Michigan Film Industry Association In The News

Filmmakers remain diligent in their push for a Michigan film incentive

MiFIA Team — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:39:47 GMT

A crew with the Detroit-based Woodward Original production company shoot at the Spot Lite record store in Detroit. Photo courtesy of MiFIA

Macomb Daily reporter Gina Joseph shared an outstanding story about MiFIA's work to create a new multimedia incentive in Michigan. It begins:

NBC TV has a new hit series.

Audiences everywhere, and especially those living along Wayne County’s Lakeshore Drive, are clamoring for a second season of “Grosse Pointe Garden Society.” It’s a quirky dramedy about a garden club in a Detroit suburb, whose members are caught up in murder and mayhem, while struggling to make their conventional lives bloom.

Too bad it’s filmed in Georgia.

“It’s so annoying to us in the industry — to see films about Michigan — being made in another state,” said Peter Klein of Troy, a cinematographer and member of the Michigan Film Industry Association (MiFIA), which is gearing up for another push to get the Multimedia Jobs Act passed into law.

“This is not a handout to Hollywood. This is not a rebate. This is a very different bill,” Klein said, of legislation designed to promote Michigan-produced films, television shows, digital streaming productions, photography and commercials.

READ AT MACOMB DAILY

Michigan Film Industry Pushes to Bring Productions Back to State

MiFIA Team — Thu, 15 May 2025 14:55:44 GMT

WXYZ filed this story after the MiFIA Live Comedy + Multimedia Industry Networking Event at Cadieux Stage in Detroit on May 14, 2025.

Michael Patrick Shiels Interviews MiFIA Board Chair David Haddad on the Multimedia Jobs Act and Michigan's Industry Progress

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:38:34 GMT

Michael Patrick Shiels interviews MiFIA Board Chair David Haddad, diving into the industry and progress on passing the Multimedia Jobs Act in Michigan.

Listen to the interview from Michigan's Big Show featuring MiFIA Chairman, David Haddad.

Michigan Film Industry Leaders visit Grand Rapids to Encourage Incentives Program

MiFIA Team — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 18:00:00 GMT

Photo: Dee Morrison

With Grand Valley State University’s Future ED Lab as the backdrop, film industry professionals met with lawmakers, educators and students to discuss the Multimedia Jobs Act awaiting action in the state house after summer break.

“We have a crisis in this state with brain drain and are leaving to go to other states.”

Geoff George is a cinematographer and a member of the Michigan Film Industry Association. He says Michigan is losing out to the 41 states and cities who do have film and multimedia incentives. Unlike Michigan’s previous program which ended in 2015, the new plan is not an incentive or rebate but a transferable tax credit, so the money stays in the state and includes not just film but broader multimedia industries like commercial photography and industrial production.

“What this bill does is encourage multimedia jobs to be created in this state through a tax voucher system that doesn’t come out of a line item in the budget. It won’t be on the backs of the taxpayers.”

Julie Goldstein, an associate professor in the Visual and Media Arts Department at Grand Valley State University, led the tour of the Future ED Lab where students use cutting edge CGI, XR and AI techniques to learn the foundational skills needed for today’s careers in a collaborative environment.

Read the rest of the story at WGVU Public Media.

Bills set to revitalize Michigan film industry pass Michigan House Economic Development committee

MiFIA Team — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 22:44:35 GMT

The Multimedia Jobs Act is a bipartisan legislative initiative to revive the Michigan film industry after incentives dissolved in 2015.

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Multimedia Jobs Act passed out of Michigan's economic development and small business house committee with 10 votes in favor and 2 passes.

This marks an important move forward for filmmaking in the state.

The vote comes after a February hearing where college students, industry professionals, and lawmakers testified to the importance of reviving a new and beneficial film incentive program to the state.

Read the rest of the story at WZZM13.

Committee votes to send Multimedia Jobs Act to full House

MiFIA Team — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:47:45 GMT

Legislation supports talent retention, economic growth

LANSING, MI – In a significant bipartisan move, the Michigan House Committee on Economic Development and Small Business today approved the Michigan Multimedia Jobs Act.

The legislation (House Bills 4907-4908) aims to invigorate the state’s economy, foster job growth, and retain local talent. Bill sponsors are Reps. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield) and John Roth (R-Interlochen - pictured, center).

“These pro-job bills are designed to diversify our state economy by investing in our workforce and help us compete with states that already provide incentives, leading to a stronger Michigan.” - Alexander Page, Legislative Director, MiFIA“

The Michigan Multimedia Jobs Act introduces a transferable tax credit designed to promote Michigan-produced films, television shows, digital streaming productions, photography and commercials. By encouraging investment in the state’s creative sector, this legislation seeks to position Michigan as a competitive hub for multimedia production. The Act is expected to produce approximately $6 billion to $8 billion in direct spend during the Act’s first 10 years

“These pro-job bills are designed to diversify our state economy by investing in our workforce and help us compete with states that already provide incentives, leading to a stronger Michigan,” said Alexander Page of the Michigan Film Industry Association, a strong advocate for the bills.

Over 40 states and cities as well as 100-plus global programs have multimedia programs in place. The Act’s key provisions include:

Tax Credit for Michigan-Produced Content: Film and television production companies hiring Michigan residents will receive a 30% tax credit. The Act sets a $50,000 minimum qualified spend for commercials, commercial photography, and short films, and a $300,000 minimum spend for feature films and TV shows.
Building a Marketplace for Michigan-Based Projects: Rather than a rebate, the program offers a credit against unrealized state tax revenue. This approach ensures that the cash remains within Michigan, benefiting local businesses and communities.

“We are looking for films that are $10 million to $40 million, where they are hiring local businesses,” said David Haddad, MiFIA chair. “This is an infrastructure bill in addition to jobs, jobs, jobs, and did I mention jobs?"

MiFIA and the legislation’s proponents believe the Act will create a thriving ecosystem for filmmakers, boost local economies and keep Michigan talent within the state. They have been actively engaging with lawmakers to ensure bipartisan support for this critical legislation.

For more information, visit www.mifia.org.

Tax Incentives Back on the Table for Michigan Film Industry

MiFIA Team — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:56:32 GMT

Michigan lawmakers are discussing a new set of tax incentives for film, TV, and commercial production to help bring jobs to our state. David Haddad, Chair of the Michigan Film Industry Association, joins WJR's Guy, Lloyd, and Jamie to talk about why these tax credits are necessary.

Listen to this story from WJR Radio featuring MiFIA Chairman, David Haddad.

Michigan lawmakers weigh new version of tax credits for film, TV and commercial production

MiFIA Team — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 15:51:10 GMT

A new story by CBS News Detroit explains that It could be lights, camera, action once again in Michigan as lawmakers consider bringing new tax credits for television shows and films produced in the state.

"In the first year, we expect to have $3 to $500 million injected into the economy," said David Haddad, chairman of the Michigan Film Industry Association.

Haddad says Michigan is a great location for film, TV and commercial production because of the state's diverse landscapes and metropolitan areas.

"Here we have a qualified crew base, qualified infrastructure in a global market we lose work," Haddad said. "So these these incentives are very important to make us competitive again."

The goal, he says, is to help Michigan compete with states that have similar incentives, like Georgia and Pennsylvania. According to the Michigan Film Industry Association, 40 states already have some kind of film tax incentive on the books.

Read the rest of the story and watch the TV news report at CBS News Detroit.

Michigan's Film Industry - Take Two?

MiFIA Team — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 15:56:47 GMT

WNMU-TV put the spotlight on efforts to revive Michigan's film industry. Some proposals working their way through state legislature, if approved, would bring back financial incentives for film, TV and media productions completed in Michigan. We learn more about it from Alexander Page of Michigan Film Industry Association, the lead organization pushing for passage of the Multimedia Jobs Act. View the Program at WNMU-TV.

Filmmakers remain hopeful Multimedia Jobs Act legislation will put Michigan back on the map in the industry

MiFIA Team — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:59:27 GMT

Read the entire story at Fox 17

By Jamie Sherrod, Fox 17 Grand Rapids

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Many students study filmmaking here in the state of Michigan, but they often go elsewhere for work. That’s because Michigan is one of a few states that doesn’t have a film incentive. New legislation introduced is hoping to change that.

Dave Benoit enjoys the freedom of creative directing. It’s a passion that almost took him to Atlanta.

“I had friends, I had video opportunities already lined up for me, I had sets that I was going to be on. I had so much going for me at that time. I had nothing here,” said Benoit.

“We're not on an even playing field and that means that any time that a production is looking for a location, they skip over Michigan as a potential place to film their project,” said Bill Latka.

He’s on the board of the Michigan Film Industry Association, and says more than 40 states and cities have incentive programs. Latka is hoping to bring them back to Michigan with the Multimedia Jobs Act legislation.

"Any spend that happens in a state, they can apply for a percentage of that to be returned to them as a refundable tax credit,” said Latka. “So, it's a way to really let producers know that Michigan is open for business in a new, exciting creative area.”

The Multimedia Jobs Act would provide a 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20% for nonresidents; a $50,000 minimum qualified spend for commercials, commercial photography, and short films; a $300,000 minimum spend for feature films and TV shows among other things.

Michigan film incentives: The Sequel! Lawmakers propose new tax credit

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 19:53:41 GMT

From Bridge Michigan
Lauren Gibbons
August 23, 2023

Clint Eastwood directed and starred in “Gran Torino,” a 2008 film shot in several metro Detroit locations. Michigan previously offered rebates for filmmakers who brought their productions to the state. In 2015, the program was shuttered over concerns that the return on investment was minimal. (Shutterstock photo by Stefano Chiacchiarini '74)

Pending legislation would offer filmmakers up to 30 percent tax credits for filming in Michigan, hiring Michigan workers
Backers say the revamped plan is based off successful programs in other states, would encourage new investment in Michigan
Critics say any economic benefit from more movies in the state won’t be worth the lost revenue

A group of Michigan lawmakers are hoping to roll out the red carpet for more film, television and commercial projects by once again offering incentives to producers who work in the state.

House and Senate legislation introduced this summer would create a transferable tax credit for Michigan-based multimedia projects, ranging from traditional film and television productions to other work, such as commercials, corporate media and music videos.

Eligible companies could get back 25 percent of total spending in tax credits for filming in Michigan and up to 30 percent if the project incorporates the Pure Michigan logo and other Michigan film industry affiliates, capped depending on the length and duration of the project.

A separate credit would offer 30 percent of total spending for hiring Michigan residents or 20 percent for hiring nonresidents.

If a company obtained credits but doesn’t have a Michigan tax liability, the legislation as proposed would allow those credits to be sold to a Michigan-based business.

It wouldn’t be the first time Michigan officials have attempted to lure film productions to the state with incentives. Michigan began offering incentives in 2008, and attracted large-scale projects such as “Transformers” and “Batman v. Superman” to in-state filming locations.

But the film incentive program offering rebates of up to 42 percent of filmmakers’ in-state production costs was shuttered in 2015 during the Rick Snyder administration amid criticism that the return on investment for Michigan taxpayers was minimal.

Supporters of the new plan argue that this version is a “complete 180” from incentives Michigan offered in the past, crafted after extensive research into other states’ programs with the intent of keeping the money in Michigan.

“There's no money drawn from a fund, there's no checks cut, there's no budget line items, we're not financing or bailing out movie studios,” said Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, the main sponsor of the Senate legislation. “The credit goes directly back into the Michigan economy.”

As of 2022, at least 35 states offered tax incentives for film production, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Many companies simply won’t work in states without an incentive option, said Alexander Page, legislative chair of the Michigan Film Industry Association.

“We're totally being left on the sidelines,” Page said.

Page and other industry advocates see the legislation as a job creation opportunity and a boon for a slew of local businesses working with production companies in filming locations, noting one film production on average involves about 60 local vendors.

To obtain the credit, companies would need to keep, among other things, records of the number of in-state workers hired for the project, any outside vendors involved and spending receipts, as well as spend at least $50,000 for shorter projects and at least $300,000 for feature film productions.

Under the legislation, the program would end 10 years after implementation unless lawmakers gave the go-ahead for it to continue.

