Janet Lockwood, Michigan’s feisty film office director ? who has the distinction of being the longest serving film office director of any state ? dismissed the report that she brought 97 scripts back from Location Expo in L.A. last month.
“We already had 60 or 70 scripts in the office before I left,” she states, “and we’ve constantly added to the pile since mid-February.”
Weeks before Michigan’s ground-breaking 40% tax rebate was enacted into law, Lockwood’s then-tiny office ? herself and one paid intern ? was being deluged with scripts and application requests.
Since then, Lockwood’s office in Lansing has administered 13 approved projects for more than $100 million.
Of these 13, three independent features are currently shooting; budget represents “Michigan spend,” i.e., what the productions are budgeted to spend within the state:
*In Grand Rapids, “The Fifth Mafia,” stars Joe Mantegna and Armand Assante; under $10 million.
* In Detroit, “The Job,” with Ron Perlman, Taryn Manning and Joe Pantoliano; over $1.5 million.
*In Saginaw, “Street Boss,” with Jessica Borden and Robert Gallo, under $1 million.
In Detroit, The Weinstein Company is one of three major production companies that have settled into production office to prep for upcoming projects.
Lockwood says she can’t go into detail, but does admit that one of those Detroit projects is an ABC television series, the most coveted of all film projects because of its steady employment for a set period of time.
