Growing up in suburban Detroit, I lived in a household with several siblings and never quite enough money.  My dad worked two jobs to keep us fed, clothed, and sheltered; my mom spent her days busily chasing her four boys and one daughter to make sure we were all where we were supposed to be when we were supposed to be there.

So a lot of my recollections of family time revolve around the instances of the little things that really mattered. On Friday nights, we’d all watch TV, all the while eating freshly popped popcorn. Sunday nights? In the evening there were special TV shows again, and this time our treat would be ice cream.  And then there were those very special Saturday afternoons.  They were a really big deal. My mom would take us to a nearby movie theater and leave us to see the matinee movie.  One of my older brothers, usually Dave, would be with us; somehow she felt he was our added security and would keep us all on good behavior. Now, I’ll tell you the truth: He didn’t know if we were in the theater or on the moon, but Mom surely felt better about leaving him in charge. Of course, there was no extra money for the concessions, but during those afternoons we could usually see three movies: the first, the second and the first again. We’d hide under the theater seats when the usher came by to clear the theater, and then be lucky enough to see all three afternoon movies.

Given enough time, I could probably name most of the movie titles we saw during those years, because special treats like that aren’t easily forgotten. Those movies made a big impression on me. Sure, they were good entertainment, often an exciting escape from everyday life, but I also learned a lot from them without even being aware of it at the time. The movie stars and Hollywood were far removed from my hometown, which lent a sense of the unusual and sometimes exotic.

Well, “far-off” Hollywood and Saturday-type excitement are coming to the Greater Lansing area. Michigan’s film office is increasingly busy and film production is a growing economic development tool for our business community. As you read through this issue of our magazine, we hope you’ll share our excitement for the fact that we’re bringing Hollywood, and movies, here to mid-Michigan. And it’s going to get even more interesting as the local film industry continues to grow. So sit back, maybe even enjoy a bowl of popcorn, as you learn more about the future of our mid-Michigan film industry.

As always, we wish you a very prosperous month.

		Chris Holman Publisher