IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – Amid the grandeur of the historic Braumart theater, Director Seth Anderson unveiled the world premiere of “Northbound: The Final Chapter,” a Fantasy/Sci-Fi series filmed entirely in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In an exclusive interview with WZMQ, Anderson revealed the film’s five-year journey, and the challenges faced by the U.P.-based cast and crew.
Anderson, underlining the Braumart’s significance at the premiere, urged continued support for its centennial renovations coming in 2025. “The Braumart is our artistic home,” he emphasized, setting the stage for a cinematic saga deeply rooted in the U.P. landscape.
During the premiere, Anderson spoke passionately about the challenges of filmmaking in the U.P. and Michigan, advocating for film incentives akin to the Multimedia Jobs Act under consideration. “It’s about retaining talent,” he declared, referencing the historical shift of Michigan talent to states like Georgia due to previous incentives’ pitfalls.
In the WZMQ interview, Anderson delved into the past success of Michigan’s film industry, drawing parallels with other states like Georgia. He noted that the new incentive, tied to Michigan-based companies, aims to retain talent for ongoing production, countering the previous trend of productions leaving after benefiting from tax incentives.
“We’re setting ourselves up to be ready for more production downstate,” Anderson stated, expressing his commitment to spearheading the initiative in the U.P. with his business partner Elsa Pontbriand at Mountain Media House.
The director also shed light on the forthcoming projects, revealing plans for three more chapters in the Northbound series. “Northstar” is set to be the next U.P.-based installment, with filming anticipated to commence in the upcoming summer. Anderson expressed his desire for film incentives to underwrite these projects, emphasizing the importance of the Multimedia Jobs Act in subsidizing advertising and commercial production as well as feature films.
“We want to be ready for day-by-day commercial production with our bread and butter, and then flex up and make films,” Anderson asserted, envisioning a studio space and movie set in Dickinson County within the next 2-3 years.
In the interview, Anderson emphasized the uniqueness of the U.P. as a filming location and the need for Michigan to have film incentives to compete with other states. “The upper midwest needs a state with film incentives, and Michigan has the Great Lakes. We are not landlocked,” he declared, highlighting the potential draw for larger productions to the region.
As the exclusive interview unfolded, Anderson underscored the urgency of the film incentives bill, citing instances where productions, like the Marsh King’s Daughter in theaters now, set in the U.P., chose other locations due to the absence of incentives. “We need this to happen, because then you get the bigger productions that raise the [economic] sea level, and we’re here with real talent [local] that we need to train more and more of,” he explained, echoing the sentiment of bolstering Michigan’s filmmaking community.
Leading actor, Nate Alwine, who starring as “Alex” in The Final Chapter, reflected on how the cast and crew of 50-plus people grew into what it is today, from nothing more than a shared dream to showcase the Upper Peninsula in all its glory, stating:
“What was neat about how this happened, it started off with a couple of people running through the woods, with video cameras trying to show the U.P. as something worth being cinematic. And then it grew into one-by-one, more and more people came. And then what happened is we built this family of people,” shared the actor.
Despite weather challenges and the pandemic, the team persisted, creating a visually stunning final chapter that resonated with seamless performances from the dedicated individuals involved.
Produced by Jason Hagen and directed by Seth Anderson, “Northbound: The Final Chapter” stands as a testament to the resilience of Michigan’s filmmaking community. As the curtains closed on this cinematic saga, Anderson continues to encourage support for aspiring young creatives, echoing the importance of nurturing and encouraging creative inclinations.
For More information on the current legislation for the Multimedia Jobs Act that’s in the Michigan house and senate committees, visit:
To get caught up on the Northbound series before the next project is released, visit:
https://watch.seeka.tv/en/northbound
To support the Braumart Theatre, visit:
