Editor,

Two months ago, my producing team and I came to Whidbey to put together the plan and build the infrastructure for the feature film “Lost & Found.”

But, in reality, the planning and the building began many years earlier.

When I started writing the script for this film, I always had Whidbey in my mind and heart. Whidbey is majestic yet quaint, mysterious yet glorious.

But always, Whidbey is special.

I have always been passionate about my hometown of Whidbey Island. For most of my life, it has been my singular mission to make this movie. It was a dream come true, in early September 2013, when we finally had enough pieces together to take the next step.

Along with my dedicated producers, Scott Bridges and Kim Selby, and my amazing sister Grace Itaya, we left our families and our day-to-day lives, and drove the 1,100 miles from Los Angeles, Calif., to Whidbey.

Just as I knew it would, magic happened every day as our community rallied to make this beautiful story come to life. But, as often happens when mountains are ascended or spacecrafts are launched, certain elements of weather or timing can alter the plan.

For independent filmmakers, many gears have to lock into place at just the right time in order to make a film shoot viable.

There are many elements of cast, crew, locations, financing and a thousand other variables, that all must come together at exactly the same time. In our case, we had key actors who – for a variety of professional and personal reasons – were not able to meet the needs of our schedule.

But like the song says, “God blesses the broken road.” I have learned to trust the process and row with the current. And that’s what we are doing; we are rowing, determined and diligent as ever. The film is re-calibrating while we change gears and re-load.

There have been incredible friends along the way who have been allies in every sense of the word. Extra special thanks to Coupeville Mayor Nancy Conard, Sherrye Wyatt, Lindy Kortus, Lynda Eccles, Robyn Myers, Dan Currier, Paul Ware, Ron Nelson, Jenny Barrett, Mark Saia and my parents Joe and Beth Itaya.

On behalf of the entire Lost & Found team, I thank you with all my heart for your support, well wishes, and love. The best is yet to come.

JOSEPH ITAYA

Los Angeles