To the Burbank City Council:
My name is Pat Toma and I am an 18-year resident and homeowner in
Burbank.
I have worked in the entertainment industry for more than 25
years. I have seen many changes in the business, but none more
frightening and destructive than this. The shift of business away
from town has and does affect the income of not just the movie
workers. It has hurt many businesses' incomes, both worker and
business owner tax bases, on local city, state and federal levels.
How can it not? There is simply less money being spent here. One
who doesn't have as much work does not spend as much, anywhere,
anytime.
When I work locally, the production company (big or small) spends
money like gangbusters on local business. Gas, food, fashion,
rentals, permits, construction materials, office supplies, specialty
stores ... the list goes on and on. There is even extra advertising
for the businesses that do supply us, in the form of screen thank-you
credits at the end of the show. There is also broad branch of the
movie worker's friends and family that learn about and use those very
same businesses, and that list is large.
The Media Center is the Media Center because of movies and TV. All
the hoopla and attraction of "Hollywood, the movies and media" is
used here in the present tense to profit everyone. The prestige of
where we live bringing in more money is a given. We are a "higher
rent" area just because of this fact.
If movies, TV, animation and related facilities continue to be
farmed out to other countries and states, then this area will become
"old history Hollywood," where the media projects used to be done.
Not the same draw as current stuff, with history. No stars would live
here anymore. Why should they? The work will be elsewhere. No shoots
will be here, our local mystique and glamour will be gone. No looking
at stars homes, spotting stars in public or at famous locations,
nada, zip, zilch, all gone.
Even network tapings could go to the wayside -- just a few offices
here and there. Why should they all be here when it is cheaper to do
it somewhere else? Why should they bother when nobody is film
friendly?
It's hard enough to coordinate and shoot a film as it is. More
hassle, more expensive? Never mind. But people will hassle more and
clamor about for a good deal.
A producer once told me that "cost effectiveness" was the only
reason his company shot films in Canada.
It was definitely more bother to be up there than here, and not
any better. The bottom line was the money.
Sure, there will be some films shot in other locations than Los
Angeles. That is an artistic fact. But keeping the main business here
in Burbank and Hollywood will always be a boon to the cities in and
of itself.
People from the industry being able to be in one close-knit area,
networking, spending good money on good things, keeping good homes in
community, will continue to everybody's profit, uplifting the area.
As long as there is entertainment to be made, we should always be
that center.
I like that, don't you?
Something really needs to be done about the current situation.
Support the tax credits in AB 2747. Show business leaving us is real,
so please help us and help the city.
PAT TOMA
Burbank
