Mar 29, 2024
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Headline, Industry News

Are Michigan film incentives worth it? Hear from some people who have benefited

GRAND RAPIDS — Jeremy and Andrea Waterbury are the poster couple for the success of the state’s film incentive program, according to supporters.

Jeremy, an Indiana native, chose to attend film school in Michigan in 2008 because the state had just approved the film and television production incentives.

Since he graduated in 2009, he has worked on five films, including as an assistant to Ruben Fleischer, director of “30 Minutes or Less.”

And through his contacts, his wife, a personal trainer, added Fleischer and actor Aziz Ansari to her client list.

“The reason why I’m here is because of the incentive,” said Jeremy, 29. “We don’t have family here. If the incentive is taken away, we would seriously consider leaving the state.”

Waterbury and his wife were among about 120 people gathered at Rosa Parks Circle Tuesday for a noontime rally in support of the state’s film incentive, which pays up to 42 percent of a project’s production costs.

The rally was timed to coincide with an evening visit by leading gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder, who has been critical of the incentives.

In The Press’ voter guide, Snyder said the incentives should be “reduced dramatically and then eliminated.”

On his campaign website, he said the credits are not sustainable and that he wants to “phase down the amount and scope of incentives, but will do so over time in a fashion that would support businesses that have made commitments to our emerging film industry.”

But supporters of the incentives say they are working well and deserve more time.

“The incentives today have cost the state $70 million, and in return the state has reaped $350 million in spending,” said Deb Havens, co-chair of the West Michigan Film Industry Task Force. “Any stockholder that saw numbers like that, we’d have people dancing in the street.”

A recent Senate Fiscal Agency study found the program generates about a dime in new revenue for each dollar paid to filmmakers. In 2009, it said, it spent $68.7 million on film tax credits but generated only $7.5 million in tax revenue from film production activity.

Havens said the incentive program was not meant to generate tax revenue; it was designed to spur the economy. The fiscal agency’s report did not take into account the spending at restaurants, hotels and other vendors that make up the $350 million.

The speaker list at the rally included Grand Rapids City Commissioner and sometime-actor James White, Hopwood DePree of the local TicTock Studios and a lineup of success stories.

Caterer Josef Van Horn talked about the five films he worked on, the 10 new employees he added during those times, and the new side business he started with money earned from the films.

“I wrote some pretty big checks to the state of Michigan,” he said of his tax obligations. “As a small business owner, I didn’t think I’d ever be doing that.”

Katie Miller of Gatehouse Suites, an extended-stay hotel on the East Beltline, saw her occupancy rate rise from 62 percent in 2008 and 2009 to more than 90 percent this summer.

And Stasia Savage of the local stage managers union — the International Alliance of Theatrical State Employees Local 26 — said some of her members now are making a living in their trade. On a film with a budget of about $1 million, the lowest one of her members will make is $17.39 an hour plus benefits, she said.

“We have several people who for the first time in their lives have health insurance,” Savage said.

“Two years after signing these incentives, there are hundreds of people making a living (in this industry).”

Savage said it’s the equivalent of driving a truck full of cash into the city and starting to hand it out.

“That is seriously what is happening in this community,” she said. “And it’s going to you and you and your friends and neighbors.”

Patrick Zeigler of Enthusiastic Productions, which produces a television show on the campus of Hope College and has plans to start another production in the spring, said the incentives need a few more years.

Pulling out now would be like “raising an infant for three years and then saying, ‘I’m done with you,’ ” he said.

Malinda Petersen started her talent agency because of the incentives. She told those at the rally she was about to book four of her actors for a Hallmark film.

She also signed actors for “Detroit 1-8-7,” which is bringing “a lot of sustainable income to state,” she said.

“Incentives make my job and the actors’ jobs possible,” she said. “I now represent 300 actors. These actors need an infrastructure.”

Havens stressed that when the incentives were passed, the vote was nearly unanimous with bipartisan support. She encouraged people to find that support again.

“Let’s have less politics and more jobs in Michigan,” she said. “Who’s in favor of that?”

