Can films like ‘Whip It’ work movie magic for Michigan's economy?

The lean green skating machine movie “Whip It,” with actress Drew Barrymore in her first directorial role and starring Ellen Page as Bliss Cavender (Babe Ruthless) has cast a spell of sorts on the local film industry.

Based on the Shauna Cross novel “Derby Girl,” the roller derby story sparkles with its theme: Be your own hero.

The question is, will such movies be the heroes that help transform Michigan’s economy? With enough oomph, can movies made here create a whip-it effect on the local film industry, powering up the economy and bringing more and more jobs?

Three area actors, who landed parts in the made-in-Michigan film, hope so.

Seven-year-old Austin Bickel of Hartland dreams of a career in movies. Being the next young Indiana Jones would suit him just fine. Bickel plays Riley, the son of “Whip It” star Kristin Wiig. A minor role, but nonetheless, he appears in the film credits. Austin’s done commercials, voice over and theatre work since age 4, along with print and runway modeling. “Whip It” is his first movie.

Veteran actor John Lepard, director of the Williamston Theatre, appears as one of the cops in the film. Lepard, while leading a very busy life in professional theatre, is delighted to see more film roles opening up for him in his home state. He recently wrapped the movie “Alleged,” filmed partly in Flint, in which he portrays a minister.

Pinckney resident Amy Ruby found herself as a real-life derby girl and becoming an actor for the movie. Ruby is “Racer McChaseHer” on the team of the Detroit Derby Girls. For “Whip It,” she said, “I was actually cast for a role in the movie (Princess Slaya) who is on the team the Holy Rollers with Juliette Lewis (playing Iron Maven) as the captain.”

“We were notified that there was a casting call in Saline,” said Ruby. “So a bunch of us went and tried out. We had to skate around and show off our best moves (jumping over things, different kinds of whips, jumps, falls, etc.) We each said a few lines and took a few photos and then they chose who they wanted.”

A recent graduate of Thomas Cooley Law School and a licensed attorney, Ruby is headed toward a law career, but appreciates what the film has done to raise awareness of the sport of roller derby. “I think that the movie is definitely making more people aware that roller derby still exists today and right here in Michigan.”

All three “Whip It” actors say they had a remarkable experience filming this movie with Drew Barrymore. And all three agree with Michigan actor and producer Billy Whitehouse of MichiganMakesMovies.com/CBSRadio that there is a tremendous transformation happening in the film industry here, especially in southeastern Michigan.

Said Whitehouse, “Michigan offers beautiful scenery, changing seasons, and hardworking Michiganders who are anxious to break into the film industry. Michigan Makes Movies is a program focused on connecting Michigan residents to the growing film industry.”

Amy Ruby, left, and her dad,
Rich, chat with Drew Barrymore.
Photo courtesy of Colin Johnson.

Whitehouse has served as volunteer chairperson of the Detroit Windsor Film Festival and is an advisor to the Michigan Film Industry. He has extolled the state’s film tax incentive, which has lured many filmmakers here for major movies besides Whip It – including “Gran Torino” with Clint Eastwood; “Prayers for Bobby,” with Sigourney Weaver; “Up in the Air,” with George Clooney; and films partially set in Livingston County: “Stone,” with Robert DeNiro; “Betty Anne Waters,” with Hilary Swank (in which Lepard plays a minister); “High School”; the remake of the 1984 film “Red Dawn”; and “Youth in Revolt” — see the Livingstontalk Oct. 2 article by Buddy 

Star power still rules, though. As Lepard explained about his role in “Whip It”: “Well, the stories are, of course, about the main characters, so stuff like the cop scene really doesn't matter much…just how it affects the lead.” His scene was filmed in Hamtramck.

“Things are picking up a lot here,” Lepard added, “lots of auditions, new casting directors, etc. I think Michigan actors are starting to get better roles, but movies need star names to sell them, so we won't be carrying the heavy weight for a while.”

Regarding coming to Michigan for filming, Barrymore told Tom Long of the Detroit News in an Oct 1 interview, “It was great for me, because I really found locations that would work. I found wonderful places. I felt like it was a blessing we got to shoot here.”

Ellen Page also told Long that Michigan was great for filming. “I’d live there in a second,” she said. “I’d go shoot there in a second; I’d encourage a film to go shoot there.” 

Industry gearing up, but will it crash?

The film industry has been gearing up across the state because of Michigan’s 42 percent tax credit, the largest among the states for filmmaking. For putting out $1million, the tax credit for filmmakers would be $420,000.

