This story will be featured in our Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) newsletter here at Wayne County this month, but I wanted to share it w/all of you first!

I’m super excited, this youth-driven SAG program, CADET should hopefully go public soon— the pilot program has proven to be a great success so far! It’s a great opportunity for young actors who are looking for a leg-up NOW.

Enjoy,

Mike

Since its inception in 2008, the Film Tax Credit has meant 4,000 acting jobs and counting in Michigan—many of which went to local aspiring talent in Wayne County, winning roles in everything from Michael Bay’s TRANSFORMERS 3 to ABC’s episodic cop drama, Detroit 1-8-7. As more and more productions take notice of Michigan and Wayne County, our local Screen Actors Guild Union looks to introduce a new generation of talent to this booming profession.

The Wayne County Film Office is happy to support the Detroit Branch Screen Actors Guild (SAG) as they proudly launch their new youth driven pilot program, CADET, at Dearborn High School this week. They had a fantastic student turn-out, with 26 new sign-ups! The success of the launch could help the program branch out into neighboring schools and arts programs by the fall.

CADET—Cultivating Actors with Direction, Experience and Training—is a pilot program of the SAG Detroit Branch Conservatory, soon to be open to middle and high school age students who are serious about learning the fundamentals of a professional acting career.

CADETs have the opportunity to take classes conceived specifically for young actors or even filmmakers. They will be introduced and exposed to working industry professionals as well as local productions through special events/programming, and are even welcome to attend select Screen Actors Guild activities and receive helpful career-building information from the Guild - All designed to give young actors a leg-up in this highly competitive field.

Screen Actors Guild—Detroit/Philadelphia Branch Executive Director, Marcia Fishman says, “The new CADET program was created so that young actors can become a member of an entity – in this case a SAG Conservatory – where they can carry a membership card, and that card affords them the privileges of special learning opportunities.  Our future lies in our young actors, and we need to capture their interest.”

Any student in the sixth through 12th grade with drama or film acting training or experience will be eligible when the course is open to the public upon the new school year. Similarly, any student in this age group with an immediate family member who belongs to a production-related union (SAG, AFTRA, IATSE, AEA, etc.) will also be eligible. A nominal fee will be applied to cover the cost of programming, and all CADETs will receive a special card recognizing their conservatory membership. Scholarship opportunity will also be available.

 For more information about the CADET program or to apply a young actor, contact Marcia Fishman at (248) 351-2678, or Mfishman@sag.org

Hello Bloggers & Friends,

My name is Mike Mosallam. I am the Director of the Wayne County Film Office, which functions as a governmental resource to incoming Michigan productions. My office can assist in everything from location scouting to crew placement, we can help with office space and hotel stays— or even hook you up with something fun to do while in town. We work with any film, TV, music or gaming projects based in Southeast Michigan.

Situated in the heart of the Great Lakes region along the beautiful Detroit River, Wayne County is the 13th most populous county in the United States, housing nearly 2 million residents. With 43 distinct communities including the City of Detroit, which was recently named one of the “Best 10 Cities to Live, Work and Make Movies in 2010” by MovieMaker.com. Wayne County is rich in history, culture, arts, and world-class amenities. We take pride in being one of the most diverse counties in the United States; a place where different cultures come together to offer a truly cosmopolitan experience.

Since the passing of the most aggressive Film Tax Credit in the nation— refundable up to 42%, almost $648 million have been poured into the Michigan economy in production expenditures. Southeast MI, and in specific Wayne County, hosts the majority of film & TV projects shot in the state under the tax incentive— having assisted on over 80 projects since 2008. Some of the ones we are especially proud of include Hugh Jackman’s ‘REAL STEEL’, George Clooney’s ‘UP IN THE AIR’, Gerard Butler’s ‘MACHINE GUN PREACHER’, ABC’s episodic cop drama, ‘Detroit 1-8-7’, who are based and operated entirely out of Wayne County and of course many, many others.

All of this has meant one thing for our residents and talented work force: JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! We are always so proud and happy to hear the success stories of displaced residents who found work in this new and exciting industry— they are the infrastructure that will continue to grow and expand our new creative economy.

Through this blog I hope to keep you all informed on all things FILM, TV, MUSIC & GAMING in Wayne County.

Check back often for unique work and programming opportunities, industry information and updates from my office.

Also, feel free to reach out to me here— ask questions, post discussions and most importantly, keep those creative juices flowin’!

If you need more info on the Wayne County Film Office or the State Film Tax Credit check out our website at www.ReelWC.com

(PS: don’t forget to “LIKE” us on Facebook, reelwc-the wayne county film initiative and “FOLLOW” us on Twitter, @reelwc)

Thanks,

Mike