Sidewalks Looked Empty as Streets were Packed
Ed Fuentes
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES —
The patios in front of Pete's Cafe and Banquette have been removed for a few days for the filming of Eagle Eye, leaving a very empty sidewalk at 4th and Main streets. Main street (between 4th and 5th) and Winston street (from Los Angeles to Main) were closed to traffic yesterday, and will be shut down today as filming continues on Sunday from 7am to 10pm.
Businesses remaining open included Pete's Cafe, Banquette, Old Bank DVD and Metropolis Books. Blossom Restaurant was also open, but the new annex at Winston and Main was closed for use as a liquor store set for the Dreamworks film.
While Saturday's traffic backups on Spring, Main and 5th were mostly caused by filming related detours, they also had some help. Many freeway commuters were cutting through Downtown to avoid a major traffic snarl on the East L.A. interchange caused by an accident on the 5 Freeway, near