Lawmakers haven’t yet held a hearing on the bills, but opposition is already emerging. Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, in a social media post, likened the legislation to a Hollywood handout.

James Hohman, director of fiscal policy for the free-market Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said he doesn’t see much of a difference from what Michigan incentives offered companies before — save for the ability to transfer credits, a development he had concerns with.

“We shouldn't be laundering film subsidies through other people's tax returns — this is kind of worse for both film producers and for taxpayer transparency,” he said.

Hohman said lawmakers should look to the past before considering film incentives again, arguing that paying filmmakers to make movies in Michigan didn’t provide lasting economic benefits. “We spent a half a billion dollars without getting a lasting or sustainable film industry,” he said.

Michigan screenwriter, author and former production executive Christopher Cosmos argued film incentives are a bipartisan issue, noting that states across the political spectrum have implemented similar programs.

“There are so many people and young people, especially, who don't want to leave this state, so many with ties who want to move back,” he said Wednesday. “If we don't pass anything, we risk falling even further behind our peers and bleeding and losing even more ridiculously talented people who would love to be living and working here."

Rep. John Roth, an Interlochen Republican and a lead sponsor on the House version of film incentive bills, said he understands the concern about reintroducing incentives.

But he sees a robust film program as a way to keep young creatives in Michigan — including his daughter, who is currently studying film production in Michigan and is planning to leave for work opportunities elsewhere when she finishes her degree at Grand Valley State University.

“I think it's kind of silly if we're teaching these courses in our universities that we don't have any jobs for them,” Roth said. “I think we could actually have an industry. But we have to incentivize to begin with to get people interested.”

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Do Film Incentives Have A New Future in Michigan?

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 18:42:05 GMT

Gongwer
8-21-23

Lights, camera – Michigan is hoping to be back in action in the film industry with a new bipartisan plan to create the Michigan Multimedia Jobs Act.

The legislation would create a tax credit to promote Michigan-produced films, television, digital streaming productions and commercials. The House bills, HB 4907 and HB 4908 , are sponsored by Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen) and Rep. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield), respectively. The corresponding bills in the Senate, SB 438 and SB 439 , are sponsored by Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia).

"This is a business, an industry, that was born in the United States. Dominates still in the United States, for 100 years," Polehanki said. "This is a very serious, lucrative industry, and we're not part of it in any meaningful way."

As introduced, the legislation would create a transferable tax credit for media projects filmed in Michigan. The credit would start at 25 percent of the total amount spent and rise to 30 percent based on the inclusion of "filmed in Michigan," "Pure Michigan," "Michigan Film and Digital Media Office," and "MIFIA" logos somewhere in the project.

The legislation also would create a tax credit worth 30 percent of spending for hiring Michigan residents and 20 percent for hiring nonresidents to work on a project.

The legislation is a "complete 180" from Michigan's previous incentive program, Polehanki said, which gave filmmakers rebate for up to 42 percent of production costs.

The state's previous incentive program existed between 2008-15, but it was gutted as ineffective. In 2008, the state issued about $38 million in incentives to filmmakers. The amount peaked in 2010 at $155 million, but a Senate Fiscal Agency paper published the same year found that the $100 million spent by the state on film incentives generated slightly less than $60 million in economic impact.

"This legislation is not a rebate," Polehanki said. "We're not financing or bailing out movie studios. It's a transferable credit. … It benefits them because it's transferable so you can sell that tax credit to any Michigan company that does own taxes. It could be an automaker, brewery, small business. The only way any Hollywood production is walking out of Michigan with money is to sell a tax credit to someone who needs it."

The program also is structured in such a way so that one company can't dominate the space, Polehanki said.

Roth said he was part of the previous film credit program, and the problem was that those incentives allowed too much money to leave the state during production.

"The problem with those credits was that yeah, they brought money into the state, but they also took money out of the state," he said. "What we're trying to do with these new credits is produce the films, the documentaries, the commercials, whatever it is, in Michigan. The problem with the old credits is that we just didn't get a foothold on the production side of it."

The new credits will aim to emphasize the production side of filmmaking.

"All the states around us and southern states, like Georgia, are really heavy into it, and Michigan has nothing. I think we've got to incentivize it a little to get it going," Roth said. "Once we get it going, maybe we can have a small industry here."

More than 40 states offer some sort of film credit program. Roth said the point isn't necessarily to draw in the existing industry, but to give Michigan students who are interested in the industry a place to start at home.

"Why are we teaching this at Grand Valley and Michigan State if we have no jobs to offer afterwards?" he said. "My youngest daughter will be a senior at Grand Valley this fall, and she's in film production. I know that she's already looking at what state she can go to, to have her career. … We're taking younger folks out of Michigan into other states when I think we could promote film production again."

Before, Michigan was promoting itself as a beautiful filming location. Although that remains true, it's not the emphasis of the new proposal, Roth said.

"Now, we have to actually produce jobs in the state with the film business," he said. "I'm not trying to bring Hollywood into Michigan. We're never going to get Hollywood into Michigan. We're going to produce our own stuff."

Roth said he wanted to see the Big Three automakers film more of their commercials within the state. Right now, he said Michigan wasn't competitive enough for that to happen.

"They go to other states to film their commercials," he said. "They've got the mountains in the background, the ocean, when we have some beautiful territory in Michigan where they could be filming these commercials around, so we need to start bringing some of that home."

Roth said Pure Michigan is the only entity that has promoted filming in Michigan, but the program is receiving less funding in the budget this year, and so he thought it would be a good idea to incentivize film production in Michigan in other ways.

He said there's already been some pushback about not wanting Hollywood in Michigan and the failure of the previous tax credits to attract the film industry.

"There's opposition already forming … saying we don't need film credits in Michigan, and we don't want Hollywood here. I guess I would agree somewhat with that. We want our own Michigan production," he said.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is opposing the bills, calling it a "race to the bottom," in an article published in Michigan Capitol Confidential, a news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

Roth said he had talked to them about the differences between this legislation and the previous Michigan film tax credits.

"They're still not necessarily onboard, but I think they're starting to get a little more perspective on what it is," he said. "We have to compete."

Economists are often skeptical of film industry incentives because the industry can be hit or miss.

"Economists never like (film incentives). They never do well in the economic impact studies," said Ellen Harpel, founder of Smart Incentives, last week during the National Conference of State Legislatures summit. "But boy, are they popular."

Roth agreed that the industry isn't necessarily an easy economic win.

"It is hit and miss, to some point, but filming our own commercials in the state, that shouldn't be hit or miss, that should be every year," he said. "I've heard them say that the jobs are often transient and short-term, well, that's because we have nothing to offer. … We've got to have opportunity."

The new film credits will aim to keep money in Michigan, Roth said.

"We need to promote the jobs that go into this and can stay in Michigan," Roth said. "Our young people are leaving our state. … We want our youth to stay at home. We've got to give them the opportunity."

The legislation isn't likely to come up when the Legislature returns in September, but Roth said he was hopeful it could come up before the end of the year or in early 2024.

"We've got a little bit of tweaking and work to do yet. I don't think we're there, but I think we're close," he said.

Polehanki said she was hopeful that the Senate would take the bills up in the fall.

"We're beautiful here, but a lot of places are beautiful," she said. "They're not going to come without an incentive. It's just not how it is. It's not how this business works. Unfortunately, they're going to make money and save money where they can."

– By Elena Durnbaugh

Lights, camera, action? Michigan's film incentive program could return with key changes

MiFIA Team — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 19:02:04 GMT

Author: Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press

Stakeholders and lawmakers backing bills to revive a state-backed incentives program to attract media projects say Michigan has been a virtual nonfactor in the film and commercial industry since the previous iteration of the program was gutted in 2015.

READ THE ENTIRE STORY at Freep.com

Furthermore, supporters of bills introduced in July to create an incentive program for film and video production in Michigan say bringing media projects back to Michigan can help spur job creation in the state. The proposal is not without critics, however, as some in Michigan view the plan as a poor use of the state’s potential tax revenue.

Lawmakers have dubbed the matching legislation in the state House and Senate to create a revamped film incentives program in Michigan the Multimedia Jobs Act. The word “Multimedia” is a key distinction, backers say, as the proposed incentive program would apply to such efforts as commercial filming and professional training videos, in addition to traditional film and television projects.

As introduced, the bills:

Create a transferable tax credit for media projects filmed in Michigan, starting at 25% of total spending and rising to 30% based on the inclusion of “filmed in Michigan,” “Pure Michigan,” “Michigan Film & Digital Media Office” and “MIFIA” logos somewhere in the project. As a transferable tax credit, a company who receives the credit could later sell the credit to another entity with a Michigan tax liability should the company who originally received the credit not have any tax liability of its own.
Create tax credits worth 30% of spending for hiring Michigan residents, and 20% for hiring nonresidents to work on a project.
Outline eligibility requirements for companies to receive the tax credit. To be eligible, companies would have to keep track of the individuals they hire from the state to work on the project, maintain receipts of what spending they do in Michigan and which vendors they work with, as well as other economic data.
Set minimum spending levels for projects — commercial and advertising projects, as well as films 20 minutes and shorter would have to spend at least $50,000 in Michigan to be eligible. Film projects longer than 20 minutes would have to spend at least $300,000.
Define which media projects wouldn’t be eligible: Projects with “obscene matter,” news and sports broadcasts, political advertisements, radio programs, weather programs, fundraisers, reality television and more wouldn’t be able to receive the credit.
Would establish a 10-year “sunset” for the incentives program, meaning the program would be shuttered 10 years after its implementation. Supporters say this sunset clause would allow lawmakers to fully gauge if the incentive program had an adequate economic impact.
Set caps on how much in tax credits the state could distribute under the program: For projects shorter than 20 minutes, a maximum of $25 million in credits could be approved in the first three years of the program; followed by a maximum of $50 million in credits in the next three years; and a maximum $75 million in credits for the final four years. For longer projects, the maximum credit allocations would be $100 million, $150 million and $200 million for the three time periods. Any money left over could be carried over to the next fiscal year.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY at Freep.com

The credits would be distributed based on the money spent by a company filming in Michigan rather than an all or nothing approach, said Alexander Page, legislative chair of the Michigan Film Industry Association (MIFIA). The group is a key backer of the legislation and had input on the crafting of the bills, Page added.

At least 35 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, currently have some form of incentives for the film industry, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. MIFIA places the figure even higher at 41 states. Both totals are down from a peak of 45 states in 2010, with the economic downturn around that period being cited as a reason for some states rolling programs back, per the NCSL.

When crafting the legislation, Page said, MIFIA looked at incentive programs around the country to discern what would work best if implemented in Michigan.

“We talked to other states to see what worked and what didn’t,” he said. “We worked with the Motion Picture Association, with (accountants) to see what worked and what didn’t. We also wanted to work with economists and the state to find out what was the best way of getting the return on investment to be more Michigan-centric, that’s the reason why it’s multimedia jobs.”

READ THE REST OF THE STORY at Freep.com

Michigan film Industry expects comeback with new Multimedia Jobs Act

MiFIA Team — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 20:42:07 GMT

It’s because of the Multi-Media Jobs Act, and its sponsors sit on both sides of the isle.

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - There’s an effort to lure the film industry back to Michigan. Newly introduced legislation at the state capitol would provide tax incentives, with similar goals to those offered in Michigan from 2008 to 2015.

Michigan’s old film incentives brought projects like Batman V Superman, Real Steel, Transformers, and a Miley Cyrus music video among many others. However, critics of the old tax cuts called them “Hollywood Hand-outs.”

Now, that old law has been re-worked and re-introduced, to specifically benefit Michiganders. In the past, film productions brought thousands of jobs to Michigan, and that could be coming back in the near future.

Supporters of the new bill say they’re feeling really good about getting the spotlight back on the Mitten. Their bill is called the MultiMedia Jobs Act, and its sponsors sit on both sides of the aisle.

While the old law drew criticism, a writer for the new bill says it’s nothing like what came before it.

