Hollywood coming to Mid-Michigan

BIRCH RUN TOWNSHIP (WJRT) -- (08/14/08)--Hollywood is headed to Mid-Michigan. Starting soon, film crews with a Drew Barrymore-directed film will start making movie magic in Birch Run Township.

The movie is called "Whip It," and one of the stars is Ellen Page. You might remember her from the movie "Juno."

The Internet Movie Database says "Whip It" is a movie about an indie-rock-loving misfit who finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league.

The film is set in Texas, but a former Birch Run Township diner is where some of the filming will be done.

Ken's Diner closed about a year ago, but now it's being transformed into the "Oink Joint." That's the Texas barbeque joint where the two main characters work.

The star of the show for now is a giant pig. Soon it will sit atop the diner. But as you can imagine, transforming the '50s-style diner into a country diner has been a lot of work.

The inside used to be all pink and chrome. Now the chrome has been covered up with wood and the pink has been painted over.

Set designers have also brought in things like new curtains, along with some booths and tables from another restaurant.

And all this wouldn't be happening in Mid-Michigan if it weren't for some tax credits that were created earlier this year in an effort to lure Hollywood to our state.

"As far as the legislation, that's what definitely got them here to begin with," said prop maker Jason Bartolone.

"And then it was just a matter of finding these different locations to keep them here and make it work."

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local, rebecca trylch

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