Written by new-contact on Sep 23, 2014. Posted in On Location

Studio Center film facility in Detroit plans refurbishment for 2015

Michigan’s Studio Center filming facility in Detroit is to be refurbished and rebranded to boost its profile from 2015. In recent years the facility has hosted scenes for George Clooney’s political drama The Ides of March, while Michigan is currently host to the new Batman movie.

Studio Center offers three separate sound stages and more than 70,000 square feet of office space. Michigan real estate company Sterling Group bought the site earlier this year and Carrie Jones, a former director of the Michigan Film Office, is now in charge, reports the Detroit Free Press.

“I'm going to be really focused on the rebrand, coming up with a new name, working on the improvements and giving the facility a new look and feel, but also just making sure that folks know we're here and open for business,” Jones told the outlet.

Michigan’s production industry has had a patchy few years since its filming incentive programme was drastically cut in 2011. The state’s film fund has since been organised on a short-term basis, with the budget renewed annually. Local politicians have recently called for this process to be changed in order to provide longer-term security, particularly for TV producers.

Despite an uncertain filming incentive and Detroit’s bankruptcy, Michigan has nonetheless managed to secure several high-profile shoots. Michael Bay built a giant Hong Kong set in Detroit for Transformers: Age of Extinction and Zack Snyder is filming his upcoming superhero sequel Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (above) at Michigan Motion Picture Studios. Eddie Murphy will film locally for a long-gestating Beverly Hills Cop sequel.