Nancy Skinner interviews Mitch Albom about the Michigan film tax incentives 2-18-11

[sr71ablackbird]

i hate to tell you this mitch, but the germans did NOT bomb peral harbor, the japs did.

[TheGiantMichael]

@sr71ablackbird its a line from a movie.... they wrote it like that on purpose.

[treii28]

Whenever Mr. Albom talks about the 'widespread support' for the Michigan film credit, I post the following question. (to my knowledge, he has not answered it):

"If as many people and businesses 'want' this credit as you suggest, what is stopping you (Mitch or these people you elude to) from creating a private sector endowment to give similar credits to film companies interested in doing business in Michigan?"

[stetsonwalker]

Is this a double standard... the film makers and actors are mostly liberal... the big money should pay their share! Opps except for the film industry!

[YTSparty]

Hey Mitch, that $200 million created came out of tax payers pockets. ANY industry, yes ANY industry that you give $200 million to will grow 100 fold in 2 years. Let's not be stupid here.

Also, Mitch just made money on his film from the state. So he's getting a state kickback from the tax credit program.

I'd be the mouth piece for any program that gave me millions of dollars.....FOR FREE.

[kinnej]

I am a born, raised, and trained filmmaker from Michigan. I'm driven and passionate about making movies for the rest of my life. If Rick Snyder wants to send me and my tax dollars to LA, then he is on the right track.

Snyder's stupidity will be referred to in the history books as Michigan's Great Artistic Migration. It will be a footnote about the youth Michigan betrayed in it's blind groping and awesome arrogance. I applaud you Rick Snyder, though I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea...

[barant1]

@kinnej i hope you take your film money somewhere other than LA. I was looking forward to my 40%, now Im shooting elsewhere.

[dougfromniu]

One of the issues though with the movie industry is that movies are expensive because actors and actresses are very over paid. I am sorry, I love Johnny Depp but there is nobody that deserves 20 million for a film.. There is no actor or actress that is good enough to deserve that kind of money.

[Philm54]

Who put the ass in office? THE PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN!!!! Folks... You have to learn how to live with the consequences of your actions... Especially in the voting booth.

[tomintroy]

Hey Rick, we can instantly eliminate ALL unemployment if we extend this 42% kickback to all industries. Estimates of cost are are about 58 billion a year but isn't in worth it? That's only 20,000 a year in extra taxes per worker.

[slapshot1x]

As a Michigan Film Maker I am super pissed at this move. It has killed the industry.

[TheSillyDogs]

Thank you Mitch Albom for succinctly telling it like it is! It ain't over until the fat lady sings and she's not singing! I'm sending this video link to my State Representative and Senator.

[somadank24]

I finished my masters right after the big three took a hit and cut their advertising budgets, eliminating a great deal of jobs at the post houses in Michigan. So, in an effort to stay here, I started freelancing (sound designer). The film incentives are helping keep entrepreneurs like myself here. Above all, I want the best for my state. I truly believe we have a large stake in the film industry, and should preserve the opportunity for a new industry.

[PlanetNaomi]

Mitch mentioned that there are some folks who spent their last 2k going to "film school" and as those of us who work professionally in the industry know, this can be a problem. Because Holly producers want crew w/real-passion, not an unemployed laborer who has been promised a pipe dream by so-called "film schools." So regulation of the program is vital, let's work towards making this incentive benefit all tax payers.

[jbesse1]

Ok, I see some people are passionate about this Job opportunity as it is. I used my No worker left behind money to go to Film school, worked with 3 Directors on there projects and they where all pipe dreams. I worked long hours for FREE doing there visual effects and Film correction all to the end of NOT. They where so excited about being a Director they did not have time to get financial backing. I have been a Engineer for 23 years and now work for a fortune 100 Comp. Good luck in your future.

[alltoquiet7]

Why can't Michigan strive with film, and engineering? It seems that too many people wanna fall back on the horse, that died on us once before. We might as well keep our options open! Why burn this new bridge?

[JacquiBernhardt]

Great interview! I hope more people see this and share it with the people of Michigan.

[bleubill]

Mitch Albom is passionate, and right about the need to prime the pump.

[ferrari512mi]

We cant afford to buy our jobs from our tax dollars. I would be ok with an income tax break but to basically pay a company to make their movies and let them take all their profits back to alifornia where they buy houses and spend their money is just insane. Why not give the builders of michigan the same breaks??

[ferrari512mi]

Stop Crying Mr. Album! Yes we will lose some Store Bought jobs but Snyders policies will create many more jobs that are still based around engineering and cars where are bread and butter come from. Our weather and ugly city that was Destroyed are not where film companies want to be. I will go build houses in North Dakota too if I was paid by the state weather I made money or not. Get real get a life.

