Often, local chambers of commerce make pitches for their communities. If an Iowa location beckons, the director and his crew arrive to scout out the potential site. He plots to have the bus roll in on the town's most attractive side and to arrive at a time of day when the light is likely to appeal to the director and what he is trying to achieve. If possible, he tries to acquaint the director with the local sheriff, whose cooperation might be vital if a road must be closed temporarily for the sake of filming or if other accommodations need to be made. A key element in Jarvis's recruiting effort is to make the director confident of succeeding in the Iowa location that's under consideration.
Nobody has a full-time job.
They mess up, they're out of work. People are putting millions of dollars in their hands. Longevity in office can also have its benefits. In 1985, when the state's efforts to attract movie business were in their infancy, a production company had almost decided on making the movie Amerika in Iowa, but changed its mind and shot the film in eastern Nebraska. But during that process, Jarvis became acquainted with a moviemaker who was steadily moving up the studio's ranks.