Lights, camera, Michigan
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With the development of movie studios in Michigan, students who have always wanted to participate in the movie industry are now given the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.
In 2008, a production company tax incentive was created for qualified film or digital media pre-production, production and post-production costs spent in Michigan.
This refund equals 40 percent of qualified production expenditures and is not a credit against taxes owed.
There is also an additional two percent credit in Michigan’s core communities. Because of this incentive, production companies have begun to increase rapidly all over Michigan.
“It’s definitely benefitting the economy at a time it needs it,” Kerro Knox III, associate professor of theater, lighting design and theater director, said. “Not only students, but faculty members are able to get work as well. It’s nice because so many theaters are closing these days. There are part time instructors that live in Michigan and several of them have gotten nice roles in films.”
Michigan is home to various production companies that are located all across the state.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for the local talent and the state of Michigan because the incentives aren’t just a handout,” Karen Sheridan, professor of theater, acting, directing, dialects, movement and acting program coordinator said.
The most notable ones are the Detroit Center Studios, Parliament Studios, Sovereign Creative and RFG Productions, Inc., and these companies are bringing in a lot of aspiring actors from all over the country.
“They bring a lot of people here that would not normally be here. They’re filming the fourth installment of the Scream series right now, and people are going to Northville to see their favorite people from the movies,” Sheridan said.
Michigan actors, filmmakers and producers that have grown up in Michigan and became famous include Michael Moore, Jerry Bruckheimer, Francis Ford Coppola, Jeff Daniels, Tim Allen, Taylor Lautner, Selma Blair, David Spade, Verne Troyer and Robin Williams.
“If you’re training to be an actor, there’s no way to create a medium,” Knox said. “If students can get the experience while they’re young and involved in the film industry, it’s going to be easier to make a living.”
There have also been quite a few movies filmed in Michigan, including Youth in Revolt, starring Michael Cera, Gran Torino, starring Clint Eastwood, parts of the movie Jumper, starring Hayden Christensen, Transformers, starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, and 8 Mile, starring rapper Eminem and the late Brittany Murphy.
“I had the opportunity to star in the upcoming movie Red Dawn, which is scheduled to release this September,” senior Danielle Dewulf said. “I was a cheerleader and friend of the main character (Isabel Lucas). I also worked on a television show called The Wannabes. Red Dawn was a really awesome experience.”
She is scheduled to be an extra in “Real Steel” as well.
For the third consecutive summer since the tax incentive, Hollywood is invading the Metro Detroit area as we speak.
Currently in production are several multi-million dollar pictures that are boosting economic growth for local areas. Films that have been seen shooting in Detroit have been “Harold and Kumar 3″ and “Real Steel,” while Ann Arbor is the spot for the fourth installment of the “Scream” movies.
“Real Steel,” a Dreamworks production starring Hugh Jackman, was spotted filming a scene at the Detroit Fire Department’s headquarters – inside the apparatus bay.
The fire house, which is in downtown Detroit, is on the corner of Larned and Washington, directly across from Cobo Center.
The street was blocked off during filming, sparking a crowd to gather around the fire house, renamed “Tallet’s Gym,” for the duration of the shoot. In the movie, Jackman is a boxing promoter who gets involved with a new fad, robot boxing.
Sara Lowther, who was an extra in the movie, made mention of the active nature of the filming locations and being among Hollywood’s elite.
“It’s the first movie I can say I’ve been in, and I’m so excited,” she said. “Plus, getting to see Hugh Jackman is a perk.”
Students of any major, race, ethnicity and gender are capable of applying for an open casting call, and those selected work for free or a small check.
“Certainly one of the appeals of coming to Michigan is the fact that the state has the opportunity to serve all different kinds of movies and backgrounds,” Sheridan said. “It offers a lot of different areas to shoot in for more of a variety. You don’t have to drive far in Michigan to see the woods.”
Less than a mile and a half from “Real Steel’s” boxing gym, another production was underway. Film crews from “Harold and Kumar 3″ set up location at the historic Trinity Lutheran Church on Gratiot and Fisher Freeway for a “Midnight Mass” scene.
It was supposed to be Christmas Eve in New York and the entire block was decorated in Christmas lights. Cabs marked “NYC TAXI” cruised by in front of the 160-year-old church. Extras were seen wearing winter fur coats while temperatures boasted nearly 90 degrees as they had to pretend to be cold.
Elyse Foster, a vocal music education major, was able to obtain an extra and a stand-in spot for the Christmas scene.
“I was involved in a scene outside of the church, walking as a pedestrian on the streets,” Foster said. “I was also in a scene inside the church, as a church attendee.”
She was also chosen to be a stand-in for a minor character because she was similar in build to the actress. Her job was to mimic the character so that certain scenes could be set correctly.
Foster, who applied to be an extra on last year’s big budget film, “Red Dawn,” has said the experience thus far has been amazing, despite getting paid only $103 for a 12-hour day.
“It’s exciting to work on a film, but a position as an extra lets the students know about the unglamorous parts of being in a movie,” Sheridan said. “Film work is more about technical things, and most of the time spent is reshooting shots, not because something was not good enough, but because of other technical things.”
Two other big budget films are setting to come to the Motor City area beginning in late summer. “Transformers 3,” starring Shia LaBeouf and Josh Duhamel, is set to begin in Michigan in the fall when they finish their current shoot in Chicago. And later this summer, “LOL: Laughing Out Loud,” starring Demi Moore and Miley Cyrus will be filming at the University of Detroit Mercy.
”It’s so cool that all of this is happening so close to me. I have wanted to do movies all of my life,” said Lowther. “I feel like if it weren’t so close to home, my dreams would have never become a reality.”
All of the movies are scheduled to be released in 2011.
Students interested in auditioning should refer to the Michigan Film Office, Michigan Acting, or the Michigan Film Production websites.
— Editor-in-Chief Kay Nguyen, Copy Editor Katie Jacob and Scene Editor Chris Hagan contributed to this report.
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