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ANNOUNCER: This is a HouseDems Report.

ANNOUNCER: This is a HouseDems Report.

ANNOUNCER: Jan Lockwood, Director of the Michigan Film Office.

LOCKWOOD: At one time in the 50's and 60's there were more feet of film shot in the State of Michigan than in the rest of the world combined.  Now things changed, and we'd like them to go back where it was so that Michigan is the leader in film production.

ANNOUNCER: House Democrats have announced a bipartisan plan that will create jobs and boost Michigan's economy by attracting the film industry to our state with the most competitive film incentive package in the country, making Michigan one of the easiest and most affordable states for production work.

The package received support this week from Michigan film producers and other advocates of the film industry at a joint committee hearing of the House Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee. Detroit Free Press Columnist Mitch Albom and Michigan actor Jeff Daniels were on hand to testify in support of the film incentive package.

ANNOUNCER: Jeff Daniels.

DANIELS:  Jobs.  It will create jobs.  Instantly create jobs.  It will put people to work and what's real encouraging is all the phone calls I've been getting from L.A. producers who are asking, "is the incentive package going to pass?" because they will bring their film here.  Mitch Albom's got those same calls as has Mike Binder and Jan Lockwood at the Film Commission.  They're paying attention to what the state is doing and if the state does pass this, they will bring their movies here and they will need people on their crews.

Certainly all of the people that are still in the film and television industries such that it is in Michigan will instantly get work.  More work than they can handle, probably.  We will also take a lot of those kids that are thinking about film or television and we will stop them from moving to L.A. and getting in a long, long line of people from all over the country that have moved there.  And it will allow them the opportunity to stay here.  The Governor and the State Legislature and the MEDC have been saying, how do we keep people here, particularly our young people, this is one example of how we can do that.

What I like also is it's the arts.  It's showbusiness, emphasis on business, yes, but it's also taking the arts and the artists of this state, the film artists, the behind the scenes artists, the lighting, the staging, the construction crews who build the sets, the sound people, and the actors, and the younger actors and it takes those people and it says: we believe in you so much that we're going to pass this package and create a whole industry that didn't exist yesterday.  And if the state does that, I think they'll be applauded and at a time when Michigan needs all the positive news it can get, and certainly forward progress, I think that this would be a wonderful step in that direction.

ANNOUNCER: Through the bipartisan film incentive package, Michigan filmmakers would enjoy a 40 percent tax credit, the biggest tax break for the film industry in the entire nation.  In addition, other tax incentives, loan programs and job training expense credits would make Michigan one of the most inexpensive states for production work.  The incentive package also opens up state properties such as parks, buildings, roads and landmarks to be used with ease, cutting the red tape producers normally would have to go through to film in our state.

State Representative Andy Meisner, who is the Chair of the House Commerce Committee had this to say. 

            

MEISNER: We had a fantastic hearing today where we hear from some of the all-stars here in Michigan like Jeff Daniels and Mitch Albom as well as folks that have been involved in the industry for decades and clearly, we are tapping into something that represents a ton of opportunity for Michigan to provide an immediate boost to our economy, to provide some job opportunities for some people that have maybe been displaced from other industries, and also to help us fight the "brain drain" that is sending a lot of our best and brightest kids who we graduate from college to other places like New York and L.A. So, I think it was very successful and I think that what we heard today is that the package of bills really represents the most comprehensive package in the country for not only attracting the motion picture industry to Michigan, but to making sure that we keep it here and get repeat business.

In particular, we heard a lot of testimony about the strong work ethic of Michigan workers, and that that is something that provides a foundation for us to build and to grow this industry that has a little bit of a toehold in Michigan, but that through implementation of this package, is going to really seal the deal.  And so we're very excited about it, we think that the jobs crisis in Michigan is an urgent one and so this is a timely and urgent response to the problem.

ANNOUNCER: This, has been a HouseDems Report.