“We have one of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire country. We have lakes and rivers, we have urban and we have rural, we have all four seasons. We have probably the best physical location you can shoot at,” said Alexander Page, who helped draft the MultiMedia Jobs Act through the Michigan Film Industry Association.

Hollywood and Michigan may seem worlds apart, but Michigan was one of the hottest destinations for filming blockbusters for a short period of time.

“You know you could go to the bakery in Ann Arbor, and Drew Barrymore would be there getting scones when she did her directorial debut here. The state of Michigan allowed Michael Bay to shut down sections of our highway, and do huge stunts,” said Curtis Hall, a Senior Producer with Ahptic Productions, “We did a music video with Miley Cyrus, and it was a very large production.”

Read the rest of the story and watch the video report at WILX.com.

Lawmakers Introduce Tax Incentives for Films, TV, and Commercials Made in Michigan

MiFIA Team — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 20:28:56 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Michigan's film industry could get a boost if bipartisan bills in the Michigan House and Senate are approved.

Lawmakers introduced the Michigan Multimedia Jobs Act this week which aims to incentivize TV shows, films and commercials made in Michigan.

"This new package of bills is really meant to produce jobs in the state of Michigan and keep them here," said State Rep. John Roth who sponsored one of the bills in the House.

Lawmakers tell CBS News Detroit that these bills are meant to improve upon the old film incentives.

"The problem with the old bills is that after they shot the movies, they left the state of Michigan and took money with them to produce them in other places," Roth said. "So long-term job production is what we're looking at. We want to make sure that that's very clear. We're looking at producing jobs, not promoting the state of Michigan in film. So that's going to change a little bit."

Read the rest of the story and view the video at CBS Detroit.

Film incentives are back on the table in Michigan. Here’s why this time could be different

MiFIA Team — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:18:17 GMT

State lawmakers have reintroduced a tax incentive program for the film and multimedia industry to help lure production back to Michigan, hoping to overcome opposition stemming from a previous program.

A film crew at Black Pigeon Studios in Walker outside of Grand Rapids. Credit: Tyler Darland

Introduced this week, the Multimedia Jobs Act would provide incentives for Michigan-produced multimedia projects such as film, television and streaming in hopes of retaining Michigan talent and stimulating economic activity.

The proposed incentives would operate as a transferable tax credit instead of a rebate, as was the case under film incentives enacted during former Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s administration. Tax credits would stay in Michigan and benefit Michigan companies, according to proponents of the bills.

“One of the things we wanted to do (with this new legislation) is prioritize Michigan,” said Alexander Page, chairperson of the Michigan Film Industry Association (MiFIA)’s Legislative Action Committee and member of its board of directors. “We don’t feel like the state should be in the business of issuing checks. We wanted to make sure that this was changed, and so this is structured as a tax credit.”

The new two-bill package was introduced in the House by Rep. John Roth, R-Interlochen, and Rep. Jason Hoskins, D-Southfield, as House Bills 4907-4908. Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, and Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, introduced identical bills in the Senate as Senate Bills 438-439.

The Multimedia Jobs Act would give preference to Michigan-based companies that hire Michigan residents, with a 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents. The legislation also specifies a base tax credit starting at 25% for in-state spending with an additional 5% awarded for the inclusion of “filmed in Michigan,” “Pure Michigan,” “Michigan Film & Digital Media Office,” and the MiFIA logo.

Read the rest of this story on Crain's Grand Rapids Business

Renewed Effort Looks to Bring Back Michigan's Multimedia Program

Bill Latka — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 21:55:37 GMT

David Haddad, chair of the Michigan Film Industry Association, joined CBS News Detroit Friday to discuss the proposed Multimedia Jobs Act that would bring film, television, commercials, and music work back to Michigan.

View the story at CBS News Detroit.

WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 - Spotlight on the News: Michigan's film making rebound?

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:05:32 GMT

Whitmer eyes more investment in jobs, families

MiFIA Team — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 21:13:58 GMT

Governor Whitmer Announces Support for Revival of Michigan's Film Industry

When Governor Gretchen Whitmer takes the oath of office for her second term in January, it will be the first time in 40 years Michigan will have a Democratic majority in the legislature and a Democratic governor.

“It’s very exciting,” said Whitmer. “The legislature is still the legislature, so things don’t always move quickly but I look forward to working with both Democrats and Republicans to solve problems.

“We will be able to make the kinds of investments and policies that will truly benefit Michiganders.”

IMAGE: Susan Smiley - The Macomb Daily

Whitmer would also like to see a revival of Michigan’s film industry. In 2008, then governor Jennifer Granholm adopted a filmmaker incentive program. That program, which was terminated by Gov. Rick Snyder in 2015, stimulated business in the state and generated more than $300 million of film production spending at its peak.

“I was always proud to support the incentives as a legislator,” said Whitmer. “Michigan is such a beautiful state and I think showcasing it is a way that we can tell the Pure Michigan story and show what we have to offer.”

Even businesses not directly connected to filmmaking such as restaurants, catering services, hotels, and transportation providers experienced an economic bump from film crews working in the state, according to Whitmer.

“People benefitted from having the film industry here who were not even on the film set,” she said.

Read the Rest of the Story in The Macomb Daily

Could Michigan Resurrect its Discontinued Film Incentive Program?

MiFIA Team — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 16:43:21 GMT

NOTE: This story appeared in Northern Express.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

By Craig Manning

What state is at the epicenter of American moviemaking?

If you answered “California,” you might be surprised. While California’s status as the home of Hollywood has made it the de facto filmmaking capital of the world for generations, the Golden State has been outpaced in recent years—or at least given a run for its money—by states like Georgia, New Mexico, and Louisiana. Those three states took the top three slots on a 2020 ranking of the “top locations for motion picture and TV production” from Business Facilities, a magazine that helps businesses with site selection. California and New York settled for fourth and fifth, respectively.

How, you might ask, did three seemingly random states leapfrog their way to the top of the film production food chain? Ask anyone in the entertainment industry and you’ll probably hear the same answer: robust film incentives.

Once upon a time, Michigan had a robust film incentive program of its own. Adopted by the administration of then-governor Jennifer Granholm as a means of helping the state recover from the late-2000s financial crisis, Michigan’s film incentive program took off in 2008 and, at its peak, generated nearly $300 million of film production spending in the state. In 2015, though, Granholm’s successor, Rick Snyder, signed a bill that killed the program, effectively crossing Michigan off Hollywood’s list of potential production destinations.

Now, legislators in the State Senate and House of Representatives are pushing to bring film incentives back to the Mitten State. Will their efforts put Michigan back in Hollywood’s good graces? Or will politics keep the state from getting its close-up?

Transformers, and Avengers, and George Clooney, Oh My! A Brief History of Michigan Film Incentives

According to the Detroit Free Press, just two major films were produced in Michigan in 2007, bringing approximately $2 million in film production spending to the state.

A year later, those figures shot off the charts.

In 2008, Governor Granholm approved an incentive program that Traverse City filmmaker Bill Latka says was “the largest film incentive in the country” at the time. “It was basically Granholm’s attempt to get some new activity going here in Michigan, because nobody was making cars [during the financial crisis]. So they created a 42 percent cashback incentive, where if you spent $1 million [on a film production], you’d get $420,000 back. And it instantly brought you-would-not-believe-how-much work to Michigan.”

Per the Free Press, the Michigan Film Office approved 71 applications in 2008 alone, generating $125 million of in-state film production spending and creating 2,763 Michigan jobs. Noteworthy film projects included Clint Eastwood’s Detroit-set Gran Torino and Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, Whip It.

The ensuing years built upon 2008’s success. In 2010, Michigan had 66 approved film projects underway, generating $293.4 million in film production spending and creating 5,310 film production jobs. From the locales of Ann Arbor, which appeared in both the horror sequel Scream 4 and the George Clooney-directed political thriller The Ides of March, to the Detroit-heavy shoots of action films like Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Real Steel, Michiganders had lots of opportunities to spot their state on the big screen.

After 2010, though, the film incentive saw a major turning point in the form of incoming governor Rick Snyder. Where the film incentive program up to that point had been uncapped—meaning there was no limit on the amount of incentives Michigan could pay out in any given year—the Synder administration placed a $25 million annual cap on the program.

The change had a swift impact. Carry-over projects from previous years—such as the gargantuan $200 million Disney blockbuster Oz the Great and Powerful, directed by Michigan native Sam Raimi—meant there was still a significant amount of film production happening in 2011, including $201.9 million in spending. But the number of new project approvals dropped from 66 to 24, and Michigan lost out on some big Hollywood projects as a result—most notably, Marvel’s The Avengers.

It was a series of ups and downs for Michigan film incentives after that. 2012 was a slow year, with just 13 new projects approved and only $57.8 million in production expenditure. Then, in 2013, the program got a boost when Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville successfully advocated to have the incentive cap doubled from $25 million to $50 million—a move that helped bring major films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and Need for Speed to Michigan.

In 2015, Snyder signed a bill that officially ended film incentives in Michigan. That legislation did set aside $25 million to sunset the incentive program during the 2016 fiscal year. But instead of drawing new projects to the state, the money was earmarked for either paying out incentives that had already been approved in previous years or dealing with the disastrous collapse of the state-subsidized Raleigh Michigan Studios.

Show Me The Money: An $80 Million Debacle

Based in Pontiac, inside the old General Motors Centerpoint truck complex, Raleigh Michigan Studios was, for a time, Michigan’s largest film production studio. Oz the Great and Powerful, for instance, was a Raleigh production. Viewed as a way to lead Michigan’s bid for relevancy in the film industry, the studio was able to clear its hefty $80 million in startup costs thanks to subsidies from state and local governments. The city of Pontiac waived property taxes for the Raleigh site and issued $18 million in municipal bonds, which the Granholm administration backed by using the state retirement system as collateral.

Despite a promising start with Oz, Raleigh Michigan Studios got hit hard by Snyder’s rollback of the film incentive program in 2011 and defaulted on a $630,000 bond payment the following year. The state was left to cover that payment—and other future defaults—out of its pension fund. Ultimately, Michigan cleared the debt in 2016, using $19 million of the final round of film incentive funding to settle the bill.

By 2017, there were no more film incentives to be had in Michigan. Film production activity in the state dried up and has not recovered since. In 2018, the land and building that had made up Raleigh Michigan Studios was sold off to a defense contractor.

The dream, it seemed, was dead.

There’s No Place Like Home: The Debate Over Bringing Film Incentives Back to Michigan

The cynical read on the Raleigh Michigan Studios fiasco is as a cautionary tale: a reminder of what happens when you chase a famously fickle industry with taxpayer dollars. But proponents of film incentives argue that there’s more to the story and that Michigan’s dalliance with film could have gotten a happier ending—and still might.

Much of the pushback against Michigan’s film incentive program in the early 2010s was grounded in a Senate Fiscal Agency report from 2010, which found that the incentives were generating just 60 cents of private sector activity for every dollar they cost the taxpayers. But pro-incentive advocates argued that the study was too narrow in its assessment and that it overlooked long-tail benefits, like the potential for the program to attract more young people to Michigan.

That debate is back on the docket in Michigan this year, thanks to a quartet of bills—Senate Bills 0862 and 0863 and House Bills 5724 and 5725—currently pending in the state legislature. The bills would give film production companies a base tax credit of 25 percent for in-state spending, plus another 5 percent for projects that include a “filmed in Michigan” logo in their credits. Production companies could also earn bigger tax breaks for hiring Michigan workers.

Latka sits on the board for the Michigan Film Industry Association (MIFIA), which has been advocating for the bills since they were introduced earlier this year. In his view, these bills propose a better incentive than the one Michigan let die in 2015. Instead of a cashback model, the new program would take a tax rebate approach. That distinction, combined with a smaller incentive and some additional motivation for producers to hire Michigan residents, would—in Latka’s opinion—create a better balance between the interests of the film production companies and the interests of Michigan itself.