Howell actor and narrator Peter Carey lends a Livingston perspective to what’s happening. Said Carey, “ Michigan passed the most aggressive film incentive bill in the country in an effort to boost business since the automotive workforce was being idled at alarming rates. At the same time, Livingston County was feeling the effects of the economic slow-down as well.”

He spoke of the new Parker High School facility being suddenly idle and available. “The movie ‘High School’ took advantage of that building for the shooting location and the county had it's first taste of the movie biz.”

After “High School,” the Parker complex was again chosen, Carey said, for the location of “Wannabes”; the Livingston County Court House was used as the police station in the film “Betty Anne Waters,” as was an apartment on State Street.

Carey and John Lepard both found parts in “Betty Anne Waters,” Carey as a reporter and John as a minister. They both appear also in “Red & Blue Marbles,” a 2009 movie SciFi movie, filmed in Detroit, about five grad students who must decide whether to stay on a dying Earth or sell themselves into a “corporate slavery” for transit to Mars. Carey is a TV weatherman and Lepard is Thomas Jenkins. The two often find themselves up for the same parts, Carey said.

“With the influx of movies into the state, casting directors have been using more local talent to access the incentive rebate,” Carey noted. A Michigan resident gets the production company a bigger credit than bringing in an out of state person, he pointed out. “Because of the increased incentives... more locals get a shot at the work.”

Carey has been shooting Highland Park with Danny Glover, Billy Burke and Haaz Sleiman. Carey plays Councilman Brice. The story is of a community trying to save the local library.

As mother of a child actor, Laura Bickel said the tax incentive has opened doors for Austin in Michigan. The Bickels had previously been making five-hour trips one way to Chicago for various print jobs and auditions. With movies like “Whip It” being made here, the family finds more auditions opening up for children’s roles.

Whitehouse noted that there were 20 feature film productions in Michigan last year, compared to four in 2007, with $100 million spent in 2008 compared to $4 million in 2007. And the 2009 productions include 40 plus feature films, with projection of $200 million being spent.

Michigan also was offering a 42 percent rebate on hiring Michigan residents for crews. Film industry training programs have sprung up for learning all aspects of filmmaking.

A joint training program between Michigan State University, Lansing Community College and Capital Area Michigan Works! produced 60 graduates in June. In an article published by the MSU Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Doug Sites (of Capital Area Michigan Works!) was talking about such programs as key to Michigan’s future:

“The film training program shows how our state is responding to the changing workforce demands in Michigan and committed to creating new job opportunities.”

Training was done through MSU’s Department of Telecommunications, Information Studies, and Media and Lansing Community College’s Digital Media, Audio and Cinema program.

Ironically, three weeks after “Whip It” opened in local theatres, Whitehouse announced an Oct. 26 rally in Pontiac to save the Michigan Film Tax Incentive from possible legislative cuts.

“We are at the 11th hour,” Whitehouse said. “There is a legislative effort to damage the Michigan Film Incentive. The Incentives are working! Beyond our wildest expectations! But some legislators are trying to kill them.”

Whitehouse is referring to a debate going on in the state Legislature, as lawmakers try to balance the state’s budget, over whether the tax incentive meant to attract the film industry to Michigan is simply too aggressive.

On the day of the film rally, a report on Mlive.com quoted a statement made by state Sen. Mickey Switalski, (D-10) to WJR AM-760’s Paul W. Smith: “The state is broke and we can’t afford the subsidy.”

He told Smith, “All I'm saying, and I think the Legislature is saying, is we need to establish how much we can afford.  That means either a cap, or lowering the percentage, or restructuring it.  Because we can't have an open-ended commitment when we're broke."

Supporters say that several states, including Lousiana, New Mexico, Connecticut and New York, as well as Canada have viable film industries now because of incentives. But the debate is also over the trouble states like Iowa have experienced with industry misuse of tax incentives. Iowa has since withdrawn its film incentive program.

One of the most vocal legislators on reform of the film incentive has been Nancy Cassis, Republican state senator from Novi, who said Michigan cannot afford this kind of subsidy. She introduced legislation that would put a cap on how much the state would spend, and also mandate more transparency of financial disclosure on the part of the state film office.

On Oct. 8, the Michigan Senate passed SB-0838 – in which the Michigan Film Incentives were reduced from 42 percent to 39 percent and 40 percent to 37 percent for core/non core cities. Commercials are included, but capped at 15 million per year.

Voices of dissent concerning the film industry incentive include film producer Michael Moore, who has gone on record with the Mackinac Center on Public Policy as saying the incentive is not good for Michigan.

