It’s springtime and that means, thanks to Michigan’s arguably overly-generous film industry incentives, celebrities are flocking back to Ypsi/Arbor. My friend Jean, if I’m interpreting her Facebook updates correctly, has rented her home in Ann Arbor to the producers of a film named Salvation Boulevard… It’s weird. She has to hide with her kid in the attic, while Marisa Tomei pretends to be a mom downstairs… And Greg Kinnear, who is also in the film, has been spotted here in Ypsi, eating at the Sidetrack.
Here’s how the Internet Movie Database summarizes the film:
Set in the world of mega-churches in which a former Deadhead-turned-born again-Christian finds himself on the run from fundamentalist members of his mega-church who will do anything to protect their larger-than-life pastor.
The movie also stars Pierce Brosnon, Jennifer Connelly and Ed Harris.
If you’ve had occasion to see any of these folks, I’d ask you to consider putting pencil to paper and contributing something to our pencil paparazzi files.
Word is they might have also shot at the Ugly Mug coffee shop in Ypsi.
If you’ve seen anyone famous, in any context, please send a drawing. Anything at all would be appreciated… And keep your eyes pealed all summer, as more crews will be coming to town, including the folks shooting Scream 4.
9 Comments
The photo is of Greg Kinnear in Auto Focus, the film about Hogan’s Heros’ star Bob Crane.
…his raging sex addiction, and the murder that brought it all to an end.
Bob Crane, if he were alive, would be a high profile libertarian.
Yes, I rented out my house for a tidy sum and hid in my attic with my kid and a pile of legos. I never met a single celebrity, but totally dug the crew. I would roughly equate the movie biz with the restaurant biz in that it attracts down to earth smart, creative, no bullshit types. They were funny, kind and cool, so who really gives a shit about the famous folks. Many were Michigan natives just getting into the business. It’s a good one for our community. Go get your union cards and get to work…. behind the camera not in front of it, Then, when the movie biz is slow, buy an old house in an under-served neighborhood, fix it up and make something beautiful. We can turn this ship around ourselves. Then Greg Kinnear will be applauding for us.
If Jennifer Connelly needs a place to stay, I’ve got a cot.
Jean,
Keep us posted when Jennifer Connelly is due on the set.
Please.
My friend has gotten work as an extra the last two years but said that this year, the movie work in Michigan (or around here at least) has been slow to start. Her employer speculated that it could be due to the fact that last year, MI began discussing decreasing the tax incentive.
Mark, I’ve got a pencil paparazzi entry for you. I can scan & email it (or post it online and send a link), but only as a PDF, or if you’d prefer, I can deliver a hard copy to you. Let me know.
I purchased a Greg Kinnear semen sample about ten years ago from a woman who said that she used to know him. It was too cheap not to buy. But now I don’t know what to do with it.