21 Monday, August 4, 2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com MICHIGAN FILMMAKING Big films get big tax breaks More internships available to students By BRANDON CONRADIS ManagingArts Editor When the summer began, LSA senior Brendt Rioux didn't expect to work on a film set, let alone work alongside an established storyboard artist. But a little more than a month ago, Rioux, who is concentrating in Screen Arts & Cultures, received an e-mail offering a student internship on the set of "Whip It," a new Drew Barrymore filmbeing shotin Michi- gan. His interest piqued, Rioux sent in an application. He got a call offering him the Ca Repa1r * " toti/e Prices - F1., trax bade to cam?" " FaK 411 Owve4 -30 1ears Professional AIPutomotue ProAutoTechs.com P . . Technicians 734.665.9707 TheDriving Force in Auto Repairs' internship almost immediately. The job had a perk he wasn't expecting. "As it turned out, the storyboard- ist (J. Todd Anderson) had done almost all of the Coen Brothers' movies," he said, referring to the duo's spate of Oscar-winning films like "Fargo" (1995) and "No Country for Old Men" (2007). Like many young filmmak- ers, Rioux is just happy to get the experience. There are many opportunities for University stu- dents to work on smallei, inde- pendent film sets in the area, but major Hollywood productions have always been harder to come by in Michigan. This summer has seen a couple of higher budgeted films make their way to the state, including "Whip It" and "Youth in Revolt." And University students like Rioux are taking advantage of the opportunities they offer. The main reason for this onslaught of Hollywood film productions in the area is a tax incentive recently adopted by the state. In an effort to boost the state's recessed economy, the state now offers a 40-percent tax break to productions with pro- posed budgets of at least $50,000. If the movies are shot in one of 103 "core communities," an addi- tional 2-percent break is offered. Ann Arbor and Detroit are both core communities. According to Janet Lockwood, director of the Michigan Film office, which oversees all film productions in the state, the tax break is quite inviting. "Last year I saw maybe six scripts," she said. "This year I saw over a hundred." And she's not the only one who has noticed. Mary Lou Chlipala, the program coordinator for the University's Screen Arts & Cul- tures Department, is enthusias- tic about the new opportunities available for students. "We would never have all this going on inthe summer," she said, when asked about how the tax break has affected the opportu- nities available to Screen Arts & Cultures students. "I'm assuming this is goingto stay lively." According to Chlipala, there are about 10 University students currently working on major film productions in the area. One of them, LSA alum Mark Zakaliak, who graduated in April, began as a director's assistant on the film "Youth in Revolt." He was then given a job in office production. Zakaliak, who started his college career intending to go to medical school, changed his focus when he realized that his true interests lay in filmmaking. A sub-concentrator in the University's screenwriting pro- gram, Zakaliak was recommended to the makers of "Youth in Revolt" by his professor, accomplished Hol- lywood screenwriter Jim Burn- stein. "I love it," Zakaliak said of his experiences on the set. "To actu- ally be working in film, and to feel that the decision I made (switching concentrations) was right - it feels great." For students like Zakaliak, one of the main benefits of working on a major film set is the experience they take away from the shoot - experi- ences unavailable inthe classroom. "The foundations are there for the production classes (the Uni- versity offers)," Zakaliak said. "But there's no other way to learnthan by doingit." And while he admits that it's stressful work, he also said that his experience on "Youth in Revolt" has opened the doors for more film work - he already has an interview for a production position on another film. In fact, Screen Arts & Cultures students said another major benefit of the tax incentive is that it allows them to pursue filmmaking careers within the state of Michigan, as opposed to relocating to Los Ange- les or New York City. Zakaliak, who always planned on moving out to California, remains open to the idea of staying in Michi- gan. "If things are happening here, it would be stupid for me to just getup and leave," he said. Chlipala, who coordinates stu- dent internships, agreed, "If more films are made here it mightbe areal option for some of them (to stay)." Though he said that, because of his interest in animation, there aren't as many appealing career options in the state, Rioux is still aware of the growing possibilities in Michigan. "With all these opportunities coming to Michigan," he said, "it's possible to be a big fish in a small pool" As University students likeRioux and Zalkiak have discovered, a career in Hollywood isn't so far away from home after all. ie Mid Wan DAMh 420 Maynard At. - AnnArbor, M14809-1327 www.miehigandaily.cam EMMARIE ELAINA HUETTEMAN BUGLI Editor in Chief Business Manager 734-647-3336 734-764-0558 "ue"te""@michigan- tmdbusiness@gmaicom CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom office hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11a.m. -2a.m News Tips news@cnichigandaily.com Correctins corrctions@michigndaily.com LetterstotheEditor tothedaily@michigandaily.com PhotographyDepartment photo@micAigandailycom Arts Section artspage@michigandaily.com 734-763-0379 EditorialPage oinion@michigandaily.com Sportssection sorts@michigan dail.co Display Sales dilydispyegmil.com 734-64-0554 Classified sales dailyclassied@gmail.com 734-764-0557 Online Sales tmdonline@gmail.com Finance tmdfnance@gmail.com 734.763-.3246 EDITORIAL STAFF Gary cGraca Managing Editor 6 I JulieiRowe ManagingNes Ed5itor ASSOCIAT EDITORSChls Gssr-Gist, Lny Stevens SaLynneThln Kate Truesdell EdiorialPe Erdicor truesdel@michic,diy.cm ASSOCIATE EDITORS 5,,un Buljin, RobertSove AndysReid Mnagin po ditor Brandn Conradis es,,,gingu~tEditor conradis@micindaily.com, tlif Reeder Mnagig Phoo Editr reedeo@oofoigndily.com, ASSOCIATE EDITOR:Chanonlv,1u5burLotrin Hillary Ruffe Mngi eins, Editor ruffe@mioigandaily.o thanel VnHabsburg-LUhringen Mutimedi Edixr ,,,5,5ysbuo,5ing@iyigadaily.un,, Brian Merlns MnagigOline Edito merlos@mihiandily.oo .6 7 0 BUSINESSSTAFF DanNewman Katielozwiak MarissaGerber Ben English Rub Abb Alison Thomas DpsisplSles ~oManager Online als naoger Laout Manager ClsifiedManger The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the Universityof Michigan. nn copy is aailablefree ocharge to all readers. Additisnal copiesnmay bepickedup at the Daily's office for $2.subscriptions forfall term.starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter tern (Jaruary through Ayril) is $115, yearlorg (September through April) is $195. Uiversity affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. 10