Michigan film incentives worth fighting for

There are people on both sides of the Michigan film incentive issue, but the bottom line for Michigan is that they’ve been successful. The Michigan Daily sits down with director Mike Manasseri to talk about what these incentives are worth to the state.Excerpt:Michigan’s Film Tax Incentive is a provocative piece of legislation that has incited passion in many film buffs — friends and enemies alike. The incentive’s 40-percent tax-refundable credit for filmmakers is currently the highest offered in any state and has attracted many Hollywood-based and local productions. Famously, Clint Eastwood’s film Gran Torino was shot in Michigan after the incentives were passed. Drew Barrymore’s Whip It, a more recent example, was filmed in the greater Detroit area as well.Some lawmakers, however, claim the state can’t afford to keep making big payouts to filmmakers. There’s a possibility that the incentive could be decreased or capped to curb state spending. Advocates of the bill in its original form argue that changes will only flaunt Michigan’s economic instability, which could cause Hollywood to look for greener pastures.Michigan director and producer Mike Manasseri shares these sentiments. But what sets him apart from other voices in the debate is his unmatched devotion to a simple cause: keep the incentive from changing.Read the entire article here.