Easiest Route to a Street Closure
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Bert Green has long joked that the easiest way to do any kind of street fair Downtown would just be to grab a couple of video cameras and call it a film shoot. You'll get your permits and closures no problem. We always laughed and thought it was a funny (yet true) joke.
Turns out the Roosevelt has gone and done just that. Saturday night they're hosting a party for the La Femme Film Festival and needed a closure so they could have the festivities right on 7th street. The filming notice just came via email. They'll be filming "REDEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN", and give this description of the scene:
PENDING COMMUNITY SURVEY 3 local bands perform. Exterior performance & playback. Staged performance interviews. Exterior establishing shots. Interior shots of Roosevelt lobby, crowd scenes. Base Camp/Crew Parking @ 727 W. 7th St. Prep Date/Strike Date 10/13 - 10/14
Full closure of 7th street from Flower to Hope will run from 5pm Saturday to 3am Sunday morning.
I admire their innovation, but calling this closure a film shoot is pretty shady.
Update (10pm): A revised notification (though it doesn't say that) went out around 8:30. Now they're shooting "Roosevelt Lofts Promo Video" with 200 "extras." Full description after the jump, along with an image of the party invite.
So the new description reads:
Interior dialogue in lobby. Exterior establishing shots. Exterior dialogue. Exterior performance & playback. Performance stage in street. 200 extras. Camera and equipment on sidewalk, in curblane & across the street. Occasional traffic & pedestrian control.
A lot less detail in this one, but it seems all the facts are still the same. It'll be interesting to note whether "occasional" pedestrian control means security guards keeping pedestrians out of the party.
Here's the invite that got sent out, just so you know I'm not making the party part up. I really don't think "occasional pedestrian control" legally allows you to enforce an RSVP's only list.
Rico A on October 10, 2007, at 10:51AM – #1
Fakeblogging, fakefilming...
bryan pardue on October 10, 2007, at 12:49PM – #2
sounds like fun to me!!!!
Casey on October 10, 2007, at 07:57PM – #3
Does anyone know how Roosevelt is selling? I am interested in getting a unit there.
Benjamin Pezzillo on October 10, 2007, at 10:12PM – #4
We rsvp'd but I'm not sure we'll end up making it -- especially after putting two and two together thanks to you Eric.
De Soto has an opening and that will be much better use of our leisure time and a perfect excuse to Pitfire Saturday night.
Street closures for premieres happen through the Board of Public Works but not under the representation of FilmLA. This is an end run around the bureaucracy. Creative, but then there are these people called Street Use Inspectors at the Department of Public Works who are supposed to check on these types of things too.
There is also more spot checking of film permits going on out of LAPD and, as the City's legal permit granter, they have the authority to shut the "shoot" down.
So I'm guessing each unit purchased comes with a commemorative DVD of the evening?
"This is us the first night we saw our new home!"
Wow, now that is high concept marketing. Maybe we'll just wait for the video of the evening to appear on their website.
mdogg on October 11, 2007, at 07:59AM – #5
valet parking. retarded
The Roosevelt on October 11, 2007, at 03:22PM – #6
Actually, the filming project is something that the LA Femme Film Festival organized. We're glad to be one of the sponsors (along with Sapporo, Land Rover, Morton's) and proud to have the festivities take place in front of The Roosevelt.
Be sure to RSVP at www.rsvlt.com/rsvp if you're planning on coming down. Use the word "mix" in the referred by column. Guest list will be strictly enforced.
See ya there.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on October 11, 2007, at 03:29PM – #7
LA Femme organized shooting "Roosevelt Lofts Promo Video"? Quite convenient.
The Roosevelt on October 12, 2007, at 09:40AM – #8
Again, it's LA Femme Film Festival shooting a LA Femme Film Festival promo for their own purposes to help grow and promote the film festival. We are merely one of the sponsors of the event.
downtown toilet on October 12, 2007, at 10:21AM – #9
again, that's quite convenient.
Bs on October 12, 2007, at 01:54PM – #10
Why are all these comments so negitive all the time?
MarkK on October 12, 2007, at 02:05PM – #11
Actually sounds like a neat concept
Ginny-Marie Case on October 12, 2007, at 07:04PM – #12
I don't see a negative comment here....I'm late for dinner!
edgycated on October 15, 2007, at 06:02PM – #13
we stopped by the event and it was actually pretty sweet. call me a sell out, but when there's free booze (top shelf stuff) and food (filet sandwiches from morton's, kabobs, dessert, etc), you can't really complain.
and for the record, I did see several ppl with video equipment :)
Jan G. on November 07, 2007, at 09:55PM – #14
Who cares if they close 7th Street during the middle of the night on a Saturday??? Like there is anything going on otherwise. Plus we stopped by, and it was FUN! Those units look sooo nice - such a departure from the other "lofts" that others are trying to sell as all concrete and no amenities... Nice job Roosevelt!!