BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

entrepreneur

111/A -

F AN TA

S E E ?

Left: Mort Meisner and Jack Grusko at

Scenic Design Group.

Above: The men examine props.

"We see 200 -300 jobs being created
over the next 12 months."
Mort Meisner

Job Generator

Film studies center expands;
takes over design house.

O

ne year after opening Center For Film
Studies, Oakland County residents
Mort Meisner and Jack Grushko have
purchased and taken over the man-
agement of the Macomb County business Scenic
Design.
The name of the business has been changed to
Scenic Prop and Design.
Meisner, president of both the Center for Film
Studies and Scenic Design, says, "With our take-
over of this already successful business, we see
200-300 jobs being created over the next 12
months.
"We are looking to relocate the business to one

of the major studio lots, either in Oakland County
or Wayne County."
Currently, the Center for Film Studies has nine
employees and Scenic Prop and Design has eight.
Scenic Prop And Design builds props for films,
television and other entities, including rock bands
like Black Sabbath, amusement parks like Sea
World, auto shows and even restaurants.
"This is a business we see reaching far outside
of film and into other areas," Meisner said.
He added, "Right now, movie and TV producers
are being forced to truck props in from Los Angels
at crazy prices.
"We will help build the manufacturing base right

here in Detroit and, at the same time, cut costs for
end users."
Workers prior to getting hired either need to
have been trained in this highly technical process
or can receive training through the Center
for Film Studies.
For its part, the Center gor Film Studies
has graduated more than 200 students in its first
year; better than 60 percent have worked in the
film, television or related industries.
Michigan Associated Producers is the name
of the new oversight company that Meisner and
Grushko have formed. It will be the management
arm of Scenic Prop and Design.
The driving force behind Scenic is Jonathan
Krueger, who has developed new materials and
processes.
Scenic Design has already made props for sev-
eral films and two major network TV shows,
including Crash Course and Extreme Home
Makeover, both on ABC.

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J111

arch 11 . 2010

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