Our Neighbor to the North

What a shameful cover page last Sunday: “If you lived in Vancouver, you’d be working now.” I live in Los Angeles. I have worked in the television and motion picture industry as a wardrobe supervisor for 10 years. I have paid money into a union that is supposedly “international” . . . and I cannot work in Vancouver. And I have no intention of living there.

Brian Lowry’s article “Greetings From Vancouver” was an insult to all the hard-working “below the line” people like myself who have struggled this entire year to find work in the industry. The SAG strike was one thing, but when you lose three jobs in a row because they are being shot in another country, that’s another matter entirely. These were jobs with American studios, American producers, American directors and American writers.

Have I missed something, or has The Times turned a blind eye to this potentially damaging situation? Hundreds of people are denied work every month by this migration north. I predict the severity of the situation will begin to hit home after Christmas when bills come in, taxes are due and industry insurance hours run dry. Perhaps then The Times will run a cover story about the end of an industry in Southern California and relegate articles like Lowry’s to the Travel section.

RANDALL THROPP

Van Nuys

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I’ve been to Vancouver, and I think it’s a great town too. But when so many craft and crew people are hurting because they can no longer make a living in Los Angeles, why run a story that amounts to a promotional brochure for filming in Canada? I’d much rather have seen a story that called out the culprits who’ve allowed runaway production to snowball like this.

A hometown industry is in crisis, and you guys are clapping for the other team.

AMY DAWES

Hollywood

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As a freelance TV commercial producer, I was greatly dismayed with your article. It seemed to me to be a clarion call to the few producers left in L.A. who have not yet shot in Vancouver to get off their collective rear ends and take what little remains of our domestic work and move it up there. Good going.

But there are some really important things that producers might want to know before they go. First, while the crews there are well-trained, there aren’t a lot of them. And, because the crew bench isn’t very deep to begin with, the experience level drops off dramatically.

Second, if you have the good fortune to get a good crew there, you might be concerned about how really tired they are, because they’re working seven days a week, and a lot of those days are 14 to 16 hours long. It’s just a matter of time until someone gets hurt due to fatigue. Is this worth the cost savings on crew rates?

Third, you’ll be really lucky if you can get equipment. There isn’t a lot of it up there, and the camera, grip and lighting gear that is there is becoming poorly maintained, because they just don’t have time to service it between jobs. Film has also been in short supply at times.

Fourth: Plan well ahead for hotel rooms. There aren’t a lot of those either.

Fifth: From October to June, you can’t rely on being able to shoot exteriors there, unless your movie or commercial calls for overcast, cold and rain. And last, good luck getting around the city. Traffic there makes L.A. seem as easy to get around in as it was during the ’84 Olympics.

PAUL PAPANEK

Los Angeles

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It is so curious that you did not at least mention that since the SAG strike against the advertisers, that the vast majority of TV commercials (several hundred every month) have been going to Vancouver due to the fear of SAG pickets here in L.A.

Many, many people have been thrown out of work since this strike started in May and I am not talking about the actors. Grips, electricians, makeup people, location scouts, etc., are seeing their work go to Canada. And there has been so little about it in The Times.

It’s not the movies or TV series. Virtually every commercial that would have been shot in L.A. since May has gone to Canada. That’s why all the good crew people in Vancouver are working!

PAT PARRISH

Los Angeles

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Everyone knows that Los Angeles has been hurt by the runaway production to Canada but few know about how devastated the Northwest has been by this. The Seattle and Portland production community are mere shadows of their former robust selves. And the worst part is that no one seems to care as long as the producers are saving money.

Shame on you, producers, for being a part of this. Shame on the unions for not doing something and shame on The Times for not telling the whole story.

SAM DOWNEY

Toluca Lake