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Headline, Industry News

Are Michigan film incentives worth it? Hear from some people who have benefited

GRAND RAPIDS — Jeremy and Andrea Waterbury are the poster couple for the success of the state’s film incentive program, according to supporters.

Jeremy, an Indiana native, chose to attend film school in Michigan in 2008 because the state had just approved the film and television production incentives.

Since he graduated in 2009, he has worked on five films, including as an assistant to Ruben Fleischer, director of “30 Minutes or Less.”

And through his contacts, his wife, a personal trainer, added Fleischer and actor Aziz Ansari to her client list.

“The reason why I’m here is because of the incentive,” said Jeremy, 29. “We don’t have family here. If the incentive is taken away, we would seriously consider leaving the state.”

Waterbury and his wife were among about 120 people gathered at Rosa Parks Circle Tuesday for a noontime rally in support of the state’s film incentive, which pays up to 42 percent of a project’s production costs.

The rally was timed to coincide with an evening visit by leading gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder, who has been critical of the incentives.

In The Press’ voter guide, Snyder said the incentives should be “reduced dramatically and then eliminated.”

On his campaign website, he said the credits are not sustainable and that he wants to “phase down the amount and scope of incentives, but will do so over time in a fashion that would support businesses that have made commitments to our emerging film industry.”

But supporters of the incentives say they are working well and deserve more time.

“The incentives today have cost the state $70 million, and in return the state has reaped $350 million in spending,” said Deb Havens, co-chair of the West Michigan Film Industry Task Force. “Any stockholder that saw numbers like that, we’d have people dancing in the street.”

A recent Senate Fiscal Agency study found the program generates about a dime in new revenue for each dollar paid to filmmakers. In 2009, it said, it spent $68.7 million on film tax credits but generated only $7.5 million in tax revenue from film production activity.

Havens said the incentive program was not meant to generate tax revenue; it was designed to spur the economy. The fiscal agency’s report did not take into account the spending at restaurants, hotels and other vendors that make up the $350 million.

The speaker list at the rally included Grand Rapids City Commissioner and sometime-actor James White, Hopwood DePree of the local TicTock Studios and a lineup of success stories.

Caterer Josef Van Horn talked about the five films he worked on, the 10 new employees he added during those times, and the new side business he started with money earned from the films.

“I wrote some pretty big checks to the state of Michigan,” he said of his tax obligations. “As a small business owner, I didn’t think I’d ever be doing that.”

Katie Miller of Gatehouse Suites, an extended-stay hotel on the East Beltline, saw her occupancy rate rise from 62 percent in 2008 and 2009 to more than 90 percent this summer.

And Stasia Savage of the local stage managers union — the International Alliance of Theatrical State Employees Local 26 — said some of her members now are making a living in their trade. On a film with a budget of about $1 million, the lowest one of her members will make is $17.39 an hour plus benefits, she said.

“We have several people who for the first time in their lives have health insurance,” Savage said.

“Two years after signing these incentives, there are hundreds of people making a living (in this industry).”

Savage said it’s the equivalent of driving a truck full of cash into the city and starting to hand it out.

“That is seriously what is happening in this community,” she said. “And it’s going to you and you and your friends and neighbors.”

Patrick Zeigler of Enthusiastic Productions, which produces a television show on the campus of Hope College and has plans to start another production in the spring, said the incentives need a few more years.

Pulling out now would be like “raising an infant for three years and then saying, ‘I’m done with you,’ ” he said.

Malinda Petersen started her talent agency because of the incentives. She told those at the rally she was about to book four of her actors for a Hallmark film.

She also signed actors for “Detroit 1-8-7,” which is bringing “a lot of sustainable income to state,” she said.

“Incentives make my job and the actors’ jobs possible,” she said. “I now represent 300 actors. These actors need an infrastructure.”

Havens stressed that when the incentives were passed, the vote was nearly unanimous with bipartisan support. She encouraged people to find that support again.

