LANSING –

The Michigan Film Office confirmed Thursday that filming for the Paramount

Pictures film “Looking for Alaska,” based on the best-selling novel by

acclaimed author John Green, will come to Michigan in the fall and receive a

film incentive of more than $7 million.

The project

is projected to spend more than $21 million with two-thirds to be spent

directly with Michigan residents and Michigan-based vendors. Of the more than

300 anticipated cast and crew hires, more than 200 are expected to be Michigan

residents along with 1,718 extras among the local hires.

Blockbuster

films like this won’t be getting much help from the state after next year. Last

month, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill ending the seven-year experiment that has

been the Michigan Film incentives. Film Office Commissioner Jenell

Leonard said the office would continue its efforts to fund films, TV programs

and video game production through a public-private partnership. Details have

not yet been disclosed.

Looking for

Alaska is directed by Rebecca Thomas (Electrick Children). The NY Times

best-seller is being adapted for the screen by “The Fault in Our Stars”

screenwriters Scott Neutadter & Michael H. Weber. “Looking for

Alaska” is produced by Temple Hill’s Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen (“Paper

Towns,” “Fault in Our Stars”), along with Mark Waters and Jessica Tuchinsky (“500

Days of Summer”).

Specific

shooting locations in Michigan will be identified in upcoming weeks. If you are

interested in seeking work as a member of the film crew, please send your

resume to [email protected]

On July 10,

House Bill 4122 was signed into law, which eliminates the program whereby MFO

may enter into new film and digital media incentive agreements. The

aforementioned project was issued an executed agreement prior to the signing of

the legislation. Any film or digital media project approved and issued a fully

executed agreement prior to the signing of the legislation will be administered

in accordance with the law. The MFO is no longer accepting applications for

projects seeking incentives.

MFO,

established in 1979 to assist and attract production companies and promote the

growth of Michigan’s film industry, will remain open and continue to promote

film, television and other digital media production in the state.

For more

information, please visit Michigan

Film Office