Special Report
ON THE COVER
Silver Screen from page All
30,000 jobs will be created as more work
moves to Michigan:' says Mort Meisner,
executive director of the Center for Film
Studies (CFS), the newly created voca-
tional school that he, along with partners
Jack Grushko and Grushko's wife, Kim
Havaraneck, opened last month.
"Film and television production will
be the new engine of growth here, and
we have to have the workforce in place
to make sure the industry takes root and
matures:' Meisner, the public relations
and on-air talent impresario explains
from his Woodward Avenue office in
Huntington Woods.
Meisner and his partners initially
conceived the idea for the school after
Grushko called his friend to ask how the
incentives were affecting the job mar-
ket, a call made on behalf of Grushko's
daughter, Rachael, who is a makeup art-
ist.
"Jack asked me what was happening
with the film incentives. I told him I'd
make a few phone calls and get back to
him:' Meisner said. "One of my first calls
was to Tony Wenson of the Michigan
Film Office [in Lansing] and I asked him
what the needs of the state were!'
Meisner and his partners originally
conceived an organization that would act
as a concierge service to studio and pro-
duction heads. But after speaking with
Wenson, it became clear that training
people to handle the multitude of jobs
needed to buttress film production was
the greatest challenge facing the fledgling
industry.
"We wanted to create something posi-
tive to help the film industry grow here
in Michigan," Grushko said. "After Mort's
conversation with Tony, we knew the
greatest impact we could have in help-
ing that effort was bringing people who
wanted to learn the business together
with people who knew the business!'
.
The Curriculum
After a confab to flesh out the particulars
of what would be taught, the three, along
with Meisner's wife, Leslie Mangas, con-
sulted several studio executives to zero
in on what specifically should be taught
— and by whom.
The courses include some of the basic
needs of the production industry, includ-
ing: production assistants, general grips,
electrical and lighting design, makeup,
wardrobe, set carpentry and construc-
tion.
"While knowing what to teach is one
thing, getting the best instructors avail-
able was what would give us both credi-
bility and make the school a true conduit
for people to get the jobs that are being
offered:' Grushko said.
Al2
Marh 12 • 2009
The principals sought out some of
Metro Detroit's most formidable talent,
beginning with Robert McQuiston as
the director of curriculum. McQuiston,
a former professor of broadcast writ-
ing at the University of Detroit Mercy,
helped design the film, radio and TV
curriculum at Ferris State University in
Big Rapids. In addition to designing the
broad curriculum for the new Center for
Film Studies, McQuiston is planning on
teaching courses in screenwriting and
production.
"I've known Bob for many years and
he is one of the best in the business,"
Meisner said. "His incredible expertise
in designing coursework is one of the
school's greatest strengths!'
Other faculty members include Harry
Akers, who will advise in the areas of
grips, electrical and lighting. Akers has
several film credits under his belt and
has produced lighting for high-level
events like the Beijing Olympics and
Super Bowl XL when it was hosted by the
city of Detroit.
Another well-known faculty member
is makeup guru Jon Jordan, who is the
official makeup consultant for local NBC-
TV affiliate WDIV. Jordan has freelanced
for a host of networks and magazines,
and is a recognized name in his industry
and in Hollywood.
Classes will be held in several loca-
tions throughout Wayne, Oakland and
Macomb counties, including sites in Troy,
Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Warren and
on the University of Detroit Mercy cam-
pus.
"We are planning on consolidating our
classes to a central location but, given
all the space available throughout the
region, it just made sense to rent various
locations to cut down on our overhead
— which reduces the amount of money
we have to charge students to take the
courses available Grushko explained.
Classes are condensed into two- or
four-week courses and range in price
from $700 to $1,500, depending on which
course is taken.
"It's very labor-intensive and atten-
dance at every class is mandatory:'
Meisner explained. "Class sizes are limit-
ed to between 25 and 30 people per class,
because if you have a class of 50 or 100
people, it makes it much more difficult
to learn the hands-on experience we are
offering!'
While there is no particular set of
criteria laid out for admission, Meisner
suggested that people with experience in
electrical work, carpentry, makeup and
other related fields are the best candi-
dates.
"While experience counts, these cours-
.
es are designed to teach the fundamental
elements of the field to anyone who is
interested, and these are some good-pay-
ing jobs:' he said. "I've fielded a lot of
calls from people from all walks of life?'
Meisner recalled an inquiry from a
West Bloomfield man, who requested
he not be named in this article, asking
about how well these types of jobs pay.
The man was a former automotive execu-
tive, used to earning around $130,000 a
year and who was laid off more than six
months ago.
"He was very emotional in describing
how far he had fallen:' Meisner said. "I
explained that while these are good-pay-
ing jobs, ranging in pay between $18.50
and $30 an hour, they weren't executive-
level positions. He responded that he had
been reduced to shoveling snow for $10
an hour and that anything he could do
to change his circumstances was better
than that!'
Mona Rickart of Farmington Hills, a
makeup artist for more than 20 years,
registered for CFS' makeup artistry
course to diversify her skill set and
secure a foothold in the industry.
Andy Meisner, while a state
representative, authored
key legislation allowing tax
incentives for film and TV
production here.
"The best estimates are that within the
next five years, between 20,000 and
.30,000 jobs will be created as more work
moves to Michigan."
— Mort Meisner
"There's nothing better than to learn
something new:' Rickart said. "I'm anx-
ious to gain the expertise necessary to
enter the film business. I've been doing
this for a long time and I feel this is a
great opportunity!'
Rickart operates out of a salon. A for-
mer resident makeup artist at Saks Fifth
Avenue and the now-defunct Bonwit
Teller in Troy, she says the opportunities
are near limitless with this training.
Another makeup artist, Sarah
Heddleston, 21, of Birmingham, who
does both hair and makeup at a local
salon, is excited about the opportunity
to gain proficiency in high-definition
makeup artistry so she, too, can enter the
film business.
"Once I get my foot in the door, it will
be great for my business:' Heddleston