FeedsRomulus is site of ‘Miss January’
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Romulus Mayor Alan Lambert took time out to visit with the filmmakers of Miss January, a coming-of-age story that is being shot in Romulus, Westlandand Livonia. Lambert took time to meet actress Kim Cattrall, the star of the film. Production company execuHeavy incentives given to the film industry are working in small communities throughout Michigan, and earlier this week, the stars came out in Romulus.
Los Angeles-based filmmakers converged on downtown Romulus and a select group of small Wayne County cities to shoot Miss January, a coming of age story starring Kim Cattrall of Sex and the City fame, and Brian Dennehy.
In all, about seven out of 27 production days were spent in Romulus by the time filmmakers packed up their cameras Tuesday, said Ernest Belding of Gilbert Films.
“We liked the small-town look of Romulus,” he said. “We also liked that we could drive out – very quickly – and shoot in a rural area.
“We found that everyone in the city was really responsive to us,” said Belding, who coordinates locations for the small film company. “We used the Senior Center for our parking. We had a very good experience shooting here.”
Michigan works
Shooting a motion picture requires a lot of variety and flexibility among those who make movies, and the locations where they are shot, said Belding.
“What initially brought us here was the excellent incentive package put into place by the governor,” he said. “But other states have great incentives – like Georgia, New Mexico and Louisiana, and also Puerto Rico.
“But in Michigan, you have a variety of areas and seasons they don’t have,” Belding said. “I can do summer, winter, rural suburban, and industrial – and they just don’t have that in Georgia, God bless their hearts.”
Film industry incentives – which were approved last year – have brought many Hollywood film crews into the area. State officials approved tax incentives to filmmakers to bring new industry to the state, and to drive business into local communities.
Gilbert Films has opened an office in Livonia, and plans to use the area for more projects, Belding said.
Crews for Miss January shot in Romulus, Westland, Farmington Hills, and Livonia during the past several weeks. The filmmakers shot Cattrall in Romulus – Brian Dennehy apparently filmed mostly in Farmington Hills.
On Tuesday, the film crews shot their final scenes in Romulus at the Historical Park, and the Post Office.
Locations help sell the story
Produced by Camelot Films, which three years ago had a hit with the indie movie Garden State, Miss January follows the story of a young man who drives cross-country to find the object of his affection, a retired adult film actress played by Cattrall. The film is expected to be released in 2009.
Mayor Alan Lambert said he believes the film project benefited the city.
“Local people have been hired to do work,” he said. “Also, local businesses have been paid by the filmmakers to use their buildings, and so has the city,” he said. “It’s been very exciting.
“So far I can’t see any downside to this,” Lambert said. “It’s really been a good thing for us.”
Belding said downtown businesses were patronized during the production. “We try to do business in the cities where we film,” Belding said. “I know the hardware store in the area got quite a bit of business from us,” he said.
According to the Michigan Film Office Web site, about 18 films are either in negotiations for the opportunity to shoot in Michigan or scheduled to begin production.
