Less than two months after Governor Jennifer Granholm signed legislation designed to grow the film industry in Michigan, the first studio is being planned. At a news conference in the shadow of the capitol dome, developers announced plans for City Center Studios. The new facility will be built in downtown Lansing just north of Oldsmobile Park. The new facility will be built on Cedar Street between Michigan Avenue and Saginaw Highway.

The legislation signed by Governor Granholm on April 7, 2008, spurred the creation of City Center Studios. Specifically, the new laws provide a 40 percent tax credit for producing films in Michigan, with an added 2 percent rebate for films produced in core communities, including Lansing.

The aggressive film incentive program is intended to increase the number of productions filmed on location in Michigan, attract production facilities, and grow industry activities that support film production, create jobs and train workers for those jobs. Whether it will succeed is another story.

“This project is one of the most tangible results of the recent film legislation enacted,” said Ken Droz, Manager of Creative and Communications, Michigan Film Office. “It creates the perfect confluence of elements required for film production, such as capital investment, infrastructure and the development of a talented, indigenous workforce.”

Continued – “Across the country and around the world the film industry is a multi-billion dollar industry,” said Granholm. “The industry’s investment in Michigan will create a new industry and new jobs. We’re pleased to welcome City Center Studios and its jobs to Michigan.”

City Center Studios will be a joint venture between the Lansing based Gillespie Group and Ahptic Film & Digital also of Lansing. Both organizations say the new 71,000-square-foot facility will be built with private funds and include:

Two 24,000-square-foot stages

Full stage services to include lighting and grip, camera rentals, sound and video services, heavy equipment rentals, storage space, expendables store, set construction, HVAC, security, stage managers, catering, wireless Internet, etc.

Numerous production office amenities: conference and meeting rooms, wardrobe rooms, freight elevators, phones and high-speed internet, intercom system, copy services, mail drop, janitorial services, furniture rental, concierge services, etc.

Post and screening facilities with 7,000-square-foot total ADR, Foley and re-recording stages, 4KDI color correction suites, 70-seat screening room with 4K projection on a 30- foot screen, full HD offline/online editorial suites, graphics/animation suites with shared high-speed storage

Data connectivity directly connected to a metropolitan FiberOptic Gigabit Ethernet, connected to a Tier 1 Data Center for storing production work, secure telephone/intercom service that can be directly configured for specific projects in less than a day

The developers feel Michigan’s Capital City is the perfect site for the proposed City Center Studios project. The urban environment has amenities that make it easy and enjoyable to live, work and play – all within walking distance, and the Mayor agrees.

“For several years now we’ve been working hard to transform Lansing into one of the great Midwestern capital cities,” Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said. “This project could put Lansing, Michigan, in the middle of the national film industry and create hundreds of jobs at the same time. That’s a very exciting prospect for our city, our region and the entire state.”

And boosters say it will bring much needed jobs to the region.”We don’t have exact numbers on the additional people we’ll need to hire, but we estimate it will be around 20 full-time positions with an additional 100-to-300 high-paying freelance positions. This number could easily expand over time as the business is further developed,” said Matt Martyn, executive producer, Ahptic Film & Digital.

In addition, the plan for City Center Studios includes the opportunity to provide a real life learning experience for students. Discussions are underway with local colleges to hold classes within the facility and offer internships for interested students.

“Both the Colleges of Communication Arts and Sciences and Arts and Letters at Michigan State University are excited about the opportunities that this level of production company provides the city, the state and our MSU students,” said Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon. “Faculty are anxious to explore opportunities for student involvement and creative collaborations.”

The project and the Legislation is not without critics. Some have complained that since the state’s incentive plan kicks in at $50,000, this will not attract local filmmakers with limited budgets, and others say Michigan will not attract filmmakers at all because of its long winter and grey skies. But Michigan has been home to over a 100 major motion pictures over the years including
`Where the Boys Are”, “Roger and Me” and “Dream Girls.” In addition there have been countless industrial, training and short films made in Michigan, not to mention TV commercials.

Films Made in Michigan

From www.Michigan.gov
1946
This Time For Keeps – MGM

1959
Anatomy of a Murder – Universal

1960
Where the Boys Are – MGM

1973
Scarecrow – Warner Brothers
Detroit 9000 – Holly Hill Productions

1978
Blue Collar – Universal Pictures
The Betsy – Allied Artists

1979
Hardcore – Columbia
Somewhere In Time – Universal
Jimmy B. & Andre – Georgian Bay TV Movie

1980
Word of Honor – Georgian Bay TV Movie

1981
Continental Divide – Universal Pictures
Assignment Berlin – Muse Pictures, Inc.
Tom Edison – Ohio Production Company

