Screenhead

From big names like the remake of Red Dawn to tiny little films like recent review target Mr. Art Critic, you’ll find that a whole lot of films coming out or coming soon have a whole lot in common–filming location.

The state that gave the world Evil Dead, Home Improvement, and Dumb and Dumber (yes, Jeff Daniels IS one of theirs) is now poised to become the cheapest place to film movies anywhere outside of third world countries.

Welcome to Michigan, folks–home of the best tax credit for filmmakers in North America.  More films are being produced here this year alone than from the entire period of 1946 to 1988.  It’s that tax credit that’s making filmmakers interested–just for background, a deduction reduces income considered for tax purposes, while a credit reduces the total tax amount owed.  And in Michigan’s case, it’s a whopping forty percent of all amounts spent on making the film in Michigan.  Drop ten million here–a tiny budget by filmmaking standards–and you can kiss four million good bye on your tax bill.

And as long as that stays in place, beleaguered Michigan has every opportunity to make itself the new Hollywood.

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