“One of the criticisms of the last incentive was that some people said, ‘Oh, it’s just a Hollywood giveaway,’” Latka explains. “George Clooney would come to town and make a million dollars. And then the state would basically refund 42 percent of his salary back to the producers for hiring George Clooney. Well, this time, it’s not a cash giveaway. It’s a refundable tax rebate. So, say there’s a $1 million project that comes in. That would be a $250,000 tax credit that the producers of the movie will either use themselves, if they have a personal tax debt in Michigan—which is unlikely; or they would sell it to a Michigan business that does have a tax liability. So, a company like Cone Drive, or Hagerty, or Steelcase, or Ford, or General Motors, they could buy those credits at a discount, and then they get a discount on their Michigan state taxes. The money does not go out of state, basically, which was one of the big criticisms of the last incentive.”

Though he was living in California when the first incentives went into effect, Latka moved back to Michigan—his home state—as it suddenly became a film production haven. For several years, “there were all sorts of people that were working in the movie business here,” he says. “I would say three-quarters of them left when they closed out the incentive. Half of my friends moved to Atlanta, because Georgia has a big incentive program and they’ve stuck with it. These days, they do $8 billion a year in production in Georgia. That’s a substantial amount of money, and we could get a chunk of that back.”

State Senator Wayne Schmidt of Traverse City, one of the legislators leading the charge for the film incentives, says the legislation is unlikely to gain traction in the current legislative session. With the issue back on the minds of lawmakers, though, he’s hopeful that film incentives will eventually come back to Michigan.

“I don't think it’s going to get a lot of attention this year; we just wanted to make sure we raised the issue,” Schmidt says. “I know film credits and incentives in the past were kind of loosey-goosey and not always what people were looking for. We did an introduction of some bills that were smaller and more tightly focused to kind of see where the reactions were. Film is an area that we see a lot of young people getting into, and we certainly want to make Michigan an attractive place for young people—not just to stay here, but to move here. So, redoing those [incentives], refocusing them, and taking some best practices from other states and seeing if we can apply them here in Michigan, that’s the goal.”

Bills Would Bring Back Film Credits

MiFIA Team — Mon, 02 May 2022 16:55:08 GMT

Supporters of new legislation that would bring a film tax credit back to Michigan are hoping the measure can make the state a destination for filmmakers once again.

This story appeared on WOOD-TV 8 in advance of a Film Incentive Town Hall scheduled for May 11 at Lowing Studios in Grand Rapids, MI.

MiFIA Gets to Work in Lansing

MiFIA Team — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 16:56:18 GMT

The MiFIA team, along with lobbyist Brendan Ringlever visited Rep. Wendzel, R-Watervilet, who serves as chair of the House Commerce and Tourism Committee, the first stop for MiFIA’s House Bills 5274-75. MiFIA provided important insights and spoke of the need for Michigan to join 40 other U.S. states with film incentive programs. Rep. Wendzel encouraged a committee hearing on the bills in April/early May.

MiFIA Board in Lansing with Rep. Jack O'Malley (third from left)

MiFIA joined two of our four film incentive bill sponsors, Rep. Kyra Bolden, D-Southfield, and Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit, to share several spring MiFIA events across Michigan in April and May and the timing of committee hearings, floor action and enactment.

MiFIA met with Sen. Ken Horn, R-Frankenmuth, chair of the Senate Small Business and Economic Development Committee where our Senate Bills 862-63 await a hearing. We shared movie memories, including movies filmed in his iconic town, and the significant impact of film making for communities. Sen. Horn supported the first film credit and encouraged us to schedule a hearing in his committee this spring.

The MiFIA team enjoyed dinner with film incentive bill sponsor Rep. Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann, to share Capitol Day takeaways while Rep. O’Malley reflected on the work that lies ahead of us. We know that our determination is steadfast and industry support unwavering. The Michigan film industry stands united in the knowledge that a film program will help our great state when it needs us most.

Commentary: Get Michigan back in the game on film, ad production

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 12:24:00 GMT

In early 2006, I was approached by some members of the Michigan Film Advisory Commission, inquiring if I would join them on the film commission to assist in getting film and digital media tax incentives passed in Michigan, just as New Mexico and Louisiana, the front runners at the time, had done previously, among numerous other states.

Read full article at Crain's Detroit.

Detroit senator hoping to bring major films back to Michigan with tax incentives

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 13:06:00 GMT

(WXYZ) — The push to bring back film incentives is moving through the Michigan State Capitol.

One of the leads in this effort is state Senator Adam Hollier of Detroit.

"Either we are going to be competitive or we're not. We've invested in the auto industry. We should be doing the same in the film industry," Hollier said.

During the movie boom in 2012, the Motown Motion Picture Studios were built in Pontiac. The building is no longer filming movies after being sold in 2018.

"I think the pandemic has shown us that our economy has shifted to a service sector and what we saw was that movies never stopped production," Hollier said.

If the bills are passed, it will make two levels of tax credit that would provide incentives for anything produced in Michigan. This ranges from commercials to streaming productions.

"These streaming services are looking to set up shop in places that are business-friendly and people-friendly, and Michigan provides all of that," set electrician Brian Kelly said.

Kelly has worked on major films like Transformers and Superman when they filmed in Michigan.

"This supports a lot of blue-collar jobs. A lot of us just want to be in this industry and work in our own states," he said.

Right now more than 39 states offer some type of incentive to film in their states. Michigan does not, thus putting the state at a disadvantage.

These new bills will give advantages to state-based companies who hire Michigan workers.

The bills include:

A 25% base tax credit with an additional 5% awarded for the inclusion of a "Filmed in Michigan" logo
A commitment from production companies to spend at least 5$0K per commercial and $300K for productions over 20 min
A 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20 % for non-residents

"This is opportunity. I mean we spend so much time talking about how we are going to be keeping young folks in the state. How we are going to attract and retain and make Michigan the place that people want to go and so much of that comes down to innovation," Hollier said.

Read full article at WXYZ.

Film, TV, and Streaming Incentives Introduced in the Michigan Legislature

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 18:23:34 GMT

From DBusiness
R.J. King March 1, 2022

Legislation introduced Monday could create a two-tiered tax credit, incentivizing state-produced commercials as well as film, television, and streaming productions. The 2017 film Transformers: The Last Knight was filmed in the city. // Courtesy of the Michigan Film Industry Association

Bicameral, bipartisan legislation introduced on Monday in the Michigan Legislature would create a two-tiered tax credit that provides incentives for state-produced commercials as well as film, television, and streaming productions.

The action comes at a time when some 39 states offer film incentives and, in turn, receive the jobs, economic boost, and related upstream, downstream, and peripheral benefits from a multi-billion-dollar industry.

From 2008 to 2015, Michigan offered generous film incentives of up to 42 percent per production, but the savings were discontinued after Gov. Rick Snyder and his team determined millions of dollars were leaving the state, largely because out-state directors, producers, and actors had no obligation to spend the money here.

“This is about Michigan jobs,” says Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit. “As we witness the devastation and business losses from the pandemic, we know that attracting an industry that reinvented itself amid the crisis is a wise investment in our state’s economy and its workers.”

Sens. Hollier and Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, along with Reps. Kyra Bolden, D-Southfield, and Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann, introduced the bills to create jobs and retain Michigan talent. The initiative positions the state as an attractive location for film, commercials, and the need for streaming content.

“Bringing the film industry back to Michigan will create more jobs and boost Michigan’s economy,” says Bolden. “Michiganders will be proud when movies made about icons like Aretha Franklin and Motown can be made right here in Detroit.”

The bills give preference to state-based companies that hire Michigan residents. Other specifics of the legislation include:

A base tax credit starting at 25 percent for in-state spending with an additional 5 percent awarded for the inclusion of a “filmed in Michigan” logo;
A commitment from production companies to spend at least $50,000 for a single commercial campaign or project under 20 minutes or at least $300,000 for productions over 20 minutes;
A 30 percent tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20 percent for nonresidents;
A requirement that qualified Michigan vendors provide proof of brick-and-mortar presence, have inventory, and full-time employees on staff. Pass-through companies and transactions will not qualify; and
Accountability requirements for independent verification of approved expenditures.

“The incentives will provide direct economic benefits to Michigan communities,” says Schmidt. “Many states can attest to the fact that film incentives spur additional investment and create jobs and training programs, boost local businesses, and retain talent.”

The Senate bills, SB 862-863, now go to the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee with the House bills, HB 5724-5725, headed to the House Commerce and Tourism Committee.

“Film production is a manufacturing industry that depends on labor and a range of supporting goods and services to survive,” says O’Malley. “This well-crafted and competitive film incentive program will attract new industry opportunities to our state and support Michigan’s talent base and labor force.”

For more information and video segments on MiFIA’s advocacy efforts to create a film tax credit program in Michigan, visit www.mifia.org.

To become a MiFIA member or support the association’s advocacy effort, contact Lorri Rishar at lorri@edgepartnerships.com or 517-449-7435.

Michigan Matters: Film Incentives Making a Comeback?

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Watch the interview at CBS Detroit

Southfield (CBS Detroit) – Michigan once had the most lucrative film incentives in the nation in 2008 but were ended in 2015. Now, some state legislators are trying to bring a modified version back as Peter Klein, Secretary-Treasurer of Michigan Film Industry Association, talked about on CBS 62’s “Michigan Matters.”

Michigan Matters Host Carol Cain, with Peter Klein, Secretary-Treasurer of Michigan Film Industry Association

Klein talked with Carol Cain, Senior Producer/Host, and discussed how MIFIA has been working with legislators who just introduced a two-tiered tax credit that provides incentives for Michigan-produced commercials as well as film, television and streaming productions.

State Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit, State Sen. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, Reps. Kyra Bolden, D-Southfield, and Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann, are involved with the legislation. Senate Bills– SB 862-863 – is on its way to the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee, while House Bills, HB 5724-5725, is heading to the House Commerce and Tourism Committee.

Production filming in Michigan (Courtesy of Provided by Brian Kelly)

Klein talked how the new initiative is a slimmed down version of what was launched in 2008. For more, see www.mifia.org.

Lawmakers working to bring Hollywood back to Michigan

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 20:35:32 GMT

Film production is a manufacturing industry that depends on labor and a range of supporting goods and services to survive. Many states attest that film incentives spur additional investment and create jobs and training programs that boost local businesses and retain talent. A well-crafted and competitive film incentive program will attract new industry opportunities to our state and support Michigan’s talent base and labor force.

Introduced by Senators Adam Hollier, D- Detroit, and Wayne Schmidt, R- Traverse City, along with Representatives Kyra Bolden, D- Southfield, and Jack O’Malley, R- Lake Ann, these bills were designed to create jobs and retain Michigan talent. They say this legislation comes at a time when over 39 states offer film incentives and, in turn, receive the jobs, economic boost, and related upstream, downstream and peripheral benefits from a multi-billion-dollar industry,

“This is about Michigan jobs,” stated Sen. Hollier. “As we witness the devastation and business losses from the pandemic, we know that attracting an industry that reinvented itself amid the crisis is a wise investment in our state’s economy and its workers.”

“Bringing the film industry back to Michigan will create more jobs and boost Michigan’s economy,” said Rep. Bolden. “Michiganders will be proud when movies made about icons like Aretha Franklin and Motown can be made right here in Detroit.” This legislation would give preference to Michigan-based companies who hire Michiganders.

Specifics of the legislation include the following:

A base tax credit starting at 25% for in-state spending with an additional 5% awarded for the inclusion of a “filmed in Michigan” logo;
A commitment from production companies to spend at least $50,000 for a single commercial campaign or project under 20 minutes or at least $300,000 for productions over 20 minutes;
A 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20% for non-residents;
A requirement that qualified Michigan vendors provide proof of brick-and-mortar presence have inventory and full-time employees on staff. Pass-through companies and transactions will not
qualify;
Accountability requirements for independent verification of approved expenditures.

Senate bills SB 862-863 now go to the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee while House Bills HB 5724-5725 are headed to the House Commerce and Tourism Committee.

Read article at Michigan Movie WEEKENDER

New bills would bring back Michigan film incentives

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 11:00:00 GMT

Carol Cain, Free Press Business Columnist

Is it time to bring back film incentives to Michigan?

Some legislators in Lansing think so and just introduced legislation to help make it happen.

The legislation would create a two-tiered tax credit that provides incentives for Michigan-produced commercials, as well as film, television and streaming productions.

