It’s up to us to bring movies home

John HORN’S article about the controversy over the Civil War drama “Cold Mountain” having been filmed in Romania (“A ‘Cold’ War Over Foreign Filming,” Feb. 4) did an outstanding job depicting the slow-motion train wreck known as “runaway” production. Like so many issues in today’s global economy, this one impacts those directly in the entertainment business as well as those who are not:

The neighborhood coffee shop whose customers are “on location.” The children whose mother is “on location.” The “community” whose citizens are “on location.”

With all due respect to both sides of the debate:

* In this era of incredibly realistic computer-generated imagery, is “Cold Mountain” director Anthony Minghella’s No. 1 reason for shooting in Romania -- lack of unencumbered 19th century vistas -- really plausible with an $80 million budget?

* Is production designer Ann Champion just being an incurable romantic to say, “I want the industry back here in America”?

George Dibie, president of the International Cinematographers Guild, told Horn that union workers offered to cut their going rate by up to 30% to keep “Cold Mountain” in the United States -- but with no success, as has often been the case with this type of proposed labor “give-back.” It is time for a different approach.

Who among us hasn’t shopped at a discount warehouse? What did that phenomenon do to the “good old days” and “Main Street USA”?

Have you bought a book off Amazon.com? Who did you buy your books from before?

Why do so many believe that our industry should get a pass from this inevitable evolutionary process in the system we operate in, capitalism? Because of the artistry? Would it be easier to understand if it was called “business show”?

As the economic lifeblood provided by the entertainment industry ebbs from our neighborhoods, it appears that each “partner” in the production process believes someone else is to blame. It’s the greedy media companies or the overpriced stars or the soaring labor charges. Many would support producer Albert Berger’s comment: “The real focus should be on how can the government make moviemaking here more affordable.”

We complain about government’s intrusiveness in our business any other time, but now we want them to “fix it”? What do we trade government for that “help”? Maybe some content oversight?

Having spoken to numerous elected officials about this subject, I can report firsthand that, off the record -- i.e., what they really think -- their first suggestion is a “review” of above-the-line fees and profit accounting procedures.

So we have a very long way to go with our government leaders before we receive any sympathy that translates into effective solutions. True or not, the perception is that everyone in this industry has it comparatively easy when compared to all other “manufacturing” operations.

Thus I’m going to stick my neck out and suggest that we’re responsible. We, the people. The Studio Head. The Talent Agent. The Creative Worker Bees. The Consuming Public and Community Leaders. It’s our responsibility. We created the current economic moviemaking and television industry models. Elected officials should absolutely seek out ways to appropriately represent us and participate in the solution(s), but it’s ours to fix. We are responsible. Isn’t that what we teach our children?

In an industry where we continually solve production problems against impossible schedules and come out smiling, maybe that’s what we need: a self-imposed deadline. And it had better be sooner rather than later. Because make no mistake: There is a deadline out there. There is only so much time before the local industry loses its vibrancy.

Get involved. This truly is our community issue. We need to propose the solutions. We’re the ones who really know how our business could work best. When we’re armed with workable plans, that will be the time to unlock the most potential from the resources of the government.

Craig Haffner is president of North Hollywood-based Greystone Television & Films.