Pluses, minuses of location filming

Re “It’s only a movie,” editorial, Nov. 4

Despite the millions of dollars injected into the local economy (including, it should be said, my salary as first-unit production sound mixer on “Live Free or Die Hard”), because of the potential inconvenience of intermittent road closures on one of the many routes to Los Angeles International Airport, The Times claims the city would be better off had this major motion picture been filmed in Canada.

This is a slap in the faces of the hundreds of people whose livelihoods would be directly affected by such a loss. Perhaps the editorial desk should get some idea of what a victory it is to keep such a production in increasingly production unfriendly Los Angeles.

You can be sure that all permits have been received, notification given, all fees paid. If there is a problem, please don’t blame the filmmakers who have done all that is required.

Rather, address the system that seems to offend you so much, and keep in mind that there are probably 49 other states and a bunch of other countries that are quite happy to get the business -- traffic jams and all -- much to the consternation of more than a few of your readers.

STEVE NELSON

Goleta, Calif.

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I welcome reasonable film and TV production to my neighborhood if it helps to keep good jobs in Los Angeles. However, when production becomes so frequent in the same Studio City neighborhood, it becomes less about filming and more like creating a regular place of business on residential streets in front of homes, which restricts access to the residents’ streets and sidewalks.

Occasional inconvenience is quite tolerable, but how many times each year should they be allowed to own my neighborhood? The city needs to track total usage for each neighborhood by various film and television production companies and set some kind of reasonable limit on the number of times of use in each neighborhood.

HARVEY BARKAN

Studio City

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Your editorial reminds me of a person who buys a home alongside a golf course. Part of the reason for selecting the home was the beautiful vista of a green fairway, but then the person complains of the random golf ball that ends up in his backyard.

Movies are Los Angeles -- a vital and important part of the area. We can all leave a little earlier for the airport for that short period.

BOB CALVERT

Oxnard