When Michigan Governor Rick Snyder decided to cut the tax incentives from more than $100 million during 2010 to less than $25 million, he sure didn’t consider how quickly Hollywood would react.
Since offering a film tax credit of up to 42% in 2008, the state has attracted more than 100 movie and TV productions, and according to the Michigan Film Office, those productions have created more than 6,763 production-related jobs, along with more than 4,000 jobs for extras.
“It makes no sense to eliminate a program that has actually been creating jobs,” said documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, a member of the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council.
“The Avengers”, Marvel’s big budget movie featuring Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk and others together for the first time, was to be partially shot in the state this summer but producers have already decided it won’t be filming in the state.
“They were all set to come here,” said Chris Baum of Film Detroit, a division of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. “However when producers couldn’t get confirmation that they would still qualify for the incentives, they decided to pull out of the state,” Baum said.
Tom Moisides, of Michigan-based Colony Films, has been working since November as a location scout on the film, however on Saturday he received a phone call with the message his services as a location scout for “The Avengers” would no longer be needed.
“I’m mad as hell,” Moisides said. “I feel like I’ve been punched in the stomach. Something has to happen quickly if we’re going to keep the film industry here, like a message from the governor that says, ‘We’re still open for business.’ The reality is, because of the uncertainty, productions are shutting down immediately.”
It will be interesting to see if the state will be able to retain productions or if the companies will start looking elsewhere for locations, rather than waiting to see what happens.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
The Rick was trying to be the Un-Grandholm – killing a program just because the previous governor worked so hard for it.
I worry that he’s out of his depth when it comes to running a Political enterprise.
I would thank Michael Moore wood like everyone to pay more taxes. I guess everyone but his Hollywood friends.
I think that people who can’t spell common words like “would”, yet support politicians who only give tax breaks to MBAs who make more than $250, 000 a year, should have to pay a stupid tax.
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Actually, the movie production credits were not bringing enough money to Michigan.
the new governor was wise in realizing the tax credits could be better spent elsewhere.