show to be shot at the Detroit Science Center

Variety examines Michigan’s new found film Industry

HBO’s new show Hung, the pilot was shot in Metro Detroit

Will the remake of the Crow be shot in Detroit? (the comic book is set in Detroit and was written by Detroiter James O’Barr.

Though the Big 3 are having trouble, Michigan’s film industry is growing:

S3 Entertainment Group creates $10 million financing fund for film

Cast & Crew Payroll opens new office in Ferndale

Estimates of $6 million have been put he hands of local business owners around Howell, Michigan as the filming of the new Michael Chiklis and Adrien Brody movie High School has taken over the town. Several of the businesses include, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, hardware stores and local overtime for city police officers.

“Our guys have had a little bit of a windfall just in time for the Christmas season that otherwise wouldn’t have been expected” – Howell Police Chief George Basar

Here is a look at the independent movie Intent, which is currently filming in Livonia, Michigan. the production came to Michigan over Florida because of the attractive tax incentives the state recently passed.

The new tax incentives not only attract “big name” actors, directors and production but a plethora of smaller indy movies that use thousands of local employees and services. Here is just a sampling of the many independent movies being made in Michigan in the current or near future.

Blood Siblings (Detroit)

The Rain Chronicles

Approaching Midnight (Detroit)

Born of Earth (Detroit) staring Daniel Baldwin

Buddy BeBop Vs The Living Dead (Kalamazoo)

Cadene (Detroit)

Art House (Ann Arbor)

Wild Michigan (Lansing)

InZer0: Fragile Wings (Detroit)

Deadheads (Royal Oak)

The Disappearing Act

Cherry (Kalamazoo)

Diary of a Champion (Detroit)

Holly, Jingles and Clyde

Horse Crazy 2: The Legend of Grizzly Mountain (Howell)

Dog (Jackson)

Fraternity House (Grand Rapids)

Illuminarium (Grand Rapids)

Inbetween (Flint)

Be Funny

Illinois recently passed a new film incentive tax that directly competes with Michigan’s. Illinois’ new measure does not expire, leaving the door open for TV series to schedule long productions in their state (such as Prison Break). This is something that Michigan has yet to address and could add more long term consistent employers to Michigan’s struggling economy.

Michigan’s Film incentives could lure video game designers and development to the state which will held create long-term jobs.

Also, the film incentives help stop a layoff at Troy’s Somerset Inn.