An "Ode" to an earlier endeavor.......Gone but not forgotten

Lights, camera, action ... Michigan

In our Opinion / Editorial

Detroit Free Press

January 22, 2008

Having recently enjoyed dinner together, perhaps Gov. Jennifer Granholm, state House Speaker Andy Dillon and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop could next take in a movie.

And take in the possibility, too, of rolling out a deep red carpet to bring more of the movie industry to Michigan. If Lansing's leadership is looking for an issue to wrap themselves bipartisanly around in the early going of this year, a hefty tax break to lure filmmakers could be it.

While it's not the kind of heavy industry that made Michigan so prosperous and proud in the past, the film/video business is a growing field that uses cutting-edge technology and appeals to the bright, young "creative class" folks who are leaving Michigan for lack of opportunities. Beyond writers, performers and directors, moviemaking also employs technicians, builders, logistics and numbers people, and food service and hospitality providers.

It's a $60-billion-a-year business in the United States that is expanding with the number of outlets to show movies -- cable stations are hungry for original programming -- and the new means of delivering video information. It's not just about commercial feature films anymore, either, but also advertising, music videos, games, instructional DVDs and television shows. That DVD that came with the elliptical trainer you got for Christmas had to be made somewhere.

Michigan will never displace sunny southern California as the heart of the movie industry, but recent trends show that moviemakers will work anywhere if there's a tax payoff. That's why a number of recent movies set in Detroit ("Four Brothers," "Assault on Precinct 13," for example) were largely shot in Ontario.

Canada has enjoyed great success with a tax-break strategy; provinces are now competing with each other to offer the best deals. States have begun queuing up with tax plans and proposals, too. Put another way, Michigan is already late to this game.

However, language is being drafted for legislation that could set the tax rebate for filmmakers as high as 35%-40%, the best deal in the country. A state Senate committee is scheduled to consider the possibilities at a hearing this afternoon in Lansing, although a bill is not yet ready.

This seems like the proverbial no-brainer.

It brings new business and jobs into Michigan, even if only for as long as the filmmaking lasts, so whatever revenue the state gets is new money; 60% of something is better than 100% of nothing. There's no double-standard against other employers, since Michigan has a long history of offering tax breaks to coveted businesses or using tax incentives for the expansion of existing companies.

Successful commercial movies put a place on the map. Couples who see "Somewhere in Time" are still drawn to romantic weekends on Mackinac Island, where the movie was made in 1979. Michigan offers just about every kind of location, four seasons and, unfortunately, has a huge inventory of big, empty buildings that could be converted to sound stages. Not much happening inside the Wixom plant these days.

Movie companies can now get a 12%-20% state tax write-off on their costs in Michigan. Janet Lockwood, director of the Michigan Film Office, said "Michigan has to go big" in whatever tax plan is offered to compete with other states, such as New Mexico and Connecticut, which are aggressively grabbing larger shares of the movie business.

With bipartisan interest, the state House had a hearing on the tax-break idea last fall. and Lansing's Gongwer News Service reported Monday that Gov. Jennifer Granholm might have something to say about it in her State of the State speech next week.

Seems like the stage is set. Action!

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:33 am Post subject: Lights Camera, Action!
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Could be a "Detroit Ticket" to ride. Creative Class and Content "Catalyst!" Sign-on for more at http://www.dwiff.blogspot.com

Best,

Jim Ross
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Jim Ross
21st Century Digital Learning Environments
41810 Huntington Ct.
Clinton Township, MI 48038
586-228-0608