Michigan Film First Film Industry Update Tuesday, October 18th, 6pm to 8:30pm via @MiEntertainNet

**FILM INDUSTRY UPDATE**   WHAT: Michigan has become one of the top filming destinations in North America. We have excellent crew, fantastic locations, and some of the best studio facilities in the world. Michigan's film industry has created thousands of jobs and become an economic engine for the entire State.  Despite these successes, the future of our film industry is uncertain. While a $25 million incentive has been appropriated for fiscal year 2011‐2012, the specific percentages on "Michigan Spend" have not been established. As a result, applications for the incentive are currently not being accepted and the industry is at a standstill. The survival of our industry as we know it is in jeopardy.   Please join us next Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 6pm for A Film Industry Update   Michigan Film First invites your coverage and attendance to their Film Industry Update. Michigan Senate Majority Leader, Randy Richardville (R‐Monroe), will be speaking to the industry about his bill to support the film industry and what we can all do to help build and stabilize it in Michigan. Along with film industry leaders and government representatives, other speakers include:   Michigan Film First's lobbyist, Jim Ryan of Public Affairs Associates, who will provide a legislative update   Vans Stevenson, Senior Vice President‐State Legislative Affairs from Motion Picture Association of America, who will discuss what needs to be done to attract feature film projects to Michigan   Jim Burnstein, Screenwriting Coordinator for the Department of Screen Arts & Culture at the University of Michigan, who will discuss how Michigan's film industry has helped to foster and develop a "creative class" in our State   A representative of Raleigh Michigan Studios, who will discuss the positive economic impact created by the studio and its first production, OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL   WHEN: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 6:00PM‐8:30PM *Everyone with an interest in the industry is invited!   WHERE: RADISSON KINGSLEY INN 38475 Woodward Avenue Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 ABOUT MICHIGAN FILM FIRST Michigan Film First has been working diligently since November of 2010 to preserve and grow Michigan's film industry. We had significant input in crafting the new legislation proposed by Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville to establish a long‐term plan for the film incentive and to create the largest amount of positive economic impact possible per incentive dollar.   Our Board of Director's includes the largest stakeholders in Michigan's film industry and companies from all areas of the State. In addition to Raleigh Michigan Studios, S3 Entertainment Group, Kinetic Post, Grace & Wild Studios, and the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). Our board and advisory board members include representatives from the unions, grip and electric companies, camera companies, caterers, casting directors, attorneys, location managers, post production companies, accountants/auditors, honey wagon/star trailer rental companies, and the convention bureau. These diverse groups of people continue towards one common goal, helping build and solidify Michigan's film industry and informing others on what they too can do to help.   Our lobbyists include Jim Ryan and Becky Bechler from Public Affairs Associates and Andrew Richner from Clark Hill. Our PR Firm is Allied‐THA, which works with many of the best brands in entertainment and consumer marketing, and was named the #1 agency for Entertainment marketing in the 2011 PROMO 100 rankings. Our team and supporters are constantly pushing to keep the Film Industry in Michigan for the greater good. In doing so we are creating jobs, stimulating the local economy for business owners, and increasing taxable revenue for the state. Now is a critical time for the film industry and we need to have everyone involved who has an interest in its survival. It is imperative that we all work together and make certain that our message gets to the right people and equally as important, we need to make sure that the people who communicate the message are the right people. It is with your support that we can grow and stabilize Michigan's film industry.   For more information about Michigan Film First and to see how you can become involved, please visit www.mifilmfirst.com