10/10/08 11:09am: MORE UPDATES TODAY INVOLVING “THE STEAM EXPERIMENT”

Even more updates since I went to sleep… my email inbox is loaded with updates… like comments from the producer about working in Grand Rapids and a reference to the deadly plot, plus an update from the West Michigan Film Office on a possible release date….

FROM THE WEST MICHIGAN FILM OFFICE:

“Unsure when Steam will be released, could be a soon as January, but the prediction is for next spring or fall.  Good news, they liked filming here and they have referenced other feature films to be done here.” - Rick Hert, Executive Director of the West Michigan Film Office

FROM THE PRODUCER:

Some highlights from Producer Luc Campeau’s wrap report after the final day of shooting:

“The STEAM ROOM IS COMPLETE!!!  We are out of the STEAM!!!!  You will have to see the movie to know if they all die.”

“For the ones that were skeptical that it can be done in 16 Days… and within a City Block….Here it is..Done!!!”

“We were the First shoot in Grand Rapids, Michigan,  under the new State incentive.  It was hard to crew but we successfully paved the way for others.  Grand Rapids is a great City, with great people, a good number of good crew and great potential to host other movies like this one”

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10/10/08 2:44am: UPDATES FROM BEHIND THE SCENES OF “THE STEAM EXPERIMENT”

Two weeks ago, filming wrapped on “The Steam Experiment” but details from the project continue to trickle in…. like word of how much money was spent in Michigan, an agreement to having a local premiere for the movie and insight on how the stunts went during the production….

FROM THE STUNTMAN:

Over email, Steve Hart, the stunt coordinator for the movie says he’s back in Los Angeles and waiting for his next project: the new season of Reno 911.

He tells me that the stunt work went well on “The Steam Experiment”, he enjoyed working with Val Kilmer and Armand Assante, and that the movie’s director and producer both hinted at future projects in Grand Rapids.

Here’s some of my email exchange with Steve Hart:  “The Steam experiment went very well from my perspective, but mine is a narrow perspective.  I thought that the crew and cast were on par with any that I have worked with.

Val and Armand were excellent to work with, but again, my work with them and conversations were limited.  Philippe and Luc seemed to like Grand Rapids a lot and even spoke of doing something there in the future.”

FROM THE WEST MICHIGAN FILM OFFICE:

and he’s working to try to get a little more West Michigan exposure through “The Steam Experiment” …. two of the things the producers have agreed to is a LOCAL PREMIERE and to give the West Michigan

Thanks Rick! 

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FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS:

In a story that hit the wires Thursday, “Steam Experiment” Executive Producer Karinne Behr said that $3 million of the movie’s $7 million budget was spent in Michigan.   And in referring to those now nationally known tax incentives of up to 42%, Behr said that the decision to film in Michigan instead of Florida “was purely financial”.  “Michigan’s incentives are definitely the strongest. Hopefully that will be a great success story for the state. It’s better to spend the money here than overseas”, Behr added.

Also: Details from “The Steam Experiment”