Acclaimed writer Mitch Albom organized the meeting

Five hundred-plus Michigan excited filmmakers packed Grace & Wild’s Stage A in Bloomfield Hills to hear leaders explain details of Michigan’s tax incentives that are rocketing the state's film revenues from $0 to $100 million.

Famous Detroit-based Mitch Albom, incentives activist, author of nine bestsellers, and screenplay writer, led the April 28 Town Hall Meeting.   More >

MFO's Janet Lockwood: Loving every busy minute

Janet Lockwood, Michigan’s feisty film office director – who has the distinction of being the longest serving film official of any state – dismissed the report that she brought 97 scripts back from Location Expo in L.A. last month.

“We already had 60 or 70 scripts in the office before I left,” she states, “and we’ve constantly added to the pile since mid-February.”   More >

Johnny Depp portrays John Dillinger

Within a year of finishing school, three Columbia College graduates are getting a taste of the big time as they work as Production Car department assistants on Michael Mann’s $150 million-budgeted, 1930s crime saga, “Public Enemies.”

Principal photography in Chicago, held up by bad weather in Wisconsin, is due to start sometime next week.   More >

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is putting us asleep

Chicago production is twiddling its collective thumbs and brushing away cobwebs as we wait … and wait … and wait for the Illinois Filmmakers Tax Credit to be signed into law.

Actually, the state has been anxiously waiting ONE MONTH for Gov. Blagojevich’s office to come up with a photo op so he can sign the bill.   More >

National AFTRA and non-broadcast producers reached an agreement for an 18-month extension to the contract that covers on-camera/voiceover for business videos and new media-distributed informational and promotional messages.

The deal includes a 3% general rate increase and a one-half percent increase in the contribution rates into the union’s health and retirement funds equaling the commercials contract rate of 14.8%.   More >

Digital Media guru Mike Fayette

Along with previously announced “no-shows” at NAB 2008, such as Avid and Apple, general attendance was down more than 5% from last year, to a little more than 105,000 total visitors and that the hallways were sometimes nearly empty.

There was an even greater dip in US attendance, which was partially made up by a record attendance of more than 27,000 International visitors.   More >

Writer/director Zach Helm, a DePaul Theatre School alum

Screenwriter, director, playwright and DePaul University Theatre School alum Zach Helm (“Stranger than Fiction,” “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium”) returned to Chicago to be honored at the School’s recent 2008 Awards for Excellence in the Arts.

Native Californian Helm, who came to Chicago to attend the Theatre School at 17 and left at 23, talks to the Reel’s Tim Horsburgh.   More >

May 17 - 56 SLICK TRICKS FOR VOICEOVERS: “How to Audition and Book the Job,” May 17 and the “Great Chicago Character Voice Event,” May 18, hosted by Sherri Berger’s Voice Over U and featuring award-winning L.A. voiceover/teacher, Pat Fraley.

May 17: Practical techniques and downright dirty tricks to arm actors with weapons needed to meet bone-crunching competition. May 18: Based on the only character voice curriculum in U.S.; animation, interactive, spots and workbooks.

At Radio City Recording, 445 E. Ohio; $395 each workshop, $425 for both. Contact Sherri Berger, 773/774-9886 or Email voiceoveru@sherriberger.com.    More >