“This is about Michigan jobs,” said Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit. “As we witness the devastation and business losses from the pandemic, we know that attracting an industry that reinvented itself amid the crisis ...

Read full article at Detroit Free Press

New bill hopes to restore film tax credits in Michigan

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 20:40:41 GMT

Could Hollywood make a comeback in Michigan? I sure hope so! new law Reinstatement of film tax incentives to bring film production back to our state has just been introduced in both the Michigan House and Senate.

In previous years Michigan had one of the most attractive tax incentives in the country for filmmakers and offered a 42% discount on production costs. The bill was signed in 2008 by Governor Jennifer Granholm and brought several big-name productions to the state, however, that incentive was discontinued in 2015 by Governor Rick Snyder.

at the height of filmmaking in michigan we saw main movie As if road to Perdition starring Tom Hanks, Transformers: The Last Knight starring Mark Wahlberg, and batman vs superman Starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, everyone comes to our state to see the movie. When these large scale constructions come to town they bring in a whole crew who are in need of housing, food and entertainment. for example, transformer The production alone had a crew of 850 members, which means our state benefits from their dollars spent here during filming.

I must admit, I was very disappointed when I heard that the state’s film tax incentive was being repealed. It was fun hearing stories about celebrity sightings when these productions were in town and you never knew what you might run into! I remember a special story about everyone boom that shook downtown detroit transformer was filming. It was exciting to know that a little slice of Hollywood was in our state!

These days it seems like we see almost everything the walking dead To ozarki To avengers: end game All were filmed in Georgia, a state with a liberal film tax incentive. I’m tired of Michigan missing all the action!

The new proposed bill would provide a base tax credit of 25% for spending in the state, in addition to 5% to include a “filmed in Michigan” logo and a potential 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents. I call it a win-win!

It’s a long process, but hopefully this new proposal will be soon enough to be signed into law someday.

Read article at Michigan News

Film Incentive Legislation Focused On Creating Jobs, Boosting MI Economy

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 20:36:47 GMT

Bipartisan bills position state to compete with 39+ states

LANSING, MI – Bicameral, bipartisan legislation introduced today in the state Legislature is being heralded as an important investment in Michigan workers and the economy.

The legislation creates a two-tiered tax credit that provides incentives for Michigan-produced commercials as well as film, television, and streaming productions. The action comes at a time when over 39 states offer film incentives and, in turn, receive the jobs, economic boost, and related upstream, downstream, and peripheral benefits from a multi-billion-dollar industry.

The bills give preference to state-based companies that hire Michigan residents. Other specifics of the legislation include:

A base tax credit starting at 25% for in-state spending with an additional 5% awarded for the inclusion of a “filmed in Michigan” logo;
A commitment from production companies to spend at least $50,000 for a single commercial campaign or project under 20 minutes or at least $300,000 for productions over 20 minutes;
A 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20% for non-residents;
A requirement that qualified Michigan vendors provide proof of brick-and-mortar presence have inventory and full-time employees on staff. Pass-through companies and transactions will not qualify; and
Accountability requirements for independent verification of approved expenditures.

“The incentives will provide direct economic benefits to Michigan communities,” said Sen. Schmidt. “Many states can attest to the fact that film incentives spur additional investment and create jobs and training programs, boost local businesses and retain talent.”

The Senate bills, SB 862-863, now go to the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee with the House bills, HB 5724-5725, headed to the House Commerce and Tourism Committee.

"Film production is a manufacturing industry that depends on labor and a range of supporting goods and services to survive," said Rep. O'Malley. "This well-crafted and competitive film incentive program will attract new industry opportunities to our state and support Michigan's talent base and labor force."

For more information and video segments on MiFIA’s advocacy efforts to create a film tax credit program in Michigan, visit www.mifia.org. To become a MiFIA member or support the association’s advocacy effort, contact Lorri Rishar at lorri@edgepartnerships.com or 517-449-7435.

Read article at Michigan Business Network

New Legislation Aims to Bring Filmmakers to Michigan

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 20:29:28 GMT

New bipartisan legislation was just introduced in the state house and senate. It would bring back a film incentive to attract filmmakers to the state and help the economy.

Senator Wayne Schmidt and Representative Jack O’Malley introduced the bills to create jobs and retain talent. If approved Michigan would join nearly 40 other states with incentives for filmmakers to make films right here in Michigan.

Brian Kelly is the First Chair Vice President of the Michigan Film Industry Association. He says Michigan is non-competitive in the film business.

“We feel that Michigan is missing out on tons of jobs and entrepreneurship and opportunity with the film industry and we want the state to actually be apart of the 39-plus states that actually have film incentive programs,” Kelly said.
For the past three years the Michigan Film Industry Association has been working to create what Brian Kelly says is one of the most competitive bills in the country.

“We feel we’ll get the type of work that is necessary to rebuild Michigan’s lagging restaurant and hotel industry especially, but also lumber yards, florists, landscapers, security, just tons and tons and tons of businesses that benefit from the jobs of the film industry,” Kelly said.

The proposed bill says filmmakers who choose to film in Michigan would get a base tax credit of 25% for in-state spending and an additional five-percent awarded for including a ‘filmed in Michigan’ logo.

Kelly said the bill was created with taxpayers in mind.

“We have crafted this bill to be very conscious of taxpayer funding,” he said. “We’re taxpayers ourselves and we wanted our tax dollars to be spent just as wisely as we would want others to think that as well.”

The bill would also give filmmakers a 30-percent tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20-percent for non-Michigan residents. Local filmmaker Rich Brauer has been in the film industry for over forty year. He says he’s seen a lot of stuff come and go, including the incentive.

The most recent film incentive from 2008 was discontinued in 2015 by then-Governor Rick Snyder. Brauer believes this incentive is better.

“The new incentive, as I understand it, it’s a tax incentive it’s actually a credit towards your tax situation so that actually legitimizes it a bit, the previous one was just cash rebate… I kind of think this is a better way to go,” Brauer said.

Brauer believes this incentive will attract legitimate filmmakers and give young filmmakers a chance to stay in Michigan.

“There’s going to be an opportunity for all these graduates of schools and universities to be part of a real industry in Michigan, without having to travel to all the other 30 states that are out there that offer an incentive,” Brauer said.

Read at 9 & 10 News

Made in Michigan: State Introduces Bill to Restore Film Tax Credit

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 20:37:46 GMT

Could Hollywood be making a return to Michigan? I sure hope so! New legislation has just been introduced in both the Michigan House and Senate to restore a film tax incentive to bring film productions back to our state.

In previous years Michigan had one of the country's most enticing tax incentives for filmmakers and offered up to a 42% rebate on production costs. The bill was signed into law in 2008 by Gov. Jennifer Granholm and brought many big name productions to the state however, Gov. Rick Snyder discontinued that incentive in 2015.

At the height of film production in Michigan we saw major motion pictures such as Road to Perdition starring Tom Hanks, Transformers: The Last Knight starring Mark Wahlberg, and Batman v. Superman starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, all come to film in our state. When these large scale productions come to town they bring an entire crew who need lodging, meals, and entertainment. For example, the Transformers production alone had a crew of 850 members which means their dollars spent here while filming all benefit our state.

I must admit, I was very disappointed when I heard the state's film tax incentive was being repealed. It was fun to hear stories about celebrity sightings when these productions were in town and you never knew who you could run into! I remember one particular story about all the loud booms that shook downtown Detroit while Transformers was filming. It was exciting to know a little slice of Hollywood was in our state!

These days it seems like nearly everything we watch from The Walking Dead to Ozark to Avengers: End Game were all filmed in Georgia, a state with generous film tax incentives. I'm tired of Michigan missing out on all the action!

The new proposed bill will offer a base tax credit of 25% for in-state spending, in addition to another 5% for including a "Filmed in Michigan" logo, and a possible 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents. I call that a win-win!

It's a long process, but hopefully this new resolution will make it far enough to be signed into law someday soon.

Read article at WKFR

Lawmakers try to bring film industry back to Michigan

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 20:33:33 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - State lawmakers may be trying to lure Hollywood back to Michigan.

They’re looking to bring back the film incentives that made the state a hotspot for filming several years ago.

About 40 states offer film incentives and Michigan lawmakers said it’s time to bring the film industry back to Michigan.

Have you ever wondered why there aren’t many movie scenes you recognized your hometown in? Film makers said the lack of film production in Michigan is because film incentives are no longer in place in the state.

“We saw a lot of promise and we saw a lot of incredible things happening for a few years,” said Matt Martyn, with Ahptic Film & Digital. “Ultimately pulling the rug out from under it left those that had really heavily invested high and dry.”

Martyn said if a movie is supposed to take place in Michigan, it will be shot elsewhere.

2018′s “White Boy Rick” filmed in Cleveland instead of Detroit, 2017′s “Detroit” was filmed in Boston and 2021′s “Don’t Look Up” shot primarily in Massachusetts and New York City, despite having scenes set in Lansing.

Martyn said these productions create money and jobs in other states because of it.

“Georgia did and followed through on what they promised to the studios,” Martyn said. “And because of that, so many people in Michigan that had met up with studio execs and other people then moved to Georgia.”

Amaru, with Greenwood District Studios, said he wishes the film incentives for Michigan never left. He believes new incentives will bring people and money back to Lansing.

“With the incentive coming back, Hollywood is going to show up overnight,” Amaru said.

The film incentives hope to attract new industry opportunities for Michigan and will support the talent base and labor force.

“If they change it to where they hire more locals, then the money that is made and brought into the state can funnel through the state and stay in the state longer,” Amaru said.

The film incentive for Michigan means you may be seeing more Michigan-made films at local movie theatres. One of the main goals of the film incentives is creating more jobs and boosting Michigan’s economy.

The proposed bills give preference to state-based companies that hire people who live in Michigan. House Bills 5724 and 5725, and Senate Bills 0862 and 0863 will go into committees.

Read article at WILX

Series of bills focus on bringing film industry back to Michigan

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 20:32:38 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) -- A new series of bills introduced in Lansing this week would create tax incentives for the film industry in Michigan.

The incentives would apply to Michigan produced commercials, film, television and streaming productions.

The legislation creates a two-tiered tax credit that lawmakers say would boost the economy through added jobs, as well as money spent at hotels, restaurants and retailers.

“What it’s going to do, it’s going to be an explosion of work, its going to be an explosion of opportunity, its going to put our restaurants and our hotels right to work and they are badly needing of it currently," said Brian Kelly, Chairperson with the Michigan Film Industry Association.

The bills give preference to state-based companies who hire Michigan residents.

Other specifics of the legislation include:

A base tax credit starting at 25% for in-state spending with an additional 5% awarded for the inclusion of a “filmed in Michigan” logo
A commitment from production companies to spend at least $50,000 for a single commercial campaign or project under 20 minutes or at least $300,000 for productions over 20 minutes
A 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20% for nonresidents
A requirement that qualified Michigan vendors provide proof of brick-and-mortar presence, have inventory and full-time employees on staff. Pass-through companies and transactions will not qualify
Accountability requirements for independent verification of approved expenditures

More than 39 states offer film incentives.

Michigan previously offered incentives to the film industry but the program ended in 2015.

Senate bills 862 and 863, now go to the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee with the House bills, 5724-5725, headed to the House Commerce and Tourism Committee.

Read article at Up North Live

Film incentive legislation focused on creating jobs, boosting MI economy

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:15:08 GMT

- Bipartisan bills position state to compete with 39+ states
  
  LANSING, MI – Bicameral, bipartisan legislation introduced today in the state Legislature is being heralded as an important investment in Michigan workers and the economy.
  
  The legislation creates a two-tiered tax credit that provides incentives for Michigan-produced commercials as well as film, television and streaming productions. The action comes at a time when over 39 states offer film incentives and, in turn, receive the jobs, economic boost and related upstream, downstream and peripheral benefits from a multi-billion-dollar industry.
  
  “This is about Michigan jobs,” said Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit. “As we witness the devastation and business losses from the pandemic, we know that attracting an industry that reinvented itself amid the crisis is a wise investment in our state’s economy and its workers.”
  
