Michigan

West Michiagn Film Office has 12 projects

The Grand Rapids Press

A dozen projects, eh?

That's how many potential films Rick Hert has on his plate as head of the West Michigan Film Office, a newly formed arm of the West Michigan Tourist Association. As executive director of the WMTA, selling the area's photographic assets to filmmakers is something Hert has done before -- but never so much as he is now.

"I've been working weekends to keep up with everything," he said last week.

That's a common predicament. Janet Lockwood, head of the Michigan Film Office in Lansing, left a phone message at 9 one night: "I do work long hours," she said. "I'm delighted there's a West Michigan Film Office now. We've been working with Rick Hert and the WMTA for ever so long -- he has been helping us without any particular affiliation as a film office."

The West Michigan Film Office is a separate entity from the government-run Michigan Film Office. And the West Michigan Tourist Association is a long-standing nonprofit, privately funded organization in Grand Rapids. It has helped filmmakers who have come to the area before, including for 2002's "Road to Perdition," starring Tom Hanks.

So last week's announcement regarding the WMFO is a formality, and a reaction to reality: In the wake of the state's new tax incentives, moviemakers are seriously considering shooting their films in the area. Hert could talk only vaguely about what work could come to West Michigan in the coming months.

"We really needed an office to advocate for our side of the state," he said. "I just did some scouting for a low-budget horror film, and we'll be doing a lot of commercials.

"I can tell you about this one, because we lost it: 'Red Sonja,' Robert Rodriguez's new $25 million project. We didn't have what he was looking for here -- but a lot of filmmakers are looking at Michigan first."

Hert anticipated between 12 and 16 films could be shot in the area annually, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars for West Michigan.

Lockwood concurred.

"It's a good thing for West Michigan," she said. "Producers like having a film commission handy -- boots on the ground, as it were. This is a win-win situation."

Source: MLive