quality focused

by Carol McClure

"We are celebrating our 11th year of being Michigan’s first licensed film trade school. We have an intensive one year program that caters to hands-on experience. We have spent a decade honing our skills. If you want to be an independent film producer, this is the kind of school you come to."
-Doug Schulze

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Douglas Schulze is the Founder/CEO of Motion Picture Institute, widely known as MPI. When Schulze graduated from Eastern Michigan’s Cinematic Arts program, he teamed up with University of Michigan graduate, Kurt Eli Mayry. Their goal, when they formed MPI, was to fill the gaps they had seen and experienced in the film programs being taught by the colleges. They focused on hands-on training as opposed to other theory based programs, and wanted to develop creative aspects of filming, screen writing, and directing. Each student produces three films during their year long education at MPI. As a student of MPI, you also learn what a grip and gaffer do, go to production lab classes and learn the do’s, and more importantly, the don’ts of being on a set.

“It is no surprise to find some of our graduates working on big films here and in L.A.”, said Schulze. “We’ve got a good placement history and our philosophy has been to build a school and a home for independent film makers. Our graduates have perpetual access to our facilities and gear. We are shepherding no less than a half a dozen features of grads that have been out for at least three or four years now.” This is the commitment that Schulze and MPI provide their students.

qualityfocused2-42510 Three MPI graduates Rola Nashef (Detroit Unleaded), Sam Kadi (Raised Alone) and Chuck Grady (Forever in Time, The Point) were featured in the four prior issues of Michigan Movie Magazine for quality, Michigan based filmmaking. Currently there are approximately 800 MPI alumni.

Schulze likes to keep classes on the smaller side, taking in under a 100 students a year. “We are a small program”, said Schulze. “We’re not looking to mass produce filmmakers. The industry is a tight knit community, so we try to put our new grads in touch with our older grads. That is how our system works.”

Kathryn McDermott is a producer, instructor, and career placement advisor with MPI. She was formerly a VP for Sony & Columbia Pictures and helps to match graduates with opportunities nationally. She often helps graduates with tax incentive paperwork for their feature films. MPI’s loyalty to its students and family philosophy is unique among other film programs in the state.

Schulze is also the writer and director of The Rain starring the late David Carradine which premiered last fall. The Rain screened at The Detroit Windsor International Film Festival, the Hollywood Film Festival, and the Esteponia International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain in 2009.

The idea for The Rain came to Doug in 1990 and has been a labor of love ever since. Spanning over 300 years, the trilogy tells the story of three generations that have plagued by a curse. Beginning in 1866, a drought stricken farming community turns to child sacrifice to bring healing rains to the land. Later in 1954, descendants unearth a relic that demands further payment for the sins of their forefathers. The third tale is set in modern day as a young girl is struck with a horrible affliction. She is soon faced with the age old sacrificial rite of passage in order to summon a supernatural rain to cure herself and the community.

The film was shot in the cities of Fenton, Troy, and The Palmer Woods section of Detroit as well as at The Motion Picture Institute sound stages. The movie uses 35mm and also RED digital technology. Schultze currently has four domestic DVD offers for distribution and hopes to be making a decision by summer on who will get the deal. Look for The Rain to be available on DVD soon.