More Detroit in Movies such as Karate Kid - a Positive for Us.

Just saw the new Karate Kid this past weekend, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.

I must say that it feels good to see the Detroit references throughout the movie, beginning with the city scenes and Michigan vehicle plates, all the way to the Lions and Tigers apparels.

I know that we pay a lot in tax credits to attract the movies and TV series productions, but frankly, I believe these shows will continue to reap rewards even after they've gone on to DVD format. Each time Detroit is being portrayed and mentioned on TV or feature films, each time it is a form of marketing and public relation effort.

I look forward to the Detroit 187 TV series on ABC, as well as the new Harold and Kumar 3 feature movie, as they wrap up filming and productions here in the Metro Detroit area.

Keep an eye out for Red Dawn at the end of the summer, it takes place in the Pacific Northwest but it'll be hard to miss the Lafayette Building mid-destruction & Griswold Street being bombed by commies.

Real Steel & The Double are shooting now, and will contain a lot of familiar scenes to those who live in the area.

Detroit Unleaded is being shot mid-July to mid-August, this indie feature will have an all-Detroit cast & predominantly Detroit crew, and will be shot right here in Detroit in Midtown & New Center.

All of these films have the affect of putting Detroit into the mainstream. It does nothing but promote our area for tourism & reflect positively on the city. We see gritty NYC in movies all the time, and it just makes us all want to visit the city more. We see LA in every action movie from the last twenty years, and people have images of the city seared in their brains forever. In this way, when people visit LA, they already know where they are, or at least they feel like they have seen it before.

Detroit is so unique & diverse that its appearances in film & TV will only help promote the area and get the image of our city into people's heads. When they read news reports about our failing city, but see the magnificent architecture and varied landscapes on TV & in film, it will help to stem some of the negative press & talk about our state & area.