Teeming in Michigan

Firms join to equip filmmakers
By BASHIRAH MUTTALIB
Michigan’s film infrastructure is receiving a significant boost from S3 Entertainment Group, a full-service film production services company based in the state.
S3EG has joined with William F. White Intl., one of North America’s largest production equipment providers, to be the state’s exclusive distribution partner.

S3EG, which also has offices in New York and California, will manage, store, lease, distribute and sell White’s equipment to production teams taking advantage of the state’s lensing incentives.

Michigan offers the highest incentives in the U.S. at 40%, with an additional 2% for pics produced in its “core” communities (Daily Variety, March 18).

S3EG’s team is working on the Clint Eastwood feature “Gran Torino,” currently in pre-production at Michigan locales, and is collaborating with other studios and indie and TV producers for future projects in the state. In addition to production services, the company also provides tax incentive info and processing, travel, bonding and insurance, catering and craft services and film financing.

WFW, a Comweb Group member company, has eight offices across Canada and is one of the largest providers of motion picture, TV and theatrical production equipment. WFW also owns CinequipWhite, a full-service sales company for Canada’s broadcast, video, film, entertainment and theatrical production industry.

“This exclusive arrangement will allow both companies to provide top-quality production equipment services to motion picture and television producers in the United States,” said Paul Bronfman, chairman-CEO of Comweb/William F. White Intl.
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