Michigan Film People

Accomplished Michigan Screenwriter/Professor explains film incentive benefits while advising film students to find work in Michigan.
 
As an accomplished screenwriter, Jim Burnstein never had to leave Michigan to build a remarkable career.  However, over the years, few of his students at the University of Michigan were inspired to follow his example.  Most left the state while Burnstein elected to make his home in Plymouth and generate blockbuster screenplays for films like Renaissance Man and D3: The Mighty Ducks and Ruffian.  Burnstein heads-up The University of Michigan's screenwriting program and serves on the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council.  Over time, Burnstein had grown accustomed to watching his top students graduate and leave town immediately in search of film work.  This year, some of his students are choosing to stay in Michigan.  With the volume of films selecting Michigan as a production destination, the students' odds of finding film work has made Michigan emerge as a popular, post-graduate destination for grads who typically flee the state.
 
"My students generally take the first bus out of town as soon as they graduate", said Burnstein.  "This is the first year I have actually seen some of them stay.  Most of them went to Los Angeles….some to New York.  What I tell them is this; if you have these film productions coming here, you don't need to run out to L.A. where you don't know anybody to try and get PA experience if you've got these films coming."
 
Burnstein offered a recent example where one of his students found work on Youth in Revolt, which was recently shot in Michigan and is scheduled for release in April 2009 (starring Michael Cerra; Superbad, Juno).  The Director, Miguel Arteta, called Burnstein because he wanted to bring the project to Michigan and needed help finding locations to shoot.  He specifically asked Burnstein to recommend one of his writing students to work as his assistant.   Burnstein suggested one of his promising grads, who was immediately placed on the production.  "Imagine you're this kid…you're three days out of school and here you are going to work on a real film.  After three days, you're making suggestions and the film is changing as a result of your input."  Burnstein added that other students are finding work too and choosing to stay put instead of moving to California, where nothing is guaranteed.
 
The quick success of Michigan's film incentives happened quickly, Burnstein said, "It worked a lot faster than I anticipated.  It took about 15 minutes – the buzz was strong.  It pleasantly exceeded my expectations.  We're in a position to build a thriving industry. States like New Mexico and Louisiana have a new film industry they can count on – we can do that too.  It's true, we have a great state for shooting, but they are not going to come to Michigan to film without the incentives"
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With a new industry, there are still some growing pains.  Burnstein added, "We need to get our training programs up and going.  "We'll get an influx of new workers and taxpayers, but we need to get our own training programs up and going.  The states that have done this right all created great training programs to build their crew base.  That's critical that we get that in place."
 
Burnstein also offered advice for Michigan communities looking to attract films.  He suggested getting key community representatives in the same room, at the same time, to cut through "red tape" (ideally in a pre-production meeting).  "The message has to get from things like 'I don't know if you can do this, or use this building' to "how can we make it work.'   It's really all about attitude.  We have this law, everybody should be working together."
 
Film students are not the only beneficiaries of the current film legislation.  Burnstein offered examples of how small businesses can reach new customers and tourism can get a boost as well.  People (filmmakers) go up north and say, 'I didn't know this was here.'  They eventually buy places, tell their friends, and come back."  Burnstein added, "The film business is also great for the state's morale.  You see Clint Eastwood filming here and saying nice things about Michigan, it makes you feel proud.  You see the Renaissance Center or Ford Field on the big screen, and it's a real kick.  We need all of those now we can get."
 
By Nick Johnston, The Producers Guide to Michigan, October 26, 2008