1982
The Evil Dead – Renaissance Pictures

1983
Tough Enough – American Cinema
Tiger Town – Thompson Street Films
Doctor Detroit – Universal
Crimewave – Renaissance/Pressman

1984
Beverly Hills Cop – Paramount Pictures

1985
The Carrier – Swan Productions

1986
Rosary Murders – Take One Productions

1987
Beverly Hills Cop II – Paramount Pictures
Collision Course – DeLaurentis Film Group
The Evil Dead II – Renaissance Pictures
Hemingway- Daniel Wilson Production
Action Jackson – Lorimar
Midnight Run – Universal Pictures

1988
Moontrap – Shapiro Glickenhaus Entertainment
Chameleon Street – Prismatic Films
American Cops – AM Trading, Inc.
American Beauty Ltd. – Marcello Productions
Singapore Harbor – Cine-Makers, Inc.
Young At Heart – Sue Marx Film, Inc.
Tanner `88 – HBO/Darkhorse

1989
American Cops II – AM Trading, Inc.
Prancer – Orion
Presumed Innocent – Warner Brothers
Lunatics – Renaissance Pictures
Roger and Me – Warner Brothers

1990
Die Hard II – 20th Century Fox

1991
Truth or Dare – Miramax
Only the Lonely – 20th Century
Zebrahead – Ixtlan

1992
Hoffa – 20th Century
Aspen Extreme – Hollywood Pictures

1993
True Romance – Warner Brothers
Crossing the Bridge – Outlaw
The Paraclete – Immigrant Films
One Room Castle – Zone V Productions

1994
Renaissance Man – Touchstone
Judicial Consent – Prelude Pictures
Cobb – Warner Brothers
Four Corners of Nowhere – Chapter II Productions
Lost on the Bohemian Road – Bohemian Productions

1995
Hatred of a Minute – Darkart Productions
Happy Hour – VELOCITY Pictures
Mosquito – Mosquito Motion Pictures
Sleeping Bear – Brauer Productions
Flirting With Disaster – New Line

1996
Full Blast – Sound Bites
The Incorporated – Make Believe Productions
The Killing Tide – Tiger Lake

1997
In the Woods – Katharys Pictures
Four Way Stop – Chicken City Films
Grosse Pointe Blank – Caravan Pictures
Polish Wedding – Addis-Wechsler
Reach The Rock – Hughes Productions
Tainted – Am I Wrong Productions

1998
All of It – All of It Productions
The Big One – Dog Eat Dog/BBC
One Half Gone – Peebo Productions
Out Of Sight – Universal Pictures
Postmark Paradise – Motion Picture Makers
Stardust – Cireel Films Ltd. with Zone V Productions
Knight Chills – Collective Development
The Last Big Attraction – Hopwood Productions, Inc.

1999
Detroit Rock City – New Line Cinema
Love and Action In Chicago – L & A Productions
Rachel’s Attic – Gothic Pictures
Chasing Sleep – Forensic 391
From Venus – Collective Development
The Lost Treasure of Sawtooth Island – Brauer Productions

2000
Escanaba in da Moonlight – Purple Rose Films Ltd.
Driven – Warner Brothers
`61 – HBO
Hardball – Paramount Pictures
Heaven’s Neighbors – Collective Development

2001
American Pie 2 – Universal Pictures
China (TV) – Jazzy Tam Production
Figure in the Forest – Collective Development
Road to Perdition – Dreamworks
Below – Miramax
Super Sucker – Purple Rose Films Ltd.
8 Mile – Universal Pictures

2002
An Ordinary Killer – Collective Development
Terror At Baxter U – APEX Entertainment/BV Productions
Hellmaster – Dolphin Productions Ltd.
Bowling for Columbine – Dog Eat Dog
MVP – Extra Film Production
NARC – Lions Gate / Cutting Edge
Naqoyqatsi – Miramax
Standing in the Shadows of Motown – Rimshot / Artisan
Timequest – Destination Earth LLC

2003
Dark Heaven – Omega Productions
Barn Red – Brauer Productions
Upside of Anger – Sunlight/Media 8
Layla’s Girl – Autumn Rain Features
The Invitation – Indiehorror.com

2004
Mongol King – Regal Dog
Kalamazoo? – Londinium Films
Dead End Road – Indiehorror.com
The Island – Dreamworks

2005
Life Goes On – Orlando Entertainment
Four Brothers – Paramount
Crossover – Dribble Productions

2006
Frozen Stupid – Brauer Productions Inc.
Amsteroid – Odd Angle Entertainment
Offshore – TMS Universal
The Dread – Safe Harbor Productions
Dreamgirls – Dreamworks
Transformers – Dreamworks

2007
Jumper – 20th Century Fox
Semi Pro – New Line Cinema