On behalf of the incentive, Whitehouse writes, “One of the most successful efforts to re-build the economy is in danger of terminal legislative "flip flop." Film industry producers are sitting on their wallets watching and waiting to get a clear sign if Michigan is really going to roll back its promise and kill this new industry.”

Adding another voice, Dan McGowan of TheCrofoot.com, said: "The highly successful Michigan Film Tax Incentive is in danger of being reduced, capped, or altered in a way that would destroy the momentum that has been generated over the past 18 months in the Michigan motion picture, television, and video game industry. We need all Michigan filmmakers, supporters, artists, and crew to step forward and speak up."

In a WJRT Flint TV segment, the Michigan film industry effect on the economy was highlighted. The report is from the Crossroads Village set of “Alleged,” (the film John Lepard appears in) starring Fred Thompson, Colm Meany and Brian Dennehy about the Scopes Monkey Trial. Lepard is Rev. Sutherland.

The film’s executive producer, Dave Ross, told WJRT, “It's no illusion the movie production is putting mid-Michigan people to work. We're dumping almost $3 million into the local economy. That means jobs for local workers, vendors, services that we're using, materials."

Said the film’s writer and producer Fred Foote, “Ninety percent of the people on the ground here today will be from mid-Michigan, Flint or Detroit. I think it all adds up."

A lean green magic Michigan movie machine?

Michigan actors and film producers would like to see a lean green movie machine evolving here, and definitely springing more magical effects on the state’s economic future.

As Billy Whitehouse put it in a  phone interview last week, “Whip It” impressed a lot of people and Drew Barrymore was thrilled to film here. Such a film project is like a new business coming into the state, he said, sometimes for three to six months, to run their operation.

“It’s the fastest way to bring dollars into the state,” he said. “They come in, they’re on the ground, and they go to work.” Revenue comes in to area businesses, which won’t necessarily show up on the incentive numbers.

Despite the political doublespeak going on, Whitehouse thinks the outlook for the incentive is good. “We’re on life support now,” he said, while at the same time expressing optimism that the incentive will hold.

With Raleigh Studios in Pontiac and Unity Studios in Allen Park being built, the film industry will begin to thrive, he said. “We can actually create something in Michigan.” Whitehouse, like John Lepard, believes the fledgling film industry can help stop the brain drain that’s been going on for years, providing jobs for people who want to stay in Michigan.

In a post-rally comment Oct. 27, Whitehouse said, "The Creative Class is working diligently using the Michigan Film Incentive to bring new dollars into Michigan and develop Michigan's new economy. We are sending a message to the dissenting legislators and lobbyists to stop creating roadblocks that are destroying the future of business in Michigan."

Lepard, who came home to Michigan to build a theatre career after several years in California, also teaches classes in acting for the Camera and Audition at Lansing Community College. He’s thrilled that the incentive has expanded his opportunities to work in the area of cinema, both acting and teaching,  over the past couple of years in his home state.

“The film incentive has given a lot of us film work here in Michigan, so I'm hoping we can keep it going as long as possible.”

Movie links related to this article: 

For wrapped productions and anticipated productions list

http://www.michiganfilmoffice.org/Made-in-Michigan/Coming-Soon/Default.a...

Michigan Film Incentives in a Nutshell   — http://www.michigan.gov/filmoffice/0,1607,7-248--168008--,00.html

“The Wannabes” — http://www.thewannabes.tv/

For the WJRT video clip on the set of “Alleged” — http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=7025072 

Amy Ruby and the Detroit Derby Girls Fox 2 interview — http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/mornings/detroit_derby_girls

“Whip It” Late Night Talent Clips with Drew Barrymore about Michigan, motherhood (including a bit of Austin’s clip), sisterhood and roller derby moves — http://content.foxsearchlight.com/inside/node/3954

MTB Movies Blog about the movie “Highland Park” — http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/10/13/twilight-star-billy-burke-moves-to-highland-park/

Classes beginning at Unity Studios in Allen Park — http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2009/10/24/news/doc4ae31b802c7c474...

Michigan Film Production — http://www.michiganfilmproduction.com/raleigh-michigan-studios-wonderstr...

For an article about the film incentive rally — www.michiganmakesmovies.com

To see Senate bill 838 about the film incentive  — www.michiganlegislature.org

Wayne State University’s South End News about the film incentive: — http://www.thesouthendnews.com/michigan-film-industry-in-jeopardy-1.2029596

Mlive.com discusses film incentive debate; includes video clips — http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/10/as_debate_continues_...

Article about Michael Moore and the film incentive by Kathy Hoekstra for the Mackinac Center on Public Policy Sept. 30  — http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=11086 

ABCNews story about the Iowa film incentive — http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8913727.