Blogger: Chrystal Gowens
Anyone who lives in Michigan and is at all familiar with the economic status should’ve been happy to hear that our state was a possible “place of interest” for Warner Bros, Co.’s new studio development plans.
Since the 4.7 million square foot Ford plant in Wixom, Michigan was closed (May of 2007), it has stood empty just waiting for someone to take an interest in it again. Although Warner Bros, Co. claims it was simply an exploratory visit when they scouted out the location on August 18th, it sparked conversation about the possibility of the company turning the old plant into a film studio.
After all, this wouldn’t be the first time that Warner Bros, Co. has turned a non-feature related building into a place to film their movies. The Harry Potter motion pictures were shot in an old air base in England and all the fans know how well those turned out.
The Michigan Film Office chief operating officer, Tony Wenson, said that a studio the size that Warner Bros, Co. would be expected to build could create 60 to 100 full time jobs in the off season, with an extra 300 to 500 during production. According to him, demands for housing, car rental companies, and laundry services, along with other amenities would have the possibility of sprouting up in the area as well.
The state’s legislature came up with the right idea concerning the whole film business issue. It has offered some pretty agreeable incentives to filmmakers willing to film in Michigan. They include the reimbursement for up to 50% of on the job training, 42% on production, and even 25% on construction costs - all good reasons for a film company to locate here.
Unfortunately, recent rumor has it that a few of our eager state development companies went to Warner Bros, Co. in search of numerous guarantees concerning the project, which then led to the production company taking a step back from the whole idea. There’s always a chance that they may come back again in the future, but it looks like, for now at least, the smell of desperation might have ruined Michigan’s chances when it comes to Warner Bros, Co.– that is, considering that the reports contained any truth at all. Warner Bros, Co. spokesperson, Scott Rowe maintained that the company was simply checking out the plant and that the media has been “overzealous in their reporting.”
In the mean time though, there are other companies planning on building studios and shooting films in our state. Great Lakes Studios, which is being erected in the southwestern part of the state will be the first studio built in West Michigan. A partner in the California-based company V-One Entertainment and president of the film company Safe Harbor Productions, David O'Malley, said that he “hopes the facility will be operational by November.” The studio is expected to fill 30,000 square feet and consist of offices, editing suites, conference rooms and a soundstage. V-One Entertainment plans to build film studios in Ann Arbor and the Grand Rapids/Grand Haven area as well, according to O’Malley.
The Michigan Film Office’s web site currently lists twelve movies in production within the state (including “Miss January” with Kim Cattrall and “Whip It” with Drew Barrymore) and anticipates three more on top of that. Just think of all the celebrities that could show up randomly during production periods in the future! Looks like there just might be a chance for me to get that Johnny Depp autograph I’ve always wanted after all…!
Articles written on the subject:
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/17230057/detail.html?subid=10100241
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080820/BIZ/808200346
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080819/NEWS03/80819053
http://www.mlive.com/businessreview/oakland/index.ssf/2008/08/wixom_plant_use_by_studio_woul.html
http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/08/state_revels_in_plans_for_movi.html
http://www.michigan.gov/filmoffice/0,1607,7-248-51394---,00.html
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