  Sens. Hollier and Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, along with Reps. Kyra Bolden, D-Southfield, and Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann, introduced the bills to create jobs and retain Michigan talent. The initiative positions the state as an attractive location for film, commercials and the booming need for streaming content.
  
  “Bringing the film industry back to Michigan will create more jobs and boost Michigan’s economy,” said Rep. Bolden. “Michiganders will be proud when movies made about icons like Aretha Franklin and Motown can be made right here in Detroit.”
  
  The bills give preference to state-based companies who hire Michigan residents. Other specifics of the legislation include:
- A base tax credit starting at 25% for in-state spending with an additional 5% awarded for the inclusion of a “filmed in Michigan” logo;
- A commitment from production companies to spend at least $50,000 for a single commercial campaign or project under 20 minutes or at least $300,000 for productions over 20 minutes;
- A 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20% for nonresidents;
- A requirement that qualified Michigan vendors provide proof of brick-and-mortar presence, have inventory and full-time employees on staff. Pass-through companies and transactions will not qualify; and
- Accountability requirements for independent verification of approved expenditures.
“The incentives will provide direct economic benefits to Michigan communities,” said Sen. Schmidt. “Many states can attest to the fact that film incentives spur additional investment and create jobs and training programs, boost local businesses and retain talent.”

The Senate bills, SB 862-863, now go to the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee with the House bills, HB 5724-5725, headed to the House Commerce and Tourism Committee.

"Film production is a manufacturing industry that depends on labor and a range of supporting goods and services to survive," said Rep. O'Malley. "This well-crafted and competitive film incentive program will attract new industry opportunities to our state and support Michigan's talent base and labor force."

For more information and video segments on MiFIA’s advocacy efforts to create a film tax credit program in Michigan, visit www.mifia.org. To become a MiFIA member or support the association’s advocacy effort, contact Lorri Rishar at lorri@edgepartnerships.com or 517-449-7435.

###

Block Party filming generates excitement, jobs in Grand Rapids

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 20:44:07 GMT

MiFIA visits set to promote MI film incentive legislation

LANSING, MI – Lights, action, camera and … a new film incentive credit for Michigan. All took center stage the past several weeks during the filming of Block Party in Grand Rapids.

Wrapping up Michigan filming today, the family comedy is the product of Branch Out Productions, an African American led production company based in Grand Rapids. Block Party follows Harvard grad Keke McQueen, played by Antoinette Roberson, who wants to leave her hometown for a career in Atlanta but decides to stay to save her grandmother’s annual Juneteenth celebration.

"Our comedy, Block Party, is set in Michigan, so it is important to add in as much regional flavor as possible," said Lisa Mathis, president of Branch Out Productions in a news release. "We're making an extra effort to cast locally while bringing more jobs to Michigan to strengthen our hub for diverse actors, producers and filmmakers. We believe casting local actors is good for the economy and good for creativity."

The Michigan Film Industry Association (MiFIA) couldn’t agree more. Representatives of MiFIA visited the set to show their support as they pursue the introduction of legislation this fall to create a Michigan film incentive program.

“More than 40 states and U.S. provinces, along with 97 countries, with incentives know that its all about jobs, the economy and retaining talent,” said David Haddad, MiFIA chair. “Tax credits stay in Michigan and benefit local companies. We can no longer stand idly by while Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania and other states capture all the advantages of film and commercial productions.”

The legislation creates a two-tiered tax credit that provides incentives for Michigan-produced commercials as well as film, television and streaming productions.

Initially introduced at the end of the 2019-2020 session, the legislation is drafted and ready for reintroduction this fall in both the Michigan House and Senate. The bills have garnered bipartisan support.

Earlier this year, MiFIA members and state legislators visited the Detroit set of Black Family Mafia, a new hit series on Starz. While the producers wanted to film the Detroit-based story entirely in the city, they spent only a week in Detroit with the remaining scenes filmed in Atlanta because of Georgia’s film incentives.

“Michigan is a beautiful, versatile state for filming,” said Haddad. “It defies logic that Michigan-based movies and the Big 3’s automotive commercials are not produced here. We have the power to change that now and, in doing so, create jobs and boost the state’s economy.”

For more information on MiFIA, visit www.mifia.org.

###

Film incentives make a big difference for workers

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 11:58:08 GMT

from Crain's

BY TOM O'DONNELL AND JOHN FORD

We’ve seen this scripted act of ction before. Every year at this time, so-called “experts” from biased, politically motivated think tanks release a report concluding it is time to call "cut" on lm, TV, and streaming program tax credits nationwide, as a columnist did in the July 26 issue of Crain's.

Read article PDF | Online

‘Wu-Tang’ Wraps Season 2

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 14:37:47 GMT

North Jersey set the stage for some 90’s nostalgia during the filming of the Hulu television series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Season 2. Based on a true story, the show follows the formation of the Wu-Tang Clan in the early 1990s -- a vision of Bobby Diggs, aka The RZA, who strives to unite a dozen young, black men that are torn between lives of music and crime. They eventually rise to become the unlikeliest of American success stories. Executive produced by RZA, Method Man, Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and Alex Tse, the series will air later this year.

Filmed entirely in New Jersey, Wu-Tang: Season 2 stars Ashton Sanders as RZA, Shameik Moore as Raekwon, Siddiq Saunderson as Ghostface Killah, and Dave East as Method Man, with recurring appearances by Joey Bada$$. Filming took place on locations in East Orange, Elmwood Park, Kearny, Newark, Paterson, Plainfield, and Secaucus.

Many television programs have been produced in New Jersey throughout the years. They include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Sopranos, Oz, The Enemy Within, Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, Emergence, Little America and, most recently, The Equalizer.

Governor Phil Murphy pointed to the recent spate of television shows shot in the state as a testament to the success of the tax credit program. “A single network series filming in New Jersey for a full season can generate as much as $100 million in local economic activity, and create hundreds of local jobs,” he emphasized. The Governor cited as examples the aforementioned projects and such television shows as CBS’s The Equalizer and Ways & Means, and HBO’s The Plot Against America, all filmed on location here in the last two years.

Since the reinstatement and enhancement of New Jersey’s film incentive program, production activity has increased as much as 500%. Produced by Imagine Television, Wu-Tang: Season 2 is one of many projects recently attracted to the state by the New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program, which offers a tax credit for qualified productions filming here. “We are delighted that the critically acclaimed Wu-Tang series chose to film Season 2 in the Garden State,” said Secretary of State Tahesha Way. “We continue to see television shows produced here on a regular basis and expect that trend to continue in the years ahead.”

About the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission

The NJMPTVC, which falls under the New Jersey Department of State’s Business Action Center, is staffed by industry professionals and serves as a resource for production companies. The Commission promotes film and television production in New Jersey.

www.film.nj.gov

MiFIA executive committee presents proposal to House Commerce and Tourism Committee

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 18:41:20 GMT

On June 8, MiFIA executive committee officers Brian Kelly, Peter Klein and Michael Anderson presented to the House Commerce and Tourism Committee a proposal to bring the film tax credit back to Michigan.

Watch here starting at minute 13:
https://www.house.mi.gov/SharedVideo/PlayVideoArchive.html?video=COMM-060821.mp4

Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move Filmed in Detroit

Tue, 25 May 2021 14:58:12 GMT

For the first time in years, Michiganders will see a familiar city in a major motion picture. Set and filmed in Detroit, Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move employed approximately 150 local workers (full and part-time) and used over 100 Michigan vendors for the 35-day shoot. The total Michigan spend for production is estimated at $30 million. Bringing back the Michigan film tax credit will attract other filmmakers like Soderbergh, promote tourism and create more jobs in our great state.

Michigan Film Industry Association names executive committee & board members

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:50:05 GMT

The Michigan Film Industry Association (MiFIA) has made great strides over the past year to create a film tax credit program in Michigan, and they are not slowing down.

Legislation was introduced in late December to create a two-tiered tax credit. This legislative session, the Association is working diligently to educate lawmakers on the pro-jobs, talent retention bills.

Formed in 2019, MiFIA recently elected officers and added 14 new board members.

Executive committee officers are: David Haddad, chair; Brian Kelly, 1^st vice chair; Michael Anderson, 2^nd vice chair; Jonathan Braue, treasurer; and Peter Klein, secretary.

Newly appointed board members are: Larry August, James Brown, Yvette Campbell, Luke Castle, Jesse Ford, Anthony Garth, Lindsey Katerberg, Lawrence Lamont, Aaron Mohr, Karla Kurz Murray, Sean O’Grady, Alexander Page, Diane Stratton and Janet Vineeta.

“The talent and experience represented by our Board demonstrate the passion they have about bringing good-paying jobs and keeping our talent in Michigan,” said Chair David Haddad, owner of Haddads Inc. “With these individuals backing our mission, along with bipartisan legislative support, we are one step closer to our goal of making Michigan competitive with 38 other states who understand the economic benefits of film incentives.”

Members of MiFIA are eager to introduce legislation that is responsible to taxpayers, generates revenue for the state and small businesses, and retains talent. Sen. Adam Hollier is leading the charge in the state Senate with work groups planned for late Spring.

“The amount of support MiFIA has received is very encouraging,” said Haddad. “We all love Michigan and want to showcase our great state.”

Haddad’s Inc. backs MI film industry, calls for others to show support

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 21:06:07 GMT

Momentum building for film tax credit legislation

LANSING, MI – Haddad’s, one of the country’s top film and television equipment rental companies, is leading the charge for support of the Michigan film industry.

Haddad’s has stepped forward as an early investor in the Michigan Film Industry Association (MiFIA), recently donating $10,000 toward the organization’s advocacy efforts. This is in addition to helping create the association and donating hundreds of hours advocating for the state’s film industry.

“This is about job creation and economic investment at a time when both are desperately needed,” said David Haddad, owner of Haddad’s. “This is for the thousands of hardworking men and women who want to work in their home state of Michigan. The time is now!”

In December, legislation was introduced in the state House to create a two-tiered tax credit that provides incentives for Michigan-produced commercials as well as film, television and streaming productions. Sen. Adam Hollier plans to reintroduce the legislation this session. The action comes at a time when over 30 states offer film incentives and, in turn, receive the jobs, economic boost and related peripheral benefits from a multi-billion-dollar industry.

“We want Michigan talent to stay in Michigan,” said Haddad, whose offices include a Detroit location. “The outpouring of supporters has been tremendous. Now, we need the resources to take our advocacy efforts across the finish line.”

Film advocates, like Haddad, who co-chairs MiFIA, continue to educate state lawmakers on the legislation, which took more than three years to research and write. Drafters call the bills responsible to state taxpayers and a sound investment in Michigan’s economy.

How the Michigan Film Tax Incentives affect Filmmaking in Michigan

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 18:57:06 GMT

How the Michigan Film Tax Incentives affect Filmmaking in Michigan
Shot on Location on the set of "Betty Anne Waters" in Detroit

March 17, 2009

It might again be time for film incentives in Michigan

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 15:54:40 GMT

Carol Cain, Detroit Free Press Business Columnist

Is it time to bring back film incentives to Michigan?

Count state Sen. Adam Hollier as one who thinks the time is right. Hollier is getting set to jump-start the conversation in Lansing with fellow legislators as he holds workshops to get feedback and input on a proposed plan by the Michigan Film Industry Association. If all goes well, he’s planning to introduce a bill in the Senate in March.

Read the full article.

Incentive Map Cast and Crew - January, 2020

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 20:51:57 GMT

Download PDF

MiFIA Bullet points November 2020

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 14:07:57 GMT

Film, TV and Commercials has become a global industry. In order to be competitive, many states offer a film incentive program. There are currently over 30 states that have some sort of a film incentive program.

Without a program of our own, Michigan loses that work, or gets overlooked in favor of other states that do.

MIFIA’s plan for a sustainable film tax credit program.

The basics.

1.) A two-tiered program that covers both commercials/industrials and also feature film/television/streaming productions.

2.) It is a transferable tax credit, based system, rather than a grant or rebate based one. This means no money paid out of the general fund to applicants.

