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City RoomTM Public Affairs coverage from our award-winning staff

States Up Ante for Film Business
Produced by Mike Rhee on Sunday, April 13, 2008

The set of "Public Enemies" in Chicago. The film has shot in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. (Photo by John Sisson)

Over the last few years, more filmmakers have been flocking to Illinois for their big-budget productions. But some Midwestern neighbors are looking to change that.

"Yes, Michigan" they used to say. But the state that was once home to a vibrant U.S. auto industry has been struggling. So last week, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm unveiled an economic stimulus plan that includes a huge 40-percent tax break for filmmakers who work in the state. That's bigger than any tax break in the country. The governor's spokesperson Liz Boyd says its goal is not only to attract movie shoots.

BOYD: We want to build an infrastructure, we want to see sound studios here, we want to see animation and digital media companies come here.

STEINBERG: The stakes are higher and higher, every week, every time you open up one of the trades, there are states that are really upping the ante.

That's Betsy Steinberg, director of the Illinois Film Office. She says Illinois has more than doubled the amount of money it makes from the film industry over the last three years. That's after the state began offering a 20-percent tax credit to filmmakers. But Michigan isn't its only competitor. Wisconsin has a similar incentive, and Indiana just passed its own Hollywood tax credit. Stenberg says all this competition could cut into Illinois' business, if it weren't for two things. One, she says the state has a strong, existing labor force ready to work for the movies. And two:

STEINBERG: Some of the country's, not to mention world's, best locations, is something that Illinois has going for it that will always be a formidable challenge to anybody else around us.

In other words, you won't find a rickety El-track running alongside a Wrigley Field anywhere else.