Michigan Misses Hollywood? Will They Come Back to Make Movies?

Are you a movie buff as I am? Do you get all excited when a movie or TV show is shooting in our state? Ahh, Hollywood, the glitz, the glamor, the stars.

At one time the film industry was using Michigan as a backdrop for many projects, but our state legislature, in their infinite wisdom, decided the industry didn't need any more support and cancelled all of the tax incentives. The movie business dried up in Michigan, and moved on to other states.

Remember movies like Grand Torino, Real Steel, and Transformers? They were all filmed in our state. Remember Hardcore, filmed in Grand Rapids and staring George C. Scott? How about The Road to Perdition with Tom Hanks?

How about 30 Minutes or Less with Jesse Eisenberg and Aziz Ansari?

and The End of the Tour, also with Jesse Eisenberg? That movie, by the way, was filmed partially in our radio studios, but always at night to not bother our morning shows.

Fox 17 reported that the original film incentive cost Michigan $500 million but did not generate long-term jobs or a sustainable film industry here in Michigan, so it ended in 2015. Now, Senator Dayna Polehanki wants to re-invent the state's film industry with the Michigan Multi-media Jobs Act. Senator Polehanki says:

"The old program cut checks to Hollywood producers, but this program does not. It offers a tax rebate only if a production company provides receipts they use Michigan vendors and personnel."

Of course not everyone in state government is on board. Many believe the industry will actually invest in out state and just repeat the patterns of hiring and then firing local talent to bring in Hollywood crews.

Will the film industry gets the incentives they need and will they return to Michigan ? Will the excitement and glamor return? Time will tell.