FeedsFilm brings star power to Plymouth community
Hollywood is coming to Plymouth and a local restaurant will be featured in major motion film.
Beginning on Oct. 1 Bennigan’s Restaurant, located on Ann Arbor Road in Plymouth Township, will be closed for three days as crews shoot scenes for the upcoming Parallel Media film Demoted, starring Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings, The Goonies).
Demoted is a comedy about two tire salesmen (Astin and Michael Vartan) who in addition to being a bit chauvinistic constantly pull pranks on their fellow co-worker (David Cross) Things start to change, however when their boss dies and both pranksters are demoted to secretaries by the co-worker they once tormented. The movie is scheduled to appear in theatres sometime in 2009.
According to officials from Parallel Media, the Plymouth location beat out several other restaurants throughout the metro Detroit area and is described as an ideal place to film.
Metro Detroit native and location director for the Demoted project David Rumble said he is aware of at least five motion pictures being filmed in southeastern Michigan and is glad he was able to find the Plymouth restaurant. He was unsure if extras from the Plymouth community might be recruited.
“There’s a lot of movie shooting here,” he added. Rumble, who has been a part of the film industry since 2001, said Metro Detroiters have typically been “pretty film friendly” in the past.
And with a new package of laws making it cost-effective to film in Michigan, Rumble expects more activity.
Filmmakers are crediting a series of tax credits and incentives for filmmakers approved by the Michigan State Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in April. The new film program provides incentives for film and digital media production, infrastructure development, financing and workforce development with an emphasis on hiring Michigan workers and filming in core communities, urban communities, and traditional centers of commerce.
The laws provide a 40-percent refundable or transferable tax credit for producing films in Michigan, with an added 2-percent rebate for films produced in core communities.
The laws also provide 25 percent tax credit for film and digital media infrastructure investments for such activities as building studios or purchasing equipment.
Rumble said if any young people are uncertain about a career path, they should consider film.
“It’s worked for me,” he said.
Shane Collins, the general manager for the Plymouth restaurant, who heard about the filming late last week, said anything that can be done to promote Michigan and spur job development is needed.
“I think that Michigan is struggling right now and anything we can do to bring jobs into Michigan is a good thing,” he said.
As film revenue comes into the state and the county, Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce Director Wes Graff said local businesses would benefit from the influx of film crewmembers that would shop and dine in the area. Graff also believes once filmmakers get a look at Plymouth it will become one of the most popular film locations in the state.
As Collins, who just found out about the decision to film in Bennigan’s last Friday, prepares to close to the public next month, he is hopeful that some of the employees will be able to make cameo appearances.
“We’re not sure about it but we believe they will,” he said.
