Filming 'Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn' in Michigan? State making push to make it happen
GRAND RAPIDS -- Wouldn't be cool if Taylor Lautner could show off his native Michigan to co-stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart while filming "Breaking Dawn" -- the fourth and final installment of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series?
Janet Lockwood, director of the Michigan Film Office, says her staff will contact the production company to suggest the Mitten State as a potential film location. Filming is planned for this fall with a 2011 release date, according to imdb.com.
"We would love to have them film here," said Lockwood. "The film locations would become tourism sites for people who are fans of the movies and books."
If there is any truth to the rumor floating around that Louisiana is being considered because of its generous film tax incentives, Michigan might have a shot.
Percentage-wise, Michigan's incentives -- which offer up to a 42 percent tax break -- are higher than Louisiana's 25 percent tax break. This Gulf Coast state also throws in an additional 10 percent for crew hired from the state, Lockwood said.
But Michigan caps its tax credits for salaries at $2 million, which isn't the case in Louisiana, she said.
"Even though we give a higher percentage, (filmmakers) can make a bigger rebate in Louisiana," Lockwood said.
There might be some terrain issues with Michigan filling in for the northern Washington town of Forks, the setting of the teenage vampire love story. Michigan's forests lack the peaks of the northwest.
Although none of the first three films were made in Washington, they were filmed in surrounding Pacific Northwest. Twilight was made in Oregon while New Moon and the soon-to-be-released Eclipse were filmed in Vancouver, Canada.
What Michigan lacks in mountains, it makes up in sandy beaches which could be perfect for the tropical island setting where vampire Edward Cullen and his bride Bella honeymoon.
"We could play the Caribbean easily," Lockwood said.
The only problem is filming wouldn't begin until after summer.
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