Why Theatre needs the Film Incentives

I own a small scene shop, it's part of the 'enterprise' that is Etico Productions. Currently we are building a show for Tipping Point Theatre in Northville, Michigan and we couldn't do that job without the Film Tax Incentive program currently in place in Michigan.

Tipping Point wants us to build their next show for an amount of money that wouldn't remodel kitchen cabinets. I'm not disparaging this great up and coming company, EVERY theatre we work for wants us to build and install shows for ridiculously small amounts of money. We make it work, we barter, we use our own stock materials and then get some back, I donate my own time or borrow from another show we've built. It's a growing business model and part of the reason this 'arm' of our business exists; to share resources, to help theatre's that are struggling financially and do not have the ability to maintain a scene shop or carpenters or tech staff. Since we started doing this type of work 10 months ago we've built eight shows and been involved in at least five others and we've broken even or lost money on every single one. Next season we'll break even more if we're lucky and after that who knows hopefully we'll continue to grow. We've stayed open because I've been able to invest my own money and the only reason I've had that money is the film work I have done since the Tax Incentive Plan was in place, without that income we close our doors it's that simple.

Brian, Ben, Phill, Lindsey, Maria, Alex, Craig, Andy, Nan, Bob, Karen, Brent, Brett, Ron, Andrew, Sarah-these are the names of people that have drawn a paycheck from work with us (not including the 20 or so actor types) If I were not fortunate enough to book the film work that I have none of these people get paid, none of these jobs exist, and that fact is not showing up on any of Governor Snyder's spreadsheets. I get my health insurance through my SAG work, that means I don't buy my own; money back into the business and more people employed in the theatre. I was on location for almost 4 weeks last summer, someone had to run my shop, build my shows; more people employed in the theatre-no film work and those theatre jobs are gone. There are at least four of my employees that I know for a fact would have left the state if not for the work we generated for them last summer-without the ability for me to invest in my business more of our young and talented folks leave this state. I am able to invest because I am able to make money from the Film Incentive program and a 6% flat business tax is not going to accomplish that Mr. Governor.

I don't know, maybe that won't be the case this year, maybe I won't book as many films and we'll close our doors after all, but I am shooting three days on "Ides of March" with George Clooney next week and three guys will be working in my shop building a show for Tipping Point THEATRE while I am gone. What I do know is, it's a guarantee that if the Film Incentive program goes away so will my company and so will all those jobs in the theatre.

An Oedipul Block

As the blinded King Oedipus, Laurence Olivier uttered a terrible, desolate scream of pain which is a thing of legend and often chronicled. He is quoted as saying that to ‘find’ that scream he thought of how they catch ermine.

“In the Arctic they put down salt and the ermine comes to lick it. It's caught when it's tongue freezes to the ice. I thought about that sudden pain when I screamed as Oedipus.”

I think about my back after getting out of my car and the 70 minute drive to Williamston.

I wake up every morning between 4 and 5am hoping that it won’t hurt. At this point that’s like hoping my bulldog Bella won’t snore like Fred Flintstone, but you can’t blame a guy for trying. If bi-weekly epidural blocks and three hours of icing a day haven’t fixed the problem, it’s probably a good bet that the back fairy isn’t going to visit me in the night. Simply put, my body is way older than the mileage would indicate-I wish there was “cash for clunkers” or “lemon laws” for the human body.

Unless you’ve had chronic back pain or the unfortunate circumstance to live with someone that does (like my incredible wife Kate) it’s hard to describe. Imagine never being able to be in a comfortable position or that sleeping hurts. Imagine the fear of sneezing being only outweighed by seeing a flight of stairs. It’s kind of like that.

There are only two instances in my life when I forget about the pain in my back and although both actually increase the discomfort when they are over, those are some good times while they’re happening. Both allow my brain to compartmentalize the ache to a non-immediate state temporarily. One, I cannot talk about in a family friendly forum and the other one is a child’s pastime- I play pretend a few times a week at Williamston Theatre in a new production of “Oedipus”.

Sir Laurence Olivier called playing Oedipus the ‘Lear’ of Greek drama and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a great and challenging role but to paraphrase another great Sir- Ian McKellen -‘I’m not really King Oedipus I am pretending to be King Oedipus.’ Now, I know a lot of my fellow artists will take umbrage with my simplification of our ‘craft’ but I’m an old school guy and what I do may be a lofty pursuit to some, to me it’s my job-it’s how I earn a living and it has it’s difficulties sure but it’s not brain surgery, sorry folks.

As fortunate as I am to be a part of this innovative moving piece of theatre, it flat kicks my butt, it’s all I can do to fold myself back into my car and make the drive home to my ice packs every night. I have done more physically demanding roles for sure and even a few that have called for a similar level of emotional ‘pretending’ but that was before I rolled the odometer over on this body. If you come and see us and I strongly suggest you do, you’ll see that we hit the deck running and don’t stop for the next 80ish minutes. It’s done in the round, it’s emotionally charged, there’s no intermission and the stakes are high from first word to final curtain.

All that being said, when I am on stage, I am pain free. The level of concentration necessary and the intensity of the work short circuit or distract the pain receptors, I guess. And when you are fortunate enough to be working with other actors that have that same level of commitment and honesty you can be transported into the life of the play. Oedipus is physically pain free (until the end of course) and although he is an emotionally tortured character, John the actor is joyous. The incredible folks I am on stage with every day are my ‘back fairy’ and I love them for it. All in all, it’s quite a ride and whether you think you like Greek drama or not, I can promise you won’t be bored for a single second.