What's up with the City's Film Office? Is it gone?

I was holding back on the story because I could not get a straight answer from anyone, but it looks like the City's Film office is in shambles, no, not because Harry Emilio Gottlieb is running it (which was a concern of many), but because no one is running it. Harry was let go as of January 1, 2011. As you know, the one-man Film Office was at the Expo Center in Coconut Grove, high above the Burn Notice sets. I always had carte blanche there under Harry's and former director Robert Parente's aegis.

I had asked Harry about it and he had no comment, and I tried to reach other's at the Mayor's office, but received no comment.

I first heard of the "firing" from Al Crespo in the Crespo Gram Report, but as I usually like to do before I post a story, is get it from the horses mouth. None of the horses would speak. But now I see it here in Miami Today. They are sort of confused as to what is up with the film office, too, so I don't feel so bad about not having all the facts as I write this because I held back on the story long enough.

So far, no reason was given other than that new City Manager Tony Crapp made the decision to "go in another direction." Where to Louisiana? Because that is where all the filming may end up because of the way the City treats filmmakers. Interestingly enough, I was told the Mayor fired Harry and then I was told that the previous City manager, Carlos Migoya, fired Harry and closed the Film Office. So it is the usual run around, when a simple, honest answer from all parties would suffice.

Former film office director Robert Parente has his eyes on teaching film production. He has been getting a degree on the subject, since even after 30 years in the biz, he needed a degree to teach. Right now, the Film Office has no director or possibly doesn't even exist. We're not sure what Burn Notice and other productions are going to do when they need assistance. Maybe go through the Parks Department like they have been doing recently to get film permits. The Parks Department? I know, I'm confused too. I think the whole City is confused.