“Let’s have less politics and more jobs in Michigan,” she said. “Who’s in favor of that?”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Headline, Industry News

Are Michigan film incentives worth it? Hear from some people who have benefited

GRAND RAPIDS — Jeremy and Andrea Waterbury are the poster couple for the success of the state’s film incentive program, according to supporters.

Jeremy, an Indiana native, chose to attend film school in Michigan in 2008 because the state had just approved the film and television production incentives.

Since he graduated in 2009, he has worked on five films, including as an assistant to Ruben Fleischer, director of “30 Minutes or Less.”

And through his contacts, his wife, a personal trainer, added Fleischer and actor Aziz Ansari to her client list.

“The reason why I’m here is because of the incentive,” said Jeremy, 29. “We don’t have family here. If the incentive is taken away, we would seriously consider leaving the state.”

Waterbury and his wife were among about 120 people gathered at Rosa Parks Circle Tuesday for a noontime rally in support of the state’s film incentive, which pays up to 42 percent of a project’s production costs.

The rally was timed to coincide with an evening visit by leading gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder, who has been critical of the incentives.

In The Press’ voter guide, Snyder said the incentives should be “reduced dramatically and then eliminated.”

On his campaign website, he said the credits are not sustainable and that he wants to “phase down the amount and scope of incentives, but will do so over time in a fashion that would support businesses that have made commitments to our emerging film industry.”

But supporters of the incentives say they are working well and deserve more time.

“The incentives today have cost the state $70 million, and in return the state has reaped $350 million in spending,” said Deb Havens, co-chair of the West Michigan Film Industry Task Force. “Any stockholder that saw numbers like that, we’d have people dancing in the street.”

A recent Senate Fiscal Agency study found the program generates about a dime in new revenue for each dollar paid to filmmakers. In 2009, it said, it spent $68.7 million on film tax credits but generated only $7.5 million in tax revenue from film production activity.

Havens said the incentive program was not meant to generate tax revenue; it was designed to spur the economy. The fiscal agency’s report did not take into account the spending at restaurants, hotels and other vendors that make up the $350 million.

The speaker list at the rally included Grand Rapids City Commissioner and sometime-actor James White, Hopwood DePree of the local TicTock Studios and a lineup of success stories.

Caterer Josef Van Horn talked about the five films he worked on, the 10 new employees he added during those times, and the new side business he started with money earned from the films.

“I wrote some pretty big checks to the state of Michigan,” he said of his tax obligations. “As a small business owner, I didn’t think I’d ever be doing that.”

Katie Miller of Gatehouse Suites, an extended-stay hotel on the East Beltline, saw her occupancy rate rise from 62 percent in 2008 and 2009 to more than 90 percent this summer.

And Stasia Savage of the local stage managers union — the International Alliance of Theatrical State Employees Local 26 — said some of her members now are making a living in their trade. On a film with a budget of about $1 million, the lowest one of her members will make is $17.39 an hour plus benefits, she said.

“We have several people who for the first time in their lives have health insurance,” Savage said.

“Two years after signing these incentives, there are hundreds of people making a living (in this industry).”

Savage said it’s the equivalent of driving a truck full of cash into the city and starting to hand it out.

“That is seriously what is happening in this community,” she said. “And it’s going to you and you and your friends and neighbors.”

Patrick Zeigler of Enthusiastic Productions, which produces a television show on the campus of Hope College and has plans to start another production in the spring, said the incentives need a few more years.

Pulling out now would be like “raising an infant for three years and then saying, ‘I’m done with you,’ ” he said.

Malinda Petersen started her talent agency because of the incentives. She told those at the rally she was about to book four of her actors for a Hallmark film.

She also signed actors for “Detroit 1-8-7,” which is bringing “a lot of sustainable income to state,” she said.

“Incentives make my job and the actors’ jobs possible,” she said. “I now represent 300 actors. These actors need an infrastructure.”

Havens stressed that when the incentives were passed, the vote was nearly unanimous with bipartisan support. She encouraged people to find that support again.

“Let’s have less politics and more jobs in Michigan,” she said. “Who’s in favor of that?”

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Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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