Hasta La Motion!

By CARRIE ANTLFINGER

source from: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan…/D9GDT4CG1.htm

MILWAUKEE
Scenes in the next "Transformers" movie will be shot at the Milwaukee Art Museum and an empty automotive site in the city, officials said Friday, despite the production not qualifying for Wisconsin’s scaled back film incentives.
Incentives have been dramatically curbed and interest in filming the state has waned since "Public Enemies," starring Johnny Depp, came to Wisconsin in 2008. The movie received $4.6 million in tax rebates and credits but only generated $5 million in economic activity, prompting state officials to replace a previous incentive plan and with a $500,000 annual grant program.
"Transformers 3" won’t qualify for the new grant program, but Film Wisconsin board president Dave Fantle, said director Michael Bay was drawn by something even more attractive to moviemakers: location, location, location.
"You really need something that is one of a kind where a producer or director says, ‘I can’t get this anywhere else or I can’t replicate this in a sound stage in Hollywood’ and that was the case with the art museum," Fantle said.
The movie is due in theaters next summer, which also is the 10th anniversary of the Milwaukee Art Museum: a white, winged structure designed by Santiago Calatrava along Lake Michigan that serves as the city’s symbol for tourism.
"Transformers 3" stars Shia LaBeouf, Patrick Dempsey, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich and model Rosie Huntington-Whitely. Fantle said some of the film’s stars are expected in Milwaukee, but couldn’t say which ones.
The production will bring 150 crew members and actors to Milwaukee the week of July 12. Fantle could only say most of the filming would be done at the museum and the museum will not be used as a museum in the film. It will be shut down to the public for a day.
Bay also is going to film at the empty Tower Automotive site. Regarding that site, Fantle could only say pyrotechnics would be used. He also didn’t rule out more locations being used in the film.
Filming was not expected to be open to the public, but some local students are likely to be hired as production assistants. There’s also a June 26 audition for paid extras to be "trendy executive types."
The film will shoot around the world, including several weeks in Chicago.
VISIT Milwaukee president Paul Upchurch expects the production to bring $1 million to the Milwaukee area for salaries, hotels, food, fuel and equipment.
Art museum director Dan Keegan said past locations used in "Transformers" films, such as Hoover Dam and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Udvar Hazy Center, saw more visitors afterward.
"The film will give the venue worldwide exposure during our 10th year anniversary celebration of the Santiago Calatrava designed Quadracci Pavilion," he said in a statement.
Fantle noted Milwaukee also is a finalist for "American Idol" auditions. He expects final word to come Monday.