Los Angeles: Film Farewell?

Emblematic of California's fall from economic grace is that the City of Angels may appoint a "film czar" to make LA more hospitable for movie-makers.  From a peak of 71 major feature films shot in LA in 1996, and from 21 shot in 2008, there are in 2009 permits for but 3 films to be shot locally.  Increasingly, LA seems like the tragic aging star played by Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard," unable to accept that her salad days are gone forever and living a life of secluded, faded splendor.