Maple Lake Township Supervisor Gerry Giebenhain and City Councilwoman Deb Geyen were among the extras who took in a screening of “After the Dawn.” Mayor Lynn Kissock said one of the many benefits of having the movie filmed in Maple Lake was that it “brought the community together” and she hopes more productions do so in the future.

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recognizable Hollywood stars, in Maple Lake. Based on the life of Job, the film is expected to have a budget of about $200,000, compared to the $13,000 budget of “After the Dawn,” which is available worldwide.

“We actually planned on coming back out there before the incentive was even finished,” Kruex said. “Now there is even more incentive considering that we can get a percentage back for post production or to start paying things off.”

She is pleased with the incentives offered by Maple Lake, in addition to Snowbate.

“To have a town itself offer incentives and go after state incentives as well, you could potentially bring back 35 percent, if you get both,” Kruex said. “Where should we shoot? Maple Lake has this opportunity, so let’s go there.”

Just as Maple Lake has extended benefits to Kruex, she wants to return the favor.

“We are bringing something of worth to the town,” she said.

At least one Maple Lake resident initially offered to invest in a future TRIWAR production even though he did not have experience with film.

“People have been really supportive,” Kruex said.

Edith T., another Twin Cities-based filmmaker who filmed a portion of his project “Menages” at the Lady Luck Ranch outside of Maple Lake, was not familiar with the rebate but said community support is key to making successful movies.

“Usually, that’s a serious factor when you’re looking for locations; you’re looking for film-friendly cities and states,” Edith T. said.

Putting out a welcome mat with a 15 percent incentive? That’s even better.

“It’s a good idea,” Edith T. said, adding that returning to Maple Lake to film a future film is “definitely a possibility.”

Winter said those possibilities are promising for a town like Maple Lake. “It’s a big business,” she

said. “People are looking to stretch their dollar. If you guys help them, it can help the city. It takes an innovative mayor and city council to do that. You have to think outside the box about how to get people to your city.”

Kissock believes the city is doing just that and she hopes that forward thinking will pay off for the community as a whole in the long run.

“We need to get our main street back to life, we need to bring as much business to the community as possible,” she said, in “The Case for Snowbate.”

You’re bringing both publicity to your community, as well as dollars into your community and any penny spent in your community, and not somewhere else, is a better penny spent.”