LANSING — In a presentation on Wednesday at the Capitol Building in Lansing, members of the University community discussed the drawbacks to ending Michigan’s film incentive program and considered ways to amend it for the future.

Jim Burnstein — Hollywood screenwriter, University lecturer in Screen Arts & Cultures, and vice chair of the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council — presented his proposal "Amend, Don’t End” at the event, a plan to amend Michigan film incentive tax by reducing Michigan’s incentive rebate from 42 percent to 32 percent.

Additionally, Burnstein’s plan calls to offer additional incentives to film companies that do post-production work in Michigan, and advocates for a collaborative effort with Pure Michigan that includes placing their logos in the credits of films made in the state as part of an effort to promote tourism.

The film incentives bill, passed in 2008, provided a 42 percent rebate to production-related expenses incurred in the state. According to Burnstein, it accomplished three goals: to create jobs, build infrastructure and reverse the “brain drain” — the loss of Michigan’s young talent to more "successful" states.

Burnstein noted that at least 4,000 full-time, lucrative jobs have been created by the film industry in Michigan since 2008, adding that part of the upswing can be attributed to the opening of Motown Motion Picture Studios in Pontiac in 2009, which was constructed by Raleigh Studios, one of the biggest motion picture facilities in the world.

There has been an increase in Michigan students moving to Detroit after graduating to pursue film careers in the state, Burnstein said.

He also discussed the “multiplier effect” perpetuated by the film industry, urging the audience to consider jobs created by large film casts and crews looking to utilize Michigan hotels, eat at Michigan restaurants and rent cars from Michigan businesses. He added that for every incentive dollar spent, there is a six-dollar positive impact on the state’s economy.

Burnstein said he doesn't believe Republican Gov. Rick Snyder or the Michigan Treasury Department took into account the positive impact of film incentives when they rallied to support the new, 2011 film incentive bill — which places a $25 million per year cap on rebates given to film companies that shoot in Michigan.

Now that the Michigan film incentive is at risk of being reduced, Burnstein said not only could the state potentially lose University graduates studying film to other parts of the country as they search for careers, but also high caliber students in other fields that may be related to film, exacerbating the brain drain.

Robert Rayher, University lecturer in Screen Arts & Cultures, ended the presentation by discussing an upper-level Screen Arts course that collaborates with Michigan’s top three research universities — the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University — to bring together the top film students from each school to create a professional, 20-minute film.

Rayher said he credits the course with significantly helping to keep the film industry in Michigan.

“(We’re) keeping the hope alive via this program,” Rayher said.