Written by new-contact on Feb 22, 2013. Posted in Incentive News

Spielberg oversees Need for Speed as it wins Michigan filming incentive

Videogame adaptation Need for Speed – overseen by Steven Spielberg through DreamWorks - will get a filming incentive payment from Michigan to shoot scenes on location in Detroit. The production will spend just under USD5 million locally and get a rebate of about USD1.4 million.

Michigan will be happy to have secured a high-profile project that involves Spielberg and stars Aaron Paul of acclaimed TV drama Breaking Bad. Scott Waugh has vast stunt work experience and will helm the production, which has in fact scaled up its Detroit shoot since its initial interest.

Margaret O’Riley is Director of the Michigan Film Office: “Need for Speed was initially just looking at Michigan to do car builds for the film, but we were able to make the case that this was a terrific place to film the movie as well."

This project fits so well into both our reputation as a great state for filmmaking and the automotive heritage Michigan is known for.

Margaret O’Riley, Michigan Film Office

She adds: “This project fits so well into both our reputation as a great state for filmmaking and the automotive heritage Michigan is known for; it’s a strong investment all around.”

Michigan has approved location filming incentive payments worth nearly USD11 million for fiscal year 2013, with local production spending estimated to come to around four times that figure.

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