[alltoquiet7]

I myself have just started in the film industry, but I know many many people who make thousands of dollars from the commercials, that came here alone. Yes to start out in the business you end up on the low end of the totem pole. You also do the same in any business! You don't walk up to a huge production as a nobody, and just become the Director of Photography! This is still young. If you don't realize the problem here you should just give up on life!

[kennylclark1]

The Governor is making the biggest mistake of all of the people in Michigan who worked hard to get our state on top. When people are misled and when people who do not vote,you see the results! Go to your legislator and stand up and be heard.....if not you can kiss the film industry good bye forever in the state of Michigan....

[alltoquiet7]

Correct! There are equal amounts of "Non-union" films working in Michigan as well! Anyone can make money from this! Especially Hotels/Motels, and Catering services! There are millions of dollars going to the people of Michigan!

[dlang681]

I paid thousands to get trained to be an actor for the movies, thank you Ricky "the f@%ker" Snyder

[jbesse1]

Sorry, but it was another Obamanomics Scam... The only people that make money is the so called Film Schools and Hollywood...$1600 Union application fee, and 30 days on a Union Set, can't work on a Union set unless your in the Union...Scam,...No work for Money unless you belong to carpenters Union, or already in Film related Union, Or have a Great Rack for Music Videos. Mitch Albom...Who is he relevant too !!....Himself....

[BradiKal61]

@jbesse1

You are a prime example of a blustering idiot. You know nothing what you're talking about and just spouting the Party line. The incentives predate Obama, whom as a right-wing nut you fear. ANYONE can work on a film set, union or not- the producers can hire ANYONE they want- but those workers must work according to union work conditions. Listening to Rush all day long is not a substitute for doing your homework.

[jbesse1]

@BradiKal61

WoW...Sounds like you know allot about it....Name 3 Films you have been in that you made more than $500 and what part did you play. Also you sound like another lame brainwashed fool that voted for the PC Line.

Oh, those 3 Films, Union?....or did you guard the parking lot ?

[BradiKal61]

@jbesse1

I worked on 3 films just this past year and a bunch of others from the last 20 years, union and non-union. I've also seen a thousand people like you who cry about JUST KNOWING you can't work in film without being union. In the film business you start at the bottom and work your way up and make connections- then you work bigger shows. Plus, when demand for crew exceeds the labor supply, non-union people get work and can get in after 30 days- but not by whining like a baby .

[jbesse1]

@BradiKal61

Well thank You Mr. Demille for your vast knowledge on the industry, 3 Films, Great. which ones. what parts? and like you say "WHEN demand for crew exceeds the labor supply, NON-union people get work and can get in after 30 days" is that how you got into IATSE. Having a job like a gypsy, may appeal to you but not me. Obviously you rather pretend your working. As far as whining, well I know snake oil salesmen when I see one. So good luck and hope to see you on the Academy awards.

[LurieFilms]

@jbesse1 people "having a job like a gypsy"

did you really think about what you were saying before you wrote that? lets think of some other union jobs where people "have a job like a gypsy": carpenter, carpet cleaner, plumber, and i could go on forever. and like jacqui said, it doesnt matter what that person did on that film, they could have been guarding the parking lot like you said earlier, that person is still making money to support whatever it is that he needs to pay at the end of the day.

[BradiKal61]

@LurieFilms

Ignore jbesse1 . He's just a whiny baby, who wants to complain about everything. Yes, I work in film and I know that it can employ a lot of people and indirectly support a lot of local businesses. Because of its rapid growth it is attacked when traditional business here is failing. The film biz will not save Michigan by itself- manufacturing could, but how do we compete in a world of cheap labor and cheap transport to bring foreign goods here?

[jbesse1]

@BradiKal61

Stop buying your lousy Foreign made Products.. For example...pass on buying those Korean made Penis pumps, all those boot-leg Mexican Viagra you where bragging about , and for everyone's sake. Stop sending all those gay porn videos named "The Beatles white album" the disguise doesn't fool any of your friends. And I'm not gay....Stop it !!....I only entered this blog about Michigan film Industry, not to get mixed up with a freak like you.....Stop it !!!.

[marksmith46]

Actually Brad, you have to blame all the corporations who took their businesses to foriegn countries. Not much IS made in America anymore. My Penis pump, FYI, was made in the Phillipines. It didn't work though. Can I borrow your Korean one?

[BradiKal61]

@marksmith46

Why do businesses take their business overseas? Cheap labor, in order to compete. It's that or go out of business. Do we impose tarrifs on imported goods like are imposed on ours? Apparently not.

As to the pump... I only use Swedish made- they're shagadelic baby... Yeah!

