In 2008, Michigan became known as the Hollywood of the Midwest after the state rolled out a tax incentive for filmmakers and offered a return of more than 40% of production costs. Over the next few years, several big-budget films started shooting in Michigan, including 30 Minutes Or Less and The Karate Kid, a 2010 remake of the original 1984 film of the same name. However, Michigan’s tax incentive for filmmakers was eventually dismantled in 2015, causing many industry workers to leave the state for other areas of the country offering similar programs.
Back On Track
As much of the United States tries to recover from recent economic hardship, Michigan is now looking to revive its filmmaking industry. Recent comments made by Senator Adam Hollier indicate that Michigan may be creating new tax incentives for filmmakers to bring money and jobs in this field back to the state. In addition to offering lucrative tax programs, events like the 2022 Freep Film Festival in Detroit will also help Michigan regain its status in the film production industry.
The Freep Film Festival is a community-driven film festival that screens a variety of films highlighting life in the state of Michigan. This year’s event will take place at different venues in Detroit from April 27th to May 1st; the lineup features several home-grown documentaries, including The Art of Making It, which follows around a group of young artists, including Detroit-based Gisela McDaniel. A film exploring the health of Lake Erie and how a local community is dealing with the impact of toxic algae blooms will also make its Michigan debut at the 2022 Freep Film Festival.
Follow The Leader
Even though Michigan’s film industry is not as busy and profitable as it was in 2008, the state has developed a favorable reputation in other areas in the entertainment sector. For example, much of this success is because Michigan’s government has adapted to the times, and that is especially the case with online gambling. Michigan is one of the few US states to offer access to both online sports betting and online casino gaming through operators like DraftKings and BetMGM. Casino review platform Bonusfinder recently wrote a piece on Michigan’s online casino industry, discussing how the state’s flexible online gambling laws have set it apart from other Midwestern states and allowed Michigan to become a leader in the United States’ online gambling industry.
Adapting to the times by rolling out new laws is one of the ways Michigan could regain its status as the Hollywood of the Midwest. Senator Adam Hollier believes film companies want to set up in Michigan but have opted for other states like Georgia due to the incentives offered. In 2008, Michigan’s lucrative tax program brought a lot of business to the state’s film production industry, much like how its flexible online gambling laws have created a flourishing iGaming sector. Following similar patterns could prove a profitable avenue for the state. If Michigan can once again offer tax programs to filmmakers and update its laws to match the industry’s changing environment, we suspect the state could reclaim its title by the end of the year.
