With so many of Michigan’s local, independent filmmakers’ sweat and toil to bring their films to life, they deserve a fancy, red-carpet awards ceremony to celebrate their creations.
While big studios continue to pour millions into each of their films, there’s another style of film that has kept a steady presence in the shadow of big blockbusters: micro-budget films.
The Public Media Network (PMN) of Kalamazoo hopes to take this uniquely frugal style of filmmaking and put it in the limelight with the third annual North By Midwest Micro-Budget Film Festival.
Back when the state of Michigan had a tax incentive for films, people like Racheal Floyd had it a little easier. Big-screen movies like End of the Tour, with Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel, came to Grand Rapids, but now Floyd has to go to them. After working abroad on films like Fast & Furious 8 and All Eyez On Me, and shows like Being Mary Jane, Floyd is returning home (at least, for a moment) to work on her own projects. We talked with Floyd about her aspirations for the future and her take on the film industry at large.
Five musicals and two special shows have been announced for Broadway Grand Rapids’ next season.
Contrary to what Midwesterners often think, we do speak with an accent. And it’s a funny one at that, depending whom you ask.
It’s achieved by “talking as though your lower jaw has fallen off and you have to form words with the rest of your face,” according to Edward McClelland.
So the author explains in his new book, “How To Speak Midwestern,” which is both a cultural history of and field guide to the varieties of speech throughout middle (real?) America.
The Grand Rapids Symphony’s 88th season, the first created by new Music Director Marcelo Lehninger, has been announced.
Fantasy has always been near and dear to Josiah Swanson’s heart. In fact, the director, producer and founder of the Muskegon-based WhiteShore Films lists The Lord of the Rings as one of his biggest inspirations for becoming a filmmaker.
Daniel Falicki and Joel Potrykus, both of Grand Rapids, took home top awards each at the 8th annual Made-in-Michigan Film Festival for their feature films, “Accidental Exorcist” and “The Alchemist Cookbook,” respectively.
As of yesterday, a movie based on the dark history of Beaver Island is now available on Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, Vimeo, Vudu and other streaming sites.