3.) Also, applicants may sell off unused tax credits to other Michigan based companies. Typically, at a percentage on the dollar, making them attractive to purchase. The tax credit stays in Michigan and benefits Michigan companies.

4.) Available tax credit ‘funds’ (Feature and Commercial) are independent of each other. The cap for each, increases at regular 3-year intervals over a 10-year period.

For Film, $50 Million, $75 Million and $100 Million.

For Commercials, $2 Million, $4 Million and $10 Million.

Any unused funds, roll over into the next calendar year.

5.) To qualify, production companies must start production within 90 days of approval, with the following minimum spend:

$300,000.00 minimum for feature film, television productions 20 minutes or longer.

$50,000.00 minimum for a single commercial, campaign, industrial or other projects under 20 minutes in final runtime.

6.) Application Fees.

$2,000.00 for Feature film, Television and Streaming productions 20 minutes or longer.

$1,000.00 for commercial, industrial projects under 20 minutes.

Application Fees are non-refundable.

7.) The base tax credit awarded starts at 25% for in state spending with an additional 5% awarded for the inclusion of a TBD ‘Filmed in Michigan’ logo.

8.) Almost all aspects of film/commercial production ranging from pre-production, production and post production qualify. ‘Development’ costs do not qualify.

9.) We are putting Michigan workers first by awarding a 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents. Non-residents are awarded at 20%. Any wages paid out to a single person, per project, in excess of $500,000.00 do not qualify for a tax credit.

10.) The bill includes language defining what constitutes a “Full time employee.” This will help support a more accurate count when tracking increased jobs creation in the film industry as a result of the tax credit.

11.) Protecting Michigan based companies and encouraging new business investment by including language that excludes ‘Pass-Through’ transactions and businesses from qualifying for the Film tax credit. Qualified vendors will need to show a brick and mortar / Inventory / full time employee presence.

12). Speed. Under a tax credit based system, there is less initial burden on the film office and treasury, applications can be processed faster. Qualified expenditures are proven on the back end before a credit amount is issued.

13.) Accountability. The bill includes language that requires verification by an independent CPA to submit qualified expenditures for approval. It also states that no tax credits will be authorized or issued to any applicant until there is confirmation that all qualified vendor and employee invoices have been fully satisfied and paid in full. This ensures that the Treasury can collect the taxes before issuing a credit.

Film incentive legislation focused on creating jobs, boosting MI economy

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 19:02:42 GMT

House bill is 1st step to competing with 30+ states

LANSING, MI – State Rep. Robert Wittenberg, D-Huntington Woods, today introduced House Bills 6504 and 6505 as an important investment in Michigan workers and the economy.

The legislation creates a two-tiered tax credit that provides incentives for Michigan-produced commercials as well as film, television and streaming productions. The action comes at a time when over 30 states offer film incentives and, in turn, receive the jobs, economic boost and related upstream, downstream and peripheral benefits from a multi-billion-dollar industry.

“This is about Michigan jobs,” said Rep. Wittenberg. “As we witness the devastation and business losses from the pandemic, we know that attracting an industry that reinvented itself amid the crisis is a smart investment in our state’s economy and its workers. This is a smart first step to rebuilding Michigan.”

Under HBs 6504-6505, preference is given to state-based companies who hire Michigan residents. Other specifics of the legislation include:

A base tax credit starting at 25% for in-state spending with an additional 5% awarded for the inclusion of a “filmed in Michigan” logo;
A commitment from production companies to spend at least $50,000 for a single commercial campaign or project under 20 minutes or at least $300,000 for productions over 20 minutes;
A 30% tax credit for hiring Michigan residents and 20% for nonresidents;

A requirement that qualified Michigan vendors provide proof of brick-and-mortar presence, have inventory and full-time employees on staff. Pass-through companies and transactions will not qualify; and
Accountability requirements for independent verification of approved expenditures.

“A cross-disciplinary team of Michigan film professionals have worked tirelessly with Rep. Wittenberg for more than three years to draft this legislation,” said Brian Kelly, co-chair of the Michigan Film Industry Association (MiFIA) Board of Directors. “This comes at a time when our state most needs good-paying jobs and an economic boost. We can no longer remain idle as film workers leave our state to follow an industry that can provide the stimulus Michigan needs.”

At the end of the 2019-20 legislative session on Dec. 31, if the bill is not signed into law, state Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit, announced plans to reintroduce the legislation during the 2021-22 session.

For more information and a video segment on MiFIA’s advocacy efforts to create a film tax credit program in Michigan, visit www.mifia.org.

###

Netflix to Expand New Mexico’s ABQ Studios, Pledges $1 Billion in Production Spending

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 16:10:06 GMT

Netflix is expanding its footprint in New Mexico, announcing Monday that it is expanding ABQ Studios and pledging an additional $1 billion in production spending there.

Elaine Low, Variety

Local Film Industry Working To Bring Tax Incentives Back

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 15:46:26 GMT

The Michigan Film Industry Association is holding a silent auction to help keep its mission alive

"We need to have these films shot here in our great state of Michigan." Those words from Brian Kelly, chairperson of the Michigan Film Industry Association (MIFIA). Members of the organization have been working for the past three years to bring film incentives back to the state... read more.

Detroit's biggest movie in years halted by COVID-19 crisis

Thu, 21 May 2020 19:28:44 GMT

Detroit was just two weeks away from hosting its biggest film project in years when the coronavirus pandemic shut it down. READ MORE.

Director Steven Soderbergh's comments on "Kill Switch" begin at about the 47:43 mark.

The Economic Contribution of the Motion Picture & Television Industry to the United States

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:18:40 GMT

2019 March MPAA Economic_contribution_US_infographic_Final.pdf

Hawley and Amoaku help film industry move forward

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 12:30:00 GMT

By Daniel Patton Sep 13, 2019

Peter Hawley and Kwame Amoaku

Newly installed office-holders explain their plans for keeping Chicago and Illinois on the path of success

The thriving regional film industry is only going to get better, according to two of its recently appointed top leaders.

Illinois Film Office Executive Director Peter Hawley and Director of the Chicago Film Office Kwame Amoaku described their visions to an enthusiastic crowd of industry guests during a Gathering of Industrial & Cultural Film Community event on September 11 at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios on Wednesday night.

Following gracious introductions from Mark Kelly, Commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Hawley and Amoaku both praised the growth of the city’s film production, which recorded nearly $500 million in spending last year. Then, after proceeding to express support for common themes like education and jobs, they each offered distinct but complementary plans for continuing success.

Mark Kelly

Hawley, who remembers when Cinespace began transforming the vacant Ryerson Steel Plant into a major film campus, emphasized the importance of the Illinois Film Tax Credit, which was renewed by Governor JB Pritzker on August first.

“That is what gets the shows here,” he said. “At the bill signing … a bunch of workforce people were there, and the stars of the Dick Wolf shows, and Dick made it very, very clear that they would not be here if it was not for the tax credit, and he wants to be here another decade, and we’ve got an extension until 2027 right now. And that is really really, important.”

Amoaku, who considers the Chicago film community to be “more of a family to me than anything,” said that strengthening the Windy City’s unique cinematic voice is among his top priorities.

“We want Chicago to create its own content,” he declared. “We have the means for a powerful production hub to exist here. We have writers. We have production people. Post production. We have everything we need here to create our own intellectual property. And I think that’s something that’s very important that we need to do.”

Besides wielding extensive film credibility, both guests of honor can back up their words with significant past achievements.

Before accepting his appointment with the state’s Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Hawley spent more than a dozen years at Tribeca Flashpoint College, ultimately ascending to the position of Academic Dean.

Amoaku, who worked as Location Manager for Dick Wolf’s Chicago Fire from 2014 to 2018 — has also earned dozens of acting, directing, and producing credits throughout his career.

Stage 18, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, September 11, 2019

Community get-together
Hawley and Amoaku addressed the audience in the production facilities of Stage 18, a Chicago film incubator located on the campus of Chicago Cinespace Film Studios.

Hosted by DCEO and DCASE, the event drew a number of industry notables including CineCares Executive Director Sheila Brown, Chicago Fire star Eamonn Walker, former Chicago Film Office Director Rich Moskal, STORY Executive Producer Mark Androw, Free Spirit Media Executive Director Jeff McCartner, Chicago Underground Film Festival Artistic Director Bryan Wendorf, award-winning filmmaker Curtis Matzke, and Local 476 President Bradley Matthys and Business Director Mark Hogan.

Stage 18 co-founders — Cinespace President Alex Pissios and Executive Producer Angie Gaffney — were also in attendance.

Eamonnn Walker and Sheila Brown

After the presentation, Brown expressed confidence that both Hawley and Amoaku “will make wonderful additions to their departments.” As the woman in charge of a foundation that provides youth from underserved communities with access to the film industry, she knows how to spot talent.

“I worked with Kwame here at Cinespace,” she recalls. “He took some of my interns into the locations department on Chicago Fire and so forth. He’s done it all, and so has Peter.”

Brown also praised the authenticity of Dick Wolf’s Windy City trifecta of shows — Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. — which are filmed at Cinespace.

“What are they mostly doing? Shooting in communities where people look like me,” she explained. “There’s a different perspective when you have someone who authentically lives in that space, as opposed to someone who says, ‘I know what gang members talk like.’ It’s just different. It’s not saying one is better than the other. It’s simply saying it helps to have different perspectives on things to make it more rich.”

Jesse Ruiz and Samir Mayekar

Illinois Deputy Governor Jesse Ruiz and Chicago Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar also addressed the crowd. While increasing the event’s enthusiasm, they also described the exponential benefits that production brings to communities all over the state.

“Expanding the film industry in Illinois will give our students a wider range of career and educational opportunities,” said Ruiz.

“At five in the morning, when you’re getting ready to film, you need to get some food from somewhere,” said Mayekar. “Right?”

Never a dull moment
Speaking with Reel Chicago, Hawley and Amoaku seemed excited to admit that their new jobs probably won’t ever follow any sort of routine.

Hawley, who visits Cinespace at least once a week, recalled the “good surprise” that greeted him when he began making the rounds of his new job. “I was shocked by the number of women in high level positions,” he said “UPMs, producers, location managers — it was great.”

Amoaku, who deals with a myriad of departments to coordinate the city’s on-location shoots, looks forward to building bridges with residents who are affected by the process. “It’s not Hollywood coming to take over their blocks,” he explained. “These are blue-collar workers coming to make a living, and we need to make sure they understand that.”

Send your film updates to Reel Chicago Editor Dan Patton, dan@reelchicago.com.

Royal Starr Film Festival Returns to Royal Oak

Sat, 07 Sep 2019 13:30:00 GMT

The Royal Starr Film Festival will bring dozens of independent movies and local filmmakers to the Emagine Theatre in Royal Oak through Sept. 15.

Organizers Luke Castle and Corey Milton dropped by the Fox2 News studios Sunday morning to discuss the event and the The Royal Starr Arts Institute.

Watch the video above and click here for more information.

Albuquerque Journal: Film industry has record-breaking year

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 02:00:00 GMT

BY ADRIAN GOMEZ / JOURNAL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Thursday, August 22nd, 2019 at 10:10pm

The landscape for film and TV in New Mexico is ever changing.

This is one reason the state remains a “go to” area in the industry. In fact, Fiscal Year 2019 saw a record year in direct spending from the film industry here.

According to the New Mexico State Film Office, during that fiscal year – which ran from July 1, 2018, through June 30 – the direct spend into the New Mexico economy was $525.5 million.

This is up from $234 million in FY18 and $505.9 million in FY17, which had been the record high.

And state officials expect a recent change in the film landscape to lead to even more spending.

“Since the passage of Senate Bill 2, we’ve seen an uptick in inquiries in the state,” said Alicia J. Keyes, New Mexico Secretary of Economic Development. “Both metro and … rural areas are seeing that increase.”

The bill, signed in March, became law on July 1. It raised the cap on what can be paid to film and TV productions in a single year from $50 million to $110 million.

Some productions have also moved to the state from Georgia and Louisiana because of the political climate, as well as New Mexico’s film incentive package offering more.

