Film makers visit West Michigan to push for continued incentives

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Film makers were in West Michigan Friday, hoping to persuade lawmakers that the state's generous film tax incentives are working.

In 2008, the state handed out credits of up to 42 percent on all the money film makers spent in Michigan. Since then, 82 movies have been shot in the state, more than half of them in 2009.

The Michigan Film Office says that production houses have so far spent a total of $216 million on crews, office space, and meals in Michigan.

On Friday, the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council held a meeting at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids to discuss tax incentives and why they think Michigan should keep offering them.

Some in Lansing are saying that the incentives are too generous, and that Michigan can't afford to offer so much.

Documentary film maker and Michigan native Michael Moore says that bringing movies to the state is one of the keys to turning the economy around.

“It's part of the future,” said Moore, “we're never going to be Hollywood, but we have to start diversifying. We should have done this years ago, it's absolutely crazy to be dependent on one industry for so long, and now we're playing catch up, and it's a difficult game.”

Moore says he hopes Michigan will keep offering the incentives long enough for film makers to see what the state has to offer. He believes that will be enough to keep the industry coming back, with or without an incentive.