Semi-Pro

Ambassador Magazine -
When Kent Alterman, executive producer at New Line Cinema, heard the pitch for a film based on the last year of the American Basketball Association , it was all he needed to hear to jump head first into the project. Making his directing debut in the upcoming film Semi-Pro, starring Will Ferrell, Alterman chose Flint as the lcoation of the film's star team "The Tropics"
Shooting on location in Flint and at the Michigan State Fair Grounds in May, the movie began as a one-line pitch from writer Scott Armstrong almost four years ago. While producing Elf with Ferrell in 2004, Alterman told him about the idea for the film about the ABA. After seeing the half-written script, Ferrell came on board.
The film tells the story of Jackie Moon, whose one hit wonder "Love me Sexy": has made him a small legend in Motown. Moon's single leaves him with enough money to purchase the struggling ABA team, the Flint Tropics, and he soon becomes owner, player and coach.
"Flint is in the shadow of Detroit, so it fit in dramatically that way" Alterman says " The ABA was always holding it together with shoestrings and paper clips, so it seemed fitting that a team would come from some tropical place and end up in Flint, Michigan."
Semi-Pro will be released in 2008 and will be filled with scenes of Flint as well as the State Fair Grounds. The cast and crew stayed in Rochester Hills, filmed in Flint and Detroit, and spent much of their week in the area taking in the sights and sounds of Detroit. Alterman's only regret during his stay in Michigan was that he hadn't visited years earlier. During filming, the entire cast of Semi-Pro took a day off to attend a Tiger's game at Comerica Park. "It was bittersweet to visit Comerica Park," Alterman says "It's such an amazing park, but I would of loved to have been to the original Tiger Stadium"
Growing up in San Antonio, Alterman has a great love of sports and some close connections to the ABA. Alterman's family pooled their money in the 70's to purchase a share of the San Antonio SPurs franchise. Showing up for every game and begging to chosen for the three point shot at half-time, Alterman finally made it to the court during the last game of the season.
"I'm a huge sports fan. The only time I'd been to Detroit prior to this movie was in 2005 for the playoffs and the Spurs," Alterman says " it's really infectious being in such a sports town doing this comedy movie about sports... This Semi-Pro team had a great time shooting here. All the people we encountered were so friendly and happy we were filming in Michigan." - Andrea Walker

You are Here playing at the Maple Art Theatre 9/16

The premiere is September 16 at the Maple Theater. YOU ARE HERE, which opened to effusive praise from a theater packed crowd on June 24 (more: www.thejeffreyporch.com), is a film that owes its existence to the sheer determination of its creator. A gripping drama that one viewer called “raw, emotional and true,” witnessing everyday life “in a way films rarely ever have” YOU ARE HERE has been called “the most realistic and honest portrayal of its kind” by a renowned authority on the subject of the film.

The compelling and exquisitely written story, shot in and around Detroit, generated long discussions and commentary for hours and days afterwards. Conceived originally as a vehicle to stir interest in a proliferating contemporary crisis, it is the first feature by Detroit writer Tim Jeffrey and his production company, The Jeffrey Porch, a film, documentary, video, writing, communications and editing consultancy based in Livonia, Michigan.

A cross between BEAUTIFUL MIND and SIXTH SENSE, Jeffrey’s film captures a little known malaise on film in honor of his mother, for whom the film is dedicated. Shot out of pocket over four years, production on YOU ARE HERE was suspended three times by the producers to drum up additional financing. Jeffrey worked with his wife, Beverly, to fund 90 percent of the film (friends and other supporters provided the rest), but when YOU ARE HERE debuted briefly in early 2006 to a few focus groups and small audiences of friends, he chose to pull the film and return to the edit suite for a frame-by-frame remix and full re-mastering to address audience critiques of story logic, overall sound, music mix, and so on. The post edit phase was held up for nearly six months due to additional expenses as well. But the result is a visually stunning, evocative, and big budget feel like few independents arguably ever achieve, with unforgettable performances, ethereal music and startling intimacy that meld perfectly to spellbind audiences.

International musical performing artists Loreena McKennitt, Caroline LaVelle and Ginny Clee generously contributed their creations, believing in the story’s message. Please read up on our film, see the clips, and check the notes on our national tour as we begin (at www.thejeffreyporch.com). Please accept our invitation to view the film at the September 16 premiere or the four day run following that, at the Maple.

Movies that have been made in Detroit

Below is a partial list of movies that Hollywood and others have shot (fully and partially) in Detroit.

Four Brothers
The Island
The Upside of Anger
Robocop
Hoffa
Renaissance Man
Out of Sight
Bird on a Wire
Crossing the Bridge
Detroit Rock City
Beverly Hills Cop
8 Mile
Narc
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Exit Wounds
Blue Collar
True Romance
The TV Show "Martin
The Black Legion
Scarecrow
Detroit 9000
Zebrahead
Presumed Innocent
61*
Death Bed: The Bed That Eats
The Betsy
Bowling for Columbine
Fahrenheit 9/11
Roger and Me
Barn Red
Exhibitionist
Deep Impact
Crimewave
Brewster Projects
Rosary Murders
Grosse Pointe Blank
The Polish Wedding

Detroit Michigan

Motown, Motor City, D-town, Hockeytown, the 313, the D... by whatever name you call it.. Detroit is known as the the birthplace of the Automobile and Motown, more recently house music and the home of Eminem and Kid Rock. The eleventh most populous city in the United States, and the surrounding communities often called the metro Detroit area create a diverse pool that makes Detroit what it is.

Detroit has a large creative population, there is a large number of independant movie makers. They create a steady stream of high quality entertainment, ranging from documentaries, horror films, science fiction, romance and comedies. Short and Commercials. Detroit is a rising movie community.