Film companies currently receive a 25% rebate on goods and service expenses for most projects in New Mexico, and some TV shows get up to a 30% rebate.

An additional 5% tax credit will be added for companies that take productions to rural areas – which means 60 miles outside the Albuquerque/Santa Fe corridor.

There are also carve-outs for companies that commit to stay in the state for at least 10 years. This includes Netflix and NBC Universal, who both made Albuquerque a hub for production within the past year. The productions for both entities aren’t subject to the $110 million cap.

Since Jan. 1, a total of 33 projects have been registered through the New Mexico Film Office. A 34th production, Zoe Saldana’s “Keyhole Garden,” is slated to begin filming in Albuquerque on Monday.

In FY19, 73 projects were filmed in New Mexico; 43 had a budget of $1 million or more.

The scale of production ranges from commercials to feature films.

Meanwhile, the Santa Fe arts collective Meow Wolf produced five multimedia projects in April and May.

In June, Meow Wolf CEO Vince Kadlubek said he envisions that the Meow Wolf universe will have a TV series and comic books.

“Our hope is that over the next 10 to 20 years, the company is spoken of in the same way as Disney, Marvel, Jim Henson,” Kadlubek said in June. “These are legends of storytelling and story universes. That’s our hope, and we are putting the intention out there.”

Netflix is currently filming “Army of the Dead” and NBC Universal has the TV series “Briarpatch” on the ground.

Keyes said, “The key to keeping the film industry successful in the state is having diversity.”

Part of that diversity is having partners such as Netflix and NBC Universal planting roots for at least 10 years.

“With the New Mexico partners, they are giving us much more stability and consistency,” she said. “What we’re going to see is the direct spend in the state slowly grow. In the past, we had years that went high and then would drop off. Having the partners and bringing stability will allow us to grow in all avenues of this industry.”

Keyes also noted that Netflix and NBC Universal have a minimum direct spend requirement, so the state knows how much both companies will be spending.

The state also expects to attract other film industry-related projects, such as those from Meow Wolf, which include a companion app.

“Entertainment isn’t film and TV any more,” Keyes said. “It’s also interactive media. The line between all of them is blending.”

With the uptick in the industry, New Mexicans who moved to Georgia or Louisiana are moving back to the state.

According to the film office, there are no fewer than 15 projects currently filming in the state. Some of those include the TV series “Roswell, New Mexico” and “Better Call Saul,” and the films “Wander” and “Half Brothers.”

“We’re not at capacity with crew,” Keyes said. “We still have a large crew on the rollover list. We need to continue to train people and we need to get them advanced training.”

A new Native American film program is in the works and the state is also working with educational outlets to develop more programs for students.

“We don’t want to expand too fast and we want our New Mexicans working,” she said. “It looks like we’re going to continue to steadily grow.”

Free Press: A lot of people think it's time to revive Michigan's film incentives

Sat, 30 Mar 2019 14:00:00 GMT

Carol Cain, Free Press Business Columnist Published 6:30 a.m. ET March 30, 2019 | Updated 10:11 a.m. ET April 8, 2019

Every so often someone asks if Michigan should bring back the film incentives. They recall the impact and vibe the program gave the region for film and TV production, during the period when they were the most lucrative in the United States.

The incentives were launched by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2008 to help an ailing state, capped by Gov. Rick Snyder in 2011 and ended entirely in 2015.

But with a new governor and legislature in place, might this be the time to reconsider the incentives in some form?

Kale Davidoff (Photo: Chris Gaede)

Lots of folks, including “New Money” producer Kale Davidoff and “The Russian Five “ documentary director Joshua Riehl, both raised in Michigan, would love to see that happen. They say it would support the important artistic, creative industry that was catching on when the incentives ended.

The story of film incentives in Michigan has certainly come full circle. In 2008 the state was in crisis as the auto industry was in shambles and Detroit on the financial brink amid foreclosures galore, and young people bailing out with few job prospects here.

Granholm came up with an idea of offering the most lucrative film tax incentives in the nation (up to 42 percent) to inspire more film work and hopefully economic development. The Legislature gave its blessing.

It clicked. Big-ticket movies and stars including Clint Eastwood, Faye Dunaway, Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino descended on Detroit, Ann Arbor and Traverse City. Movie production houses popped up in Pontiac and other locations.

Flash forward a few years later under Snyder, who put the state’s budget under a microscope and determined the incentives didn’t provide return on the state’s investment.

The state awarded $400 million in incentives during those years, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

“The program no longer exists, but the Michigan Film & Digital Media Office continues to retain and attract local and out-of-state productions by promoting Michigan’s diverse locations and growing local partnerships to support production activity,” said Otie McKinley, a MEDC spokesman.

Davidoff produced his first film in Michigan, minus any incentives.

“I have wanted to make films since I was a little kid,” said Davidoff. “It was after high school when the Michigan film incentives offered me the opportunity to work in the production offices of films (being done in Michigan) like 'LOL' and 'Youth in Revolt' that I discovered what it meant to work under producers and production management,” Davidoff said.

Forced to move to LA

That first film, “New Money," telling the story of a family dealing with wealth, drugs and the cost of education, will be available April 16 on Blu-Ray/DVD and streaming platforms including Amazon and iTunes. It is being released by Gravitas Ventures.

“I worked in the film industry in Michigan from 2008 to 2016 but was forced to move to LA after the dissolution of the incentives,” he said. “It was devastating. Most people I knew in the industry are either no longer doing it or don’t do it in Michigan.”

Davidoff added: “There were a lot of politicians integral in removing the incentives who would claim that they didn’t want to pick winners and losers, but we know they do that anyway for other industries.

“I think a lot of politicians wanted to keep ‘Hollywood’ out of Michigan, but what they really did when they got rid of the incentives was kick a person in Wyandotte out of a job, make a business in Pontiac question a renovation investment, and convince a talented kid from Detroit that he or she has to move elsewhere to tell his or her story.”

“New Money” was filmed here because Davidoff and Jason Kohl, the director who grew up in East Lansing and lives in Germany, wanted it done here. They found their own financing.

Not having incentives is a major impediment when states including Georgia are dangling millions. Georgia has invested $800 million in tax credits, which the governor has said led to $2.7 billion in spending through things such as hotel rooms and auto rentals.

"Unless you’re making a very small movie, it’s very difficult to convince investors to give up the 25-30 percent they might get back in another location," said Kohl.

He added, "I still want to tell Michigan stories, but have accepted that I will have to shoot those stories predominantly in Canada and Ohio, which have incentives. Something I wanted to say when they killed the incentive: Gov. Snyder’s commission pretended like the film industry was supposed to create permanent, 9-5 jobs, like in a car factory. That’s not how film works. People work on multiple films, of multiple budgets, in the course of a year. It’s a freelance industry, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a massive impact on an economy."

As of 2018, 31 states offered some sort of film tax incentive, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

For Michigan to reconsider them now leaders would need to weigh, “whether incentivizing the movie industry is worth what they get in exchange” said Meredith Jordan, an author who has written about them. Leaders make such assessments on things like stadiums and other major projects.

“Tax credits have reshaped the face of movie production in the United States,” said Jordan, author of "Below The Line: Anatomy of a Successful Movie.”

Bad timing

“Unfortunately we missed out on the incentives,” said Joshua Riehl, a film director from Port Huron. “The week I moved back to Michigan from Austin, Texas, where I went to film school, in order to seek funding for the ("The Russian Five”) documentary, they killed the incentives.”

He spent seven years bringing his documentary to life.

Riehl grew up wanting to be a filmmaker but a serious car accident stalled his plans. As he recuperated, his grandparents gave him a Detroit Red Wings Vladimir Konstantinov jersey — his favorite player. It inspired him to tell the story of how Konstantinov and four other Russians came to play for the Wings. He worked with Jenny Feterovich, a local producer, and Dan Milstein of Gold Star Mortgages to finish the film.

Director Joshua Riehl interviews actor Jeff Daniels at his Chelsea Studio. (Photo: Meghan Melia)

“I put my heart, soul and seven years of my life into making 'The Russian Five' to tell the ultimate Detroit underdog story, but as much as I've loved being back home around family and friends and the Great Lakes, the challenges of developing and maintaining a career in the film industry in Michigan are daunting,” Riehl said.

“Professionally, I'd be better off building off of the success of 'The Russian Five' by moving back to Austin or going to Los Angeles,” he said. “But Michigan is home and I want to build something here, much like Richard Linklater did in Austin, Texas.

Director Joshua Riehl interviews coach Scotty Bowman at the 2015 Hall of Fame Inductions. (Photo: Gold Star Films, LLC)

“At the same time, if that remains an arduous task, I won't hesitate to leave because as much as I love Michigan, I like being able to pay my rent just a little bit more,” he added.

Davidoff will also continue his battle of convincing people to invest in films here.

“Whether through grants, incentives, private financing, art needs support. And Michigan, like any state or region facing existential challenges and changes, needs art,” Davidoff said.“If you build that support, the business side of it will come.”

Contact Carol Cain: 313-222-6732 or clcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of "Michigan Matters,” which airs 11:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS 62. See L. Brooks Patterson (recorded before news last week of his illness), Milan Stevanovich, Mike Brennan and Michael Noblett on this Sunday’s show

We Grew Our Film Program The Right Way

Sat, 18 Aug 2018 18:28:10 GMT

Published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
By Susana Martinez
August 18, 2018

When I took office in 2011, we faced a projected $450 million budget deficit. To get state government back on track, we had to set new priorities, cut wasteful spending, reduce the size of the state bureaucracy and reform spending practices.

As part of a broad, bipartisan agreement to close our deficit, the Legislature and I enacted significant changes to New Mexico’s film incentive program, including — for the first time — capping the amount the state would pay each year in reimbursements for film and TV production expenses. We also closed loopholes in the incentive that had led to past abuse. Then in 2013 — in recognition that TV projects are typically longer-running and provide more stable employment — we raised the cap to 30 percent for TV series in the Breaking Bad bill.

As part of our reforms, smaller TV and film productions receive their rebate payments right away, and larger productions are paid out over several years. And, if there’s room under the cap, payments can be accelerated.

These reforms prevented cuts to classroom spending and health care services that would have otherwise been made — and not just in 2011. Imagine if the state had been required to fund more than $100 million in film industry payouts each year during our recent energy price crisis; taxes would have been raised on families and small businesses, education and health care programs would have been deeply cut, or the film incentive would have been scrapped altogether.

By capping the annual total payout of the film incentive, we brought stability and predictability to the state budget and ensured the viability of the film incentive for years to come. No longer would the state see large, erratic and unpredictable swings in annual spending to incentivize TV and film production.

By any objective measure, New Mexico’s film incentive is working incredibly well — for our film industry, workers and taxpayers alike.

Between 2014 and 2016, direct spending in New Mexico’s economy on the production of movies and TV series more than doubled — from $162 million to $387 million. The number of large production projects increased from 18 to 30.

Then 2017 came along and shattered the figures from previous years. More than half a billion dollars were spent in New Mexico on over 60 large film and TV projects that produced nearly 450,000 days’ worth of work for industry employees. As is the nature of this cyclical industry, several of these productions have since concluded, and 2018 is expected to be more in line with previous years.

The results speak for themselves and prove wrong the naysayers and special interests who insisted, with great hyperbole, that the incentive cap would kill our film industry back in 2011.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 13 states have ended their film incentive programs in recent years, often citing budget unpredictability as a reason. That is not the route we took. We chose to reform and improve our incentive instead, mitigating fiscal uncertainty while still providing room for the industry to grow and thrive in New Mexico. And grow it has! Any future adjustment to the incentive should build on this successful approach.

Diversifying New Mexico’s economy requires us to compete for jobs — of all types and throughout the private sector. We chose to compete — over the long haul — for film industry jobs, just as we have for construction, manufacturing, health care, energy and other types of jobs. It will be a long road, but New Mexico’s economy is diversifying in front of our eyes. Our unemployment rate is at its lowest point in a decade, tax revenues are soaring, and more than 50,000 private sector jobs have been created since I took office.

Choosing to compete — and to grow our economy in the right way — is clearly paying off.