Hollywood in Motown

The Job employs metro Detroiters while working in several scenes of the city
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Hollywood In MotownThey came to Detroit from southern California and, as if it weren鈥檛 cloudy enough, they brought a machine that made rain.

Rainmakers in another way, the cast and crew of the independent film The Job dropped a little welcome cash while filming in metro Detroit, which was precisely Gov. Jennifer Granholm鈥檚 intention last April when she signed the 42-percent cash rebate movie incentive package into law.

The Job producer Kiki Goshay says about 25 cast and crew came from Hollywood to Michigan, staying from two to eight weeks, depending on their roles. Another two-thirds of the crew were locals.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a lot of hotel nights, a lot of meals served,鈥 Goshay says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e shooting almost exclusively in Detroit. It鈥檚 been really convenient for us.鈥

They were definitely drinking the local water. Writer/director Shem Bitterman sported a Pistons cap as he gave instructions on the set at the Leland Hotel downtown. All lights, cameras, and large-boom microphones were focused on actors Patrick Flueger (TV鈥檚 4400 and The Princess Diaries) and Taryn Manning (Hustle & Flow and 8 Mile) as they portrayed Bubba 鈥 a young man struggling to find employment 鈥 and Joy 鈥 a waitress at the diner and the love of Bubba鈥檚 life.

The cast and crew also filmed at Detroit鈥檚 Whitmore apartments near Palmer Park, where they found the neighborhood, just north of Highland Park, to be 鈥渞eally inviting 鈥 extremely film-friendly,鈥 Goshay says.

They came to Michigan for the financial incentive, yes, but they also reaped the benefits of Detroit鈥檚 character.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very particular world we were going for, a Hopper-esque look, Bitterman says. 鈥淎lmost a classic look.

鈥淒etroit has good bones. You can鈥檛 buy that anymore.鈥

So where did the cast and crew spend their Hollywood cash? Here鈥檚 a short take:

Hotel: Courtyard By Marriott Detroit Downtown

Laundry: Best N. Detroit, on Woodward

Medical attention: Henry Ford

Shopping: As many vintage boutiques as possible

Catered lunch: Sweet Lorraine鈥檚

鈥淔amily dinners:鈥 Vicente鈥檚 and Fishbone鈥檚

Culture: The DIA

Sports: Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings games

International experience: Windsor