New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Michigan-based film production company Lucky Coffee Productions is calling on fellow Michigan filmmakers to support newly appointed
Director Jenell Leonard and her staff in an effort to strengthen the relationship between filmmakers and the Film Office.
"I believe there has been a disconnect between filmmakers (in Michigan) and the Film Office in terms of what is available in terms of assistance for projects" said Dave Klink, Lucky Coffee's CEO. "In meeting with the Film Office over the last few months, there are resources available to make the film industry work in Michigan. We filmmakers have to ensure the Film Office has all of the relevant information on our projects for purposes ranging from maintenance of crew databases to generation of accurate industry financial reporting."
Leonard has publicly stated she and her staff are focusing efforts on unifying the film community in Michigan to not only support in-state filmmakers, but also facilitate a smooth transition for companies/productions coming in from out-of-state. Klink noted that Leonard's focus on issues outside of the hotly debated tax-incentive issue is encouraging.
"I don't see this as a conciliatory position (shifting focus from the tax incentive issue) at all" Klink commented "I see this as a Film Office recognizing tax incentives are just one of the tools for running an effective operation designed to support filmmakers here in Michigan. The recently announced Strategic Plan is indicative of an office not disregarding its critics and willing to prove film can be viable in this state."
Leonard was appointed
Director of the Film Office by Governor Rick Snyder In January of 2015. Since her appointment, Leonard and her staff have worked diligently to mutually address the opinions of detractors and supporters of the film industry in Michigan.
"We (those filming in Michigan) have to provide the Film Office with real and measurable information" Klink said "This cannot be about politics or rhetoric, it has to be about ensuring the question of the viability of the film industry in Michigan doesn't need to be asked by virtue of tangible evidence."
ABOUT THE MICHIGAN FILM OFFICE
Led by
Director Jenell Leonard, the Film Office provides assistance in a wide range of capacities for media productions working in the state of Michigan. For a full list of services available through the Film Office, please visit https://www.michiganfilmoffice.org
ABOUT LUCKY COFFEE PRODUCTIONS
Lucky Coffee Productions is a Michigan-based film production company. Lucky Coffee's documentary Pencils Down! The 100 Days of the Writers Guild
Strike was a recent selection of the Milldgeville, Sacramento, and Hoboken Film Festivals. Lucky Coffee has served as a production company on the films Happy Christmas (Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Lena Dunham) and Digging For Fire (Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Sam Rockwell, Orlando Bloom), both of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival (2014 and 2015 respectively). For more information, please visit https://www.luckycoffeeprod.com.
