The movies are coming! The movies are coming!

Since Michigan has recently positioned itself as an extremely favorable location for film production, Hollywood has come calling.  Imagine how movies will change: pine trees instead of palm trees, timberframe log mansions instead of pink stucco palaces, Ford F-350s instead of Porsches . . . real Midwestern accents.

Now see, here’s the thing.  There are a lot of local business opportunities, not to mention jobs, connected with all this.  What Hollywood wants to know is, do we have Compelling Scenery and do we have Capable Support Services?  Are we, in fact Film Friendly?  Herewith a big Torch Lake Township YES!

Compelling Scenery

• Lakes.  We have lakes.  Practically nothing BUT lakes.  Fetchingly blue ones with clear depths.  Watch out for the muskies.
• Trees.  In addition to the aforementioned pines, we have a fine collection of sugar maples, orchards full of fruit trees, wetlands full of hemlocks and drumlins decked with tamarack and beech.  None of these look anything like palm trees.
• Photographer’s skies.  Slam dunk.  We have real clouds, and lots of ’em.  All shapes.  Look, there’s a lamb with wings.
• Quaint structures.  I give you Up North Cabins with their vertical log siding.  I give you the carpenter gothic village homes and the classic Midwestern farmhouses, not to mention the All-American Red Barns and the All-American Blue Harvestores.  A little red schoolhouse . . . a genormous lakeside retreat . . . a dimly-lit roadhouse.
• Boats.  Everything from plastic kayaks to vintage wood cruisers.  Got it covered.
• Mystical sites.  We have at least three labyrinths and our very own Stone Circle. 

Capable Support Services

• People who can create a whole outdoor environment in a weekend: the landscaping geniuses at Pine Hill Nursery.
• Caterers.  No one can resist the fried chicken at the IGA, the whitefish pate at Sonny’s, the Masons’ roast beef dinners, the produce and pie from King Orchards and Bargy’s and Cherry View and Good Nature . . .  All we have to do is put it all together.  Bet we could rent the commercial kitchen at the old township hall cheap . . .
• Soundstages.  OK, you’ve got me here.  Maybe that’s what we could do with the vacant Sneakin’s property?
• General aviation airport.  OK, seasonal airport, but it has charm and it’s certainly convenient.
• Colorful characters.  Seriously, wouldn’t you like to be an extra in a movie?  And can’t you think of a dozen township characters who’d provide great Local Color?  (This week my family has been reminiscing about the time my mom and her Little Theatre group spent a week watching Paul Newman film scenes from a movie.  Talk about starstruck.)
• Housing specialists.  Does anyone doubt that, percentagewise, we have more real estate salespeople than any other township in the country? 
• Set builders.  What are elaborate cottages but stages?  Lots of high-end carpenters, masons, electricians, plumbers and a couple of architects live here. 
• Best Boy.  Unclear on the concept, the Cowboy has made up business cards for this position.

The Elk Rapids Chamber of Commerce is putting together a Film Friendly Community resource guide for professional location finders.  Have great photos of local scenery?  Business services to offer?  Get in touch, because believe it or not, the movies are coming.