[marksmith46]

@BradiKal61 No, the businesses can and have made a profit in America since the beginning of American history, and certainly since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. They go overseas because they can make obscene profits, not because they make "no profit" here. Anyone in the world should be able to make as much money as they can, but I also believe that people have a moral obligation to the nation that made such riches possible: America.

[BradiKal61]

@marksmith46 Consider this- Any publicly traded company has to answer to its stockholders. Higher dividends keep the stockholders happy, and keep the CEO employed in that position. The most profitable businesses pay those higher dividends by cutting labor costs in overseas plants. The system sucks I admit. If you can't supply the cheapest labor, then you have to have an exclusive product the rest of the world wants. Mass produced autos used to be a Detroit exclusive...

[sr71ablackbird]

@BradiKal61 simple, abolish the IRS & The Federal Reserve, and go back to the 2 areas of The United States Constitution that mandates who coins the currency and who makes it. Article I Section VIII Clause V - `The Congress shall have Power To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof' , & Article I Section 10 Clause I,` No State shall make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any ex post facto Law'- so it's already there, no one bothered to read it. sound currency.

[sr71ablackbird]

@BradiKal61 also, it's not just about the taxes, it's the regulations that kill the businesses, end the EPA as well. After all, that is what they have civil lawsuits for.

[JacquiBernhardt]

@jbesse1 It doesn't matter what work he did on the films, the point is the film industry in Michigan gave him a job.

[FantasyOnFilm]

The show Detroit 187 was a NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL WEEKLY exposure/commercial for The City of Detroit AND The Sate of Michigan.

[lrgrogg1]

Mitch Albom is very well spoken on this subject! He is absolutly correct!!!

[plaidsacolor]

why is the interviewer so nervous? 

[bywhopower]

The new governor is trying hard to do a good job but definitely should rethink this one--we will see if he is big enough to admit he made a boo boo--

signed- old timer--

[plfmedia]

Thank you Mitch, Rick Snyder really needs to rethink his position and KEEP THE INCENTIVE IN PLACE. For God's sake how reckless can one man be with the lives of so many people. So Back off Ricky or you will have some splanning to do!

[ThatGibbsGirl]

Great interview, Mitch. I love your passion for the industry! I have emailed both Snyder and my legislators and will support every rally and event!

[harwellscrapbook]

Thanks, Mitch. All of us interested in the film industry in Michigan need to have our voices heard that we want this program to stay in place. Now is the not the time to lose our momentum toward creating a viable industry in this state.

[harwellscrapbook]

Thanks, Mitch. All of us interested in the film industry in Michigan need to have our voices heard that we want this program to stay in place. Now is the not the time to lose our momentum toward creating a viable industry in this state.

[mnmski2001]

Thankyou Mitch and Nancy great interview, we are very distressed about this whole situation. A group of us have invested endless hours and money for our children who want to be in the entertainment industry. We need to get this resolved and keep these jobs here or alot more people are going to leave here.

[nelsonsbeltran]

Good job Mitch! you rock!

[JLauriFilmworks]

Mitch has done a fine job explaining the embarrassing problems the new Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has created. Just like Jeff Daniels said recently Snyder told me was going to support us filmmakers. He made that comment to me at the studio after he used an OUT-OF-STATE, i.e., NOT A MICHIGAN production company to film his commercial to help spread his election message . I should not be surprised by this at all, just sad for all the folks this poor decision may effect if it becomes law.

[TheCheferic]

Thanks, Mitch and Nancy. Now everyone, lets see if we can get this clip viewed all over the state and call people to action. I invested over a hundred thousand dollars to work in this industry. And my investment is just a drop in the bucket.

[Viddard]

Snyder has make a rookie blunder of epic proportions. If people don't step up and make noise this will be a bat to the knees of all Michiganders. We hired a nerd who works "for free." and now we're getting what we paid for. Thanks you Nancy and Mitch for shedding light on just what a dufus we have in Lansing. Go back the Gateway, Snyder. Corporate America may love you but the creatives in Michgan now truly loathe you. You are a liar who has lost people a virtual fortune.

[dodgedart62]

If the Film Office is refusing to accept applications, is that not against the law that was passed by the legislation, the current law of the land in MI.? This is what happens when private sector wealthy entrepreneurs buy their way into office. I had my home saved by this incentive for the last two years - I was on track to be able to hire several people to produce programming content we are selling - now all in doubt. Thanks gov. Snyder - you lied to a lot of people along the way to office

[DannyMooney]

Well said, Mitch. I am one of the many people who was able to establish myself in my home state due to the film incentives and has even been lucky enough to employ hundreds of Michigan residents on our productions in the last few years. If the incentive leaves, there's a good chance I will have to do the same...