Michigan’s film incentives, one of the five top movie-making states, boosted film revenues from $125 million in 2008 to an estimated $223.6 million in 2009, according to the just-released 2009 Michigan Film Office report.
The industry has created more than 4,000 Michigan crew jobs, averaging $30 or more an hour, and another 4,000 jobs for Michigan actors and extras.
The biggest movie to film in the state was “Red Dawn,” based on the 1984 film of the same name, with a $40 million budget. Directed by Dan Bradley and starring Chris Hemsworth and Josh Peck, it was shot in Detroit in 2009 and will be released in November, 2010.
“The industry has injected a huge morale and emotional element of positivity that just wasn’t here very long ago,” commented Ken Droz of the Michigan Film Office.
Janet Lockwood has headed the Michigan Film Office for 18 years, longer than any other state’s film commissioner.
In just two years, Michigan has risen from obscurity as a film location to one of the top five movie-making states, alongside California, New York, Louisiana and New Mexico.
In 2009, 126 companies applied for the refundable 42% tax credit. Of those, 62 were approved and 46 of those companies completed their work in 2009.
The Michigan Film Office program provides incentives for film, television and other digital media production, as well as infrastructure development and work force training.
Specifically, the laws provide a refundable tax credit of up to 42% percent for production work in Michigan; a 25% tax credit for infrastructure investment specifically designed for this industry; and a tax credit for worker on-the-job training.
“Michigan’s aggressive film incentives are bringing new investment to the state,” according to the report.
“They are also laying the foundation for an industry that will support long-term growth with the new 10 West Studio in Manistee, Michigan, Hangar 42 in Walker, Michigan, and several other studio projects in the metropolitan Detroit area continuing to move forward.”
