The Michigan Film Office announced today that the feature film “Sparkle” has been approved for a film incentive from the state. The film, set in Detroit during the height of the Motown era, follows the journey of a family of musically-driven sisters as they perform their way up from neighborhood jazz joints to the packed house of the Fox Theatre.

Sparkle is expected to shoot in the metro Detroit region and will be directed by Salim Akil who directed the feature film Jumping the Broom and the television series The Game. Debra Martin Chase, TD Jakes and Salim and Mara Akil will produce the film.

“The music and atmosphere that was the heart and soul of Motown in the 1960s is as much a character in this film as the individuals portrayed throughout the story,” said Carrie Jones, director of the Michigan Film Office. “This is an incredible opportunity to highlight one of Detroit’s most significant cultural exports of the last century. The project has also put a strong emphasis on hiring a Michigan-based crew to shoot the film, making it an overall great fit for the film incentives.”

Sparkle was awarded an incentive of $3,104,455 on $7,410,216 of projected in-state expenditures. The project is expected to hire 266 Michigan workers with a full time equivalent of 44 jobs.

This is the 12th project approved under the new policy and guidelines issued by the Michigan Film Office. In 2011, 14 projects have been approved with $22,748,375 in incentives being awarded on $54,644,552 of approved production expenditures for the year. These projects are expected to create 1,678 Michigan hires with a full time equivalent of 355 jobs.

Casting Call Details:

At this time no casting information is available.Casting details and directions on how to apply will be provided as soon as they are available.

The Michigan Film Office announced today that the independent feature film Detention of the Dead has been approved for a film incentive from the state. The film follows a group of high school students trapped in detention with classmates who have turned into a hoard of zombies.

Michigan-based Michael Manasseri is a producer on the project, along with Brooke P. Anderson (Gala Films) and director/executive producer Alex Craig Mann. The project is shooting in Oakland County.

“This project is a local, Michigan production that is a great representation of the film talent we have here in the state,” said Carrie Jones, director of the Michigan Film Office. “In addition to hiring Michigan workers, the project has forged a training partnership with Oakland University’s Cinema Studies program, as well as Pontiac High School, to enable students to acquire on-the-job experience in all aspects of feature film production. These types of innovative partnerships are critical in helping to grow our state’s crew and talent base.”

Detention of the Dead was awarded an incentive of $139,118 and is expected to hire 82 Michigan workers with a full time equivalent of 3 jobs. It is the second film Manasseri has brought to Michigan. Last year the Rochester Hills resident produced and directed Sucker, a comic book, Sci Fi adventure produced by Big Screen Michigan that shot in Pontiac.

This is the ninth project approved under the new policy and guidelines issued by the Michigan Film Office. In 2011, 11 projects have been approved with $15,991,537 in incentives being awarded on $38,528,849 of approved production expenditures for the year. These projects are expected to create 1,203 Michigan hires with a full time equivalent of 259 jobs.

For more information visit: www.michiganfilmoffice.org

Extras Casting:

For details on how to apply as an extra for this film visit: “DOTD” Extras Casting

Check out the official trailer for the feature film, “Salvation Boulevard” starring Pierce Brosnan. “Salvation Boulevard” was shot in Ann Arbor, Brighton, Dearborn, Grosse Pointe, Livonia, Milford, Novi, Plymouth, Trenton and Wixom.

Official trailer for the feature film, “30 Minutes Or Less” starring Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride and Nick Swardson.

Plot:

Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery driver and force him to rob a bank within 30 minutes.

The West Branch Film Festival is now accepting film entries for the summer 2011 festival. Submissions must be original family friendly movies of any type, considered appropriate for ages 14 and under. Entries can be live action or animation. Short films under five minutes are encouraged. Awards will be given for many categories including “Youth Produced” and “Peoples Choice.”

Categories Include:

• Feature Film
• Short Film
• Annimated Film
• Documentary Film
• Music Video
• Experimental Film

About the Festival:

West Branch will be northern Michigan’s premiere family movie destination during summer 2011. The Film Festival begins on Friday July 8 and runs through Saturday evening July 9. Along with movie showings during the festival, workshops featuring professionals in the industry will be held on a variety of topics.

How to Submit a Film

All entries must be submitted to the West Branch Film Festival. Entries are requested prior to June 01, 2011, and must be received in our offices no later than June 17, 2011. The WBFF is not obligated to review any submissions that arrive after the June 17, 2011 deadline. There is a $25 submission fee per entry.

Entries should be submitted to:

WBFF
PO Box 575
West Branch, MI 48661

To download the submission form or for more information, visit the WBFF website at: http://www.wbcff.com/submissions.html

An organizational and informational event to most effectively communicate to Michigan’s legislators, governor and voting public why the film incentive program should be preserved.

Meeting Details:

Date: Thursday, February 24th
Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Location: Laurel Manor, 38099 Schoolcraft Rd, Livonia, MI 48150 (Location changed due to the large response)

Featured Speakers:

• Mitch Albom, Free Press Columnist
• Mike Binder, filmmaker and Michigan native
• Andy Meisner, Oakland County Treasurer, and former State Rep.
• Philippe Martinez, Maxsar Studios CEO
• Emery King and Jim Burnstein, Chair and Vice-Chair, MFO Advisory Council
• Chris Baum, Film Detroit/Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Ken Droz, Consultant and former MFO Communications Mgr.
• Others to be announced

Provided will be various evidence and informational points, legislators’ names and contact info, and strategic methods on conveying the most effective message possible to legislative officials and districts statewide.

Open to the press and general public.

Questions or Concerns:

Please direct all questions or concerns to: KendrozConsulting@gmail.com

Kevin Smith announced that he is planning to shoot his final film in Detroit, MI.  The film is titled “Hit Somebody” and is based off a Warren Zevon song which was written by Mitch Albom. It tells the story of a hockey player with a talent for fighting.  Starring in the film are Kyle Gallner, Nicholas Braun and Michael Parks. “Hit Somebody” should film sometime near the end of 2011.

Warren Zevon – “Hit Somebody”

The Capital City Film Festival is looking for more film submissions from promising filmmakers. This is the first year for the CCFF which we be held in Lansing, Michigan on April 14th – April 1th, 2011.

Many films have already been submitted from all over the world but they would still love to receive a few more, particularly narrative features and student shorts, a category for which they are giving away more than $7,000 in prizes. If you would like to submit a film in either of these two categories they will consider all reasonable fee waiver requests. The deadline is coming up quickly on February 1st.

For more information or to submit a film contact Katie at: programdirector@capitalcityfilmfest.com or visit:
www.capitalcityfilmfest.com