Part of the Team

The Oct. 29 article about set troubles (“They’re Rumors, Not Predictions,” by Aljean Harmetz) states that the crew members “have little loyalty to their current studio bosses because they will be working at a different studio next month.”

This is simply more irresponsible reporting by the L.A. Times about the motion picture industry.

First, an article a few weeks ago about how wonderful it is to film in Canada (“Greetings From Vancouver,” by Brian Lowry, Oct. 1), now this!

Nothing could be more wrong. We crew members are in this industry for the long haul. Our career success comes only from cultivating return business with the same studios, directors and producers over many years.

One of the big factors that keeps shows shooting in Hollywood, in fact, is the continuing, intertwining relationships we have built with studios. Our families have many major studio executives and their families in our inner circle of friends. After all, they all started in lesser set jobs working side by side with crew members long before they moved up to positions of greater power.

Every one of us crew members has many, long-lasting personal relationships with studio executives, producers and directors. I feel your article was just another coffin nail trying to hasten the demise of the Hollywood film industry.

JOHN COFFEY

Owner, Coffey Sound

Hollywood

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As a past president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 695, here in L.A., I find your reporting misleading and irresponsible. As you know, the motion picture industry has become the largest industry in Southern California. We pay our fair share of taxes, and as our earnings diminish because of “runaway production,” the less we pay in taxes. And who loses? All of Southern California! I do not know anyone in our industry who takes a laissez faire attitude toward his career. The unions in Hollywood are not the old standard hiring halls of the past, where the union supplies a labor force on a day-by-day call. Since the labor force is almost 100% freelance, every crew member’s attitude has to be “I’m only as good as my last job.”

ROBERT GRAVENOR

Hollywood