Focus on film work

Re “Getting quieter on the Hollywood sets,” July 12

I do not know whether it is the mayor, City Council, Board of Supervisors or the governor, but whoever it is, they need to do whatever it takes to keep film production in Los Angeles. My neighbor, along with a crew of almost 50 people, left recently for 90 days for a Disney film shoot in Toronto.

Need I write more?

Andrew E. Woodward

Los Angeles

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The Times reports that we have lost a huge percentage of businesses related to movie and television production, one of the crown jewels of the state’s history, culture and economy. As your article noted: “California’s share of U.S. feature film production dropped to 31% in 2008 from 66% in 2003, according to the California Film Commission.”

And much of this loss is attributed to production companies moving to states with more favorable tax policies. While we still have half of our industry, should we really be thinking of tax increases to close the budget gap?

Dave Goodwin

Los Angeles

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I became infuriated reading about how much film and television production we’ve lost to other countries and states. Yet, at the same time, we complain about how broke the state is and how much we need economic stimulus.

Can someone please tell me more “shovel-ready” projects than film, television and commercial production? These are nondestructive, ready-to-go projects that are paid for mostly by the studios, create hundreds of jobs and distribute millions into local economies.

This local industry is in danger of leaving us now when we need it more than ever.

Alex Dorn

Los Angeles