The new firms are the ones that usually steal most of the spotlight when it comes to taking advantage of Michigan's new film incentives. Dark Spark Media is one of those companies that has been around a while.
The video production firm used to specialize in creating training films for the likes of the automotive industry. It began to diversify into live exhibits and other filming when the car sector began contracting. Last year it did work for its first feature film.
"We want to diversify into more films," says Annie Harrelson, sales and marketing manager for Dark Spark Media.
Its latest hire came about the same time it began branching out to feature film work last summer. Now the downtown Royal Oak-based firm employs eight people, two interns and a few independent contractors as needed. Its two interns are Royal Oak natives who have been working with Dark Spark for the last four years.
The company got its start about 25 years ago as Visual Concepts, a production firm. One of the founder's sons started a post-production firm, Video Design. The two firms merged and became Dark Spark Media seven years ago when the original founder retired. Now the company specializes in taking film production from concept to reality.
Source: Annie Harrelson, sales and marketing manager for Dark Spark Media
Writer: Jon Zemke
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