The future of "streaming" movies and TV shows no doubt is exciting, but it's also as murky as the Green Swamp at this point.

What's crystal clear, however, is that locally produced "Swamp Thing," the streaming TV series based on a mucky but good-hearted comic book hero, is shutting down after 10 episodes. Word was, they were going for 13 at least, with plans to return for several seasons. Now, nobody's sure.

That hurts. "Swamp Thing" pumped an estimated $85 million into the local economy and hired an estimated 500 locals. After years of watching local film workers board Atlanta-bound planes, or move away entirely, that was really nice.

Other productions are going on, of course, but "Swamp Thing" leaving early is a setback. If it shuts down for good, that's a big setback.

Some of this is beyond our control, left to the vagaries of new technology. "Swamp Thing" isn't bound for the multiplex, or for one of the old TV networks or even for HBO or TNT. It's product for a streaming service — straight to your viewing device of choice — put together by Warner Bros.

As it turns out, Disney is launching a rival streaming service, featuring its Marvel brand, which competes with the DC Universe "Swamp Thing." Is there some corporate strategizing going on here? We don't know.

Some things, however, we can control, or should. We've said it before: The state needs to sweeten its pot of incentives and tax breaks for film and TV production so we can compete with what the state of Georgia offers. (They make money for the state.) Variety reports that film and TV pay $4.6 billion in wages to 92,000 workers — a rate that increased by 4,000 percent after the Peach State upped its tax credit ante.

Somebody in Raleigh needs to start agitating.

There may be more we can do locally, too. City Council member Paul Lawler wrote an interesting letter to the editor the other day, wondering why there is no film museum in the city. The Cape Fear Museum has mounted temporary exhibits, and a few groups have been talking about something more permanent for years. What could we do to push the idea along? We need to remind folks that Wilmington is (was? can still be?) an important film and TV production city.

We already know that film tourism draws a number of visitors to the area. Look at all those "One Tree Hill" fan conventions. A local tour group makes money with a 90-minute excursion to Port City movie locations. A smart promotions strategy would be targeting such people, developing more for them to see and do here. Dare we say, advertise?

City Council and the New Hanover County Commissioners might want to take some extra steps locally. Variety reports that Savannah has its own incentive program, including up to $2,000 in moving expenses for film crew members who choose to relocate there with their families.

Maybe that's a little too rich for us, but there may be other, cheaper ways to be film friendly. Film directors tell Variety how much easier it is to handle permits and permissions in Atlanta, compared to Los Angeles.

Film and TV production has been lucrative for the region and it creates minimal pollution or other headaches. It also boosts areas of the economy far beyond the actual production. It's an industry that helps our city stand out both nationally and internationally — something that's important as we look to draw other types of businesses and workers to our area, especially in creative and high-tech fields.

One thing that's not murky — film and TV production is the kind of industry we should be chasing harder.

Star-News (Wilmington)