As the movie and film industry have moved out of California in recent years, the state is now left scrambling to try to win back the business that was once thriving in that state.

Throughout the years, California, and especially Hollywood, has become synonymous with "movies." Turns out, however, that filmmakers have been slowly leaving the state over the past several decades as Canada and other U.S. states have offered incentives to lure producers and the movie industry to their neck of the woods. Now, California is trying furiously to woo filmmakers back, offering a variety of incentives. To given an indication of how bad California has fallen, the number of feature films shot in California has dropped to less than half of what it was in 2003. Broadcast and cable television shoots have also dwindled, with 44 of 103 pilots shot outside Southern California this year.

Said Paul Audley, president of FilmLA, a non-profit organization which operates in the production industry, "In 2008 the worst numbers ever were recorded and the first six months of 2009 show a 50 percent drop from that. That can only be described as a disaster." The office of the governor of California notes that film production helps to employ roughly 250,000 people in the state, and produces $38 billion for the state’s economy. So, while other states lure filmmakers away, California is now trying to lure them back.

Some have noted that California’s incentives may not be enough. Said Jack Kyser, chief economist for the L.A. Economic Development Corp, "California’s was an incentive package for feature films where the largest budget film you could produce was $75 million, which a lot of people felt didn’t go high enough, especially if you are trying to attract tentpoles." Harvey Schwartz, owner of 20th Century, noted, "There are so many shows that have already left. ‘Ugly Betty’ was the first big one to just shut down in California, lay everybody off and move to New York for that 30 percent rebate."