The Michigan Film Office announced recently that they have approved film incentives for Rumors of Wars, a futuristic war drama thriller that reminds us of movies like 2012, Armaggedon and Day After Tomorrow.
Rumors of Wars is filming this month in Grand Rapids, starring Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight and The Expendables), directed by Paul Tomborello and produced by Jude Walko (House of the Rising Sun). The production receives an incentive of $55,599 from Michigan on $193,418 of projected in-state expenditures.
“We are thrilled Rumors of War is filming in Grand Rapids, with its fantastic locations, skilled crew members and community support for filming and digital media projects,” said Margaret O’Riley, director of the Michigan Film Office. “Not only will this project be utilizing experienced crew in West Michigan, it is also providing opportunities for the next generation of Michigan filmmakers and building on the talent we have here in the state.”
“We are thrilled Rumors of War is filming in Grand Rapids, with its fantastic locations, skilled crew members and community support for filming and digital media projects.”
Rumors of Wars is a film project of BearFruit Films, an independent production company whose main goal is to “bridge the gap between faith-based film and the secular community.” BearFruit describes the movie on its website as follows:
Rumors of Wars is a redemptive thriller with two converging storylines. Roxy, an aspiring college journalist, finds herself searching for answers when she investigates end time prophecies for a term paper. Recording her research in a diary, her findings prove to have more of an impact than she could have ever imagined. Her diary is discovered years later, in the rubble of a post apocalypse society filled with decay and violence. With the truth of what really happened to the world in its pages, the book finds its way into to the hands of an officer in the New World Army. But what will he do with this newfound truth?
One of the filming locations for Rumors of Wars will be the Cornerstone University campus. “They came out last week, scouting locations,” said the Media Relations Coordinator at Cornerstone, Kelli Cottrell, in an article published earlier this month. “They looked at Calvin College, Grace Bible College and here. They approached us with a list of locations, indoors and outdoors, and we could accommodate most things. The crew is staying in a house here on campus.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Above image is an aerial view of Cornerstone University via Google.
Rumors of War sets up a production office at Compass College of Cinematic Arts and principal photography is currently taking place at Cornerstone University. The movie is also filming in other locations off campus, including Mathews Auditorium. This is an exciting project for the school since many students from the university’s film program will get to work on the movie, including 100 students served as extras.
“They’re going to use our auditorium, and they’re offering three of their professional set builders to help build the sets for our theater production of The Drowsy Chaperone,” Cottrell said. “It’s always fun for students to be involved with a film production.”
Cornerstone alumna Katie Fox, production coordinator for the film, played an important part in how the university became the film location for the movie. Fox said that since the film was looking for a college campus as the setting, all of the local colleges were considered, from Grand Valley State University to Calvin College and Aquinas College. “It was such a God thing,” Fox said when she found out the production decided on Cornerstone. “Everything fell in place.”
A few of the recent movies filmed in Michigan are The Five-Year Engagement, The Ides of March, and Alex Cross.
Production still of The Five Year Engagement via Google.
For Fiscal Year 2013, Michigan has awarded a total of $511,544 to five filming projects. These projects will create 244 hired positions with a full time equivalent of eight jobs, and are expected to spend $1,785,207 in the state.
The Michigan Film Office
Created in 1979, the Michigan Film Office assists and attracts production companies while promoting the growth of Michigan’s film industry. The Film Office also administers a competitive incentive program for film, television and other digital media production in Michigan.
For more on the Michigan Film Office, visit: MichiganFilmOffice.org.
