The Michigan Film Office has announced that the feature film "Five Year Engagement" has been approved for a film incentive from the state.

The project, expected to shoot primarily in Ann Arbor, was approved for an incentive of $5,263,464 on $12,532,056 of direct Michigan spending.

Though a few "snow scenes" were shot locally on March 2, U-M Film Office director Lee Doyle previously told AnnArbor.com that the "Engagement" team will return for more filming in June. "Five Year Engagement" is a comedy expected to be released by Universal Pictures later this year, directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow. The film re-teams Apatow with Jason Segel, who starred in Universal and Apatow’s hit film, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." Emily Blunt will star alongside Segel. “Ann Arbor plays a central role in this film, so it is only fitting that the project be shot here in Michigan,” said Carrie Jones, director of the Michigan Film Office, in a press release. “This is a terrific opportunity to showcase our state to a national audience while benefitting from investments made by the project in local economies.”

"Five Year Engagement" is the first project approved under the new policy and guidelines released by the MFO last week. Under the new policy, all pending and future applications will receive a thorough review by a Michigan Economic Development Corporation committee, consisting of the senior vice president for marketing and communications, the senior vice president of policy, the vice president of business development, and the director of the MFO. As detailed in a press release, the current statute will be used to guide approval decisions, and preference will be given to projects that best meet the following criteria:

• The production company is financially viable

• Utilization of existing infrastructure (studios, post-production facilities, film labs etc.)

• The number and wage levels of direct jobs for Michigan residents created by a production

• Ability to show Michigan in a positive light and promote the state as a tourist destination

• Magnitude of estimated expenditures in Michigan

The film incentive program will continue to be jointly administered by the MFO and the Department of Treasury, and all projects must be approved in concurrence with the state treasurer. “We appreciate the work of Michigan’s Film Office in helping secure an incentive for us to film in the state,” said Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson in a press release. “It is these types of programs that make it mutually beneficial for us to use Michigan as a backdrop in our movies.” “This process will help to ensure every project approved provides us with the best possible investment for the state,” Jones said. “We are moving forward with the approval process for 2011 and look forward to working with the industry to attract projects to our state that utilize our infrastructure, create economic development and showcase Michigan and all it has to offer.”