This is one I absolutely must respond to because the information you have been given is entirely inaccurate. A friend has worked on many movies as an extra and has researched what the film industry has brought to Michigan.

First, when my friend was in Red Dawn, filmed in Mt. Clemens and Grand Ledge, the film company paid $10,000 a day for the Mt. Clemens fire department to have a fire truck on set. They paid $2500 a day to the businesses who were in the background to remain open for business so that t people coming and going would look normal. When they filmed at the Ledges in Grand Ledge they paid $5000 a week to "rent" the park. When was the last time you think either of these two public entities ever raised this much money in taxes?! Let's look at the business that was done by the film crews. Over 400 people were employed during this time. At both Mt. Clemens and The Ledges. These DO NOT include the extras that were hired. Just the film crews, make-up, seamstresses, costumers, etc. Where do you think these 400 people stayed? This is typical of what happens in a community where filming takes place.

When she was in Real Steel, the production company bought every stick of lumber a lumber yard had to build the set at the beginning of the movie. When do you think that has ever happened before.

Let's talk about the extras that are hired. My friend found that many of them were otherwise unemployed. Imagine, people actually working for their pay instead of staying home and getting paid. By the way, my friend usually earns around $15 an hour as an extra. This is time she is on set, she maybe on set for 12-15 hours and only have to actually be in a scene for 5-10 minutes.

I can give you countless examples of how this is good for local communities and the state as a whole. In other states that subsidize film making tourism has gone up, sometimes as much as 15%.

When the first incentives were in place, MGM was planning to build a studio just north of the Lugnuts Stadium because of the access to students at LCC and MSU. What an opportunity to develop industry in our own backyard!!!

Think about this when you groan about the extra ten dollars in taxes you will be paying. Is it worth it? $10.00, maybe $20.00 out of your pocket a year?

