Posted 9 March, 2008 in MI News
If everything goes as planned, Michigan may soon become one of the main production hubs in the U.S. The reason? A forty percent rebate, no per picture or yearly cap, and (later in the year) a production loan program. There is an additional two percent incentive for shooting in any of 103 Core Communities. The expected effective date is April 1st, with the required Application Form available in 10 days. Anyone needing to start pre-production prior to April 1st should discuss retroactivity with the Michigan Film Office. There is a salary cap of $2 million per person.
While details are not yet final, the following information is accurate as of this writing. Cast and crew need not be Michigan residents to qualify, but they only qualify if Michigan state income taxes are paid. Purchases and rentals must be from a Michigan vendor to qualify, but the vendor may arrange a sub-rental from an out-of-state supplier and still qualify if the required items are not available within the state. Services must be provided by in-state vendors to qualify.
The rebate will be paid in 30 to 60 days, to a maximum of 90 days after all materials have been submitted in good order; the producer will be responsible for providing an appropriate audit. It is NOT necessary to file a state tax return prior to receiving the rebate; however, uncompleted film will not qualify.
The Detroit IATSE reports between 120 and 140 active members with motion picture experience; Michigan IA is on area standards, Maryland rates.
There is one large sound stage, and a 35mm processing lab.
Detroit, on the Canadian border, is the largest city in the state, with a population somewhat under a million. Other cities include Lansing (the State capital), Ann Arbor, Flint, and Grand Rapids, with populations between 100,000 and 200,000. The state is divided into two Peninsulas - the Lower, with a population of just under 10 million, and the Upper, which is as large as Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined but has fewer than 330,000 inhabitants. The two peninsulas are connected by a 5-mile suspension bridge; the Upper Peninsula stretches across the top of Wisconsin, and touches Minnesota.
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