Written by on May 25, 2012. Posted in Incentive News

Michigan doubles film fund for 12 months

Authorities in Michigan have announced their film fund will be doubled on a short-term basis in a bid to attract more location filming projects. Sharp revisions last year left the state with an annual fund of just USD25 million but this will be doubled for 12 months from October 2012.

Joe Bessacini is Vice President of film and TV production incentives at Cast & Crew Entertainment Services in Burbank, California and spoke to the Detroit Free Press: “Fifty million will definitely help attract more business to the state. The damage has been done but it's to be seen whether it can be rectified or not.”

Fifty million will definitely help attract more business to the state. The damage has been done but it's to be seen whether it can be rectified or not.

Joe Bessacini, Cast & Crew Entertainment Services

Michigan had massive success between 2008 and 2011 offering uncapped tax credits. Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful was the last big-budget production to shoot in the state, winning an incentive payment of some USD40 million from qualifying production spending of more than USD100 million.

The state has struggled to appeal to major studio productions since the tax credit was reduced. Doubling the current figure has been welcomed, but locals will be looking for longer-term support for Michigan’s filming industries.

(Main page image: Shawn Wilson)