413 digital animation jobs coming downtown

**tetsua** · March-16-10, 09:37 PM

I can't believe nobody posted about this yet.

http://www.freep.com/article/2010031...-at-Ford-Field

**ASR89** · March-16-10, 09:44 PM

Good news for Detroit IMO.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · March-16-10, 10:54 PM

Can't believe that nobody posted it yet? Perhaps because it is good news. People here seem to prefer to bitch about the bad.

That being said, I did not realize that Ford Field had so much office space.

Good jobs to gain; high tech and presumably well paid, and staffed by those "creative types" that the city needs.

**English** · March-17-10, 12:11 AM

Nice! Can't see any downsides...

**DetroitPlanner** · March-17-10, 07:59 AM

Great news. Whatever happened to 23rd Street Studios? You used to be able to see the sign off Michigan Ave, but now it is gone.

**Hypestyles** · March-17-10, 11:49 AM

hmm... I wonder what's going to happen to the old MGM casino facility, since the WonderStruck folks were originally supposed to set up shop there.. I guess it can always be razed...

**BShea** · March-17-10, 12:11 PM

I was actually gonna post this yesterday afternoon, but got busy and forgot.

Michelle Richards called me from L.A. and we had this online about 2:30 p.m. yesterday. We also e-mail blasted it to our readers, so clearly more of you need to sign up for Crain's!

Here's the full story:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/100319882

I'm following up with her and others on this, so keep reading. She told the NY Times last year that the initial jobs number was more like 60. The tax breaks are linked to the big number, however.

**Danny** · March-17-10, 01:06 PM

When Hollywood comes to Detroit so will the jobs, rich folks and more private development to slum clear the poor folks. Just like L.A. when gated communities would let Bloods, Crips and Surenos in lest they get arrested, profiled and sent to jail for 90 days until they find some more dirt in them.

**TKshreve** · March-17-10, 03:19 PM

Yes - This recession takes 10,000 jobs in one swipe only to replace them with 413. Brilliant!

**bailey** · March-17-10, 03:47 PM

Yes - This recession takes 10,000 jobs in one swipe only to replace them with 413. Brilliant!

413 or 60 ?
Boy..sounds a lot like the quicken loans rope a dope. 2009 they're talking about buying the MGM and directly employing 413, now it's leasing space and plans to directly employ 60. And people wonder why announcements like these get a collective shrug around here.

**Pcm** · March-17-10, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

When Hollywood comes to Detroit so will the jobs, rich folks and more private development to slum clear the poor folks. Just like L.A. when gated communities would let Bloods, Crips and Surenos in lest they get arrested, profiled and sent to jail for 90 days until they find some more dirt in them.

Translation?

**Gistok** · March-17-10, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

413 or 60 ?
Boy..sounds a lot like the quicken loans rope a dope. 2009 they're talking about buying the MGM and directly employing 413, now it's leasing space and plans to directly employ 60. And people wonder why announcements like these get a collective shrug around here.

I wonder if it's because of overseas outsourcing. First Information Technology went to India... now it looks like much of the same is happening to Hollywood... a lot of high tech movie industry jobs are going to India's "Bollywood".

**Danny** · March-18-10, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Pcm

Translation?

It means Detroit will be like Los Angeles, California in on time.

**Swimmaven** · March-18-10, 02:55 PM

Everyone's so excited!

Hope they actually do it.

**313rd** · March-18-10, 03:39 PM

There is plenty of space at Ford Field on the warehouse side, next to the main atrium. It will have to be built out, as currently it is just a shell space. This space originally was supposed to be a hotel, then there was drawings for a House of Blues. In the end I will be happy that some of this area will be built out for offices.

**KarmicCurse** · March-21-10, 04:26 AM

I read the article in Crain's last year when they were asking for CAD operators to submit resumes, saying they were willing to retrain people for animation software. Seeing as how I was foolish enough to major in architecture and ended up in retail hell for years, I became very excited about this. And I love digital effects and animation. But for the last 14 months their website has simply said "coming soon":
http://www.detroitcenterstudios.net/

Coincidentally just a couple of days ago I researched local schools that offer computer graphics and animation programs. CCS has a VERY thorough program, a bit too long for me and waaay too expensive at $15,000 a semester. The only other real and affordable option is a certification program at Henry Ford CC. But it's in Dearborn and I'm in Troy.

Thanks for this update notification. I had assumed the whole project was canceled and have been despondent at my current, lousy retail job. This gives me some incentive to look into it further.

**chitaku** · March-21-10, 04:29 PM

Before we all jump for joy lets wait and see what really comes out of this. 413 jobs? No way in hell! Research the studio a little and you wont find one job that they have done. It's the same as the Unity Studios in Allen Park, all that has really come out of that is a half ass school and their only film credit is a film the students made. I'm sure this studio will also open a "school" so folks can pay money to get a job there. I would love for this place to take off because I have a production degree, but the things they are promising are really far fetched. Also for a graphic arts company their website is pretty half-ass.

**KarmicCurse** · March-24-10, 05:04 AM

Incidentally, what is the reputation of Henry Ford Community College? Does a certification in animation from there amount to much? I tried to do some online research and it was mixed to negative, but there's not much out there.

**DetroitPlanner** · March-24-10, 08:49 AM

HFCC is a pretty good two-year college. Much of your time there would not be wasted and you will earn credit that can transfer to finish your degree elsewhere. I am an old geezer so when I went there I was not taking animation courses. In fact this was during the years where CAD was taking over and putting many architects on the unemployment line. I took my credits and transferred them to WSU and used them for a dual major in Geography and Urban Studies.

**chitaku** · March-24-10, 04:08 PM

HFCC could be a good choice for a start if you are going into production. I never went there but I had a teacher at WSU who worked in their production program and she was pretty good. Also they have a radio station which is more than WSU can say. I went to Macomb and then transfered those credits to Wayne's Production program which is small but getting better.