Unity Studios and Lifton Institute Break Ground in Allen Park
Posted: 27 Aug 2009 09:30 AM PDT
Initial Phase to Open for Job Training and Production Work This Fall
ALLEN PARK, Mich. —Unity Studios and the Lifton Institute for Media Skills today celebrated the start of construction of an all encompassing film, TV and media production factory and village on 104 acres at Southfield Road and I-94 in Allen Park.
Unity Studios President Jimmy Lifton, Allen Park Mayor Gary Burtka, and other city, Wayne County and state leaders attended the groundbreaking for the Studios and Lifton Institute, which will kick-start the creation of a highly trained union work force and thousands of good jobs.
“We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” Burtka said. “Soon Allen Park will become the centerpiece of Michigan’s emerging film industry and the many jobs and economic development opportunities it will provide to our residents and state.”
The full-service studios and village with future residential and commercial areas represent a significant bricks and mortar investment in a new and growing Michigan industry. Once complete, the total project investment will be about $146 million.
Unity Studios will open four feature sound stages, production services, post audio dubstages, music recording stages and post video services by the end of this year. This October, the Lifton Institute for Media Skills (LIMS) will be open on site for its first class of 250 students who will be trained for jobs in the film industry. Additional feature sound stages as well as the Village development will follow.
Lifton, the veteran Hollywood film executive who has led efforts for the past three years to develop Unity Studios, said the project has been affected by “the negative perceptions” that have been created by certain politicians in Lansing who continue to threaten to reduce or eliminate Michigan’s best-in-the-nation film tax credits.
“Unity Studios is a significant sustainable investment in Michigan, one that will grow thousands of jobs and invigorate the budding film industry here,” Lifton said. “The film incentive is a sound financial tool that if used wisely, will be the needed impetus to create a viable foundation. Unfortunately, every time a state lawmaker talks about reducing or ending the credits, film industry producers and potential investors run for the hills.”
Unity Studios will be majority owned and operated by a group of investors from Los Angeles and Michigan, including Lifton. Originally from Southfield, Michigan, Lifton has been in the business of entertainment for 30 years. He has owned an internationally distributed record label, produced 13 feature films, and is principal of one of the largest independent post-production audio studios in Los Angeles, Oracle Post. Some of the most famous and familiar TV and film industry giants use Oracle Post including Fox, HBO, NBC, ABC, Disney, Nickelodeon, Paramount, Lionsgate, Universal, Dreamworks, Warner Brothers, VH1 and MTV.
Located on the grounds of Unity Studios, the Lifton Institute for Media Skills (LIMS) will implement one of the largest retraining programs ever in Michigan. Out-of-work skilled and unskilled workers will receive on-the-set training and production experience, giving students production credits.
All aspects of production will occur at Unity Studios: workforce training for LIMS, production, post-production, distribution and marketing.
For more information about Unity Studios, please visit our blog at http://unitystudios.wordpress.com.
Hi,
Can i take a one small photo from your site?
Nadine
What were you looking to take and where did you want to put it?