Old Pfizer campus becomes newest film set in Ann Arbor

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

The North Campus Research Complex's future isn't just about cutting edge research and spinning off University of Michigan technology. The old Pfizer campus' immediate future also includes a role in Michigan's emerging film industry.

The feature film "Trust" will begin production at the facility in November. The movie, which stars Clive Owen and is being directed by David Schwimmer, is expected to shoot much of the movie in the largely empty 30-building campus on the city's northeast side.

"They're going to stage an airport scene and FBI headquarters scene there," says Lee Doyle, director of the University of Michigan Film Office. "They can do everything there and never leave the complex."

The film crew plans to hire students as both production assistants and extras. It will be the first jobs at the complex since Pfizer finished pulling out of the region last year. The university bought the campus to expand its research facilities and expects to create a few thousands research-based jobs there within the next decade as it fills out the space.

In the meantime, it looks like Hollywood could have a temporary home set there. The university expects to make the campus available to filmmakers as long as it convenient for the researchers who will use it.

Source: Lee Doyle, director of the University of Michigan Film Office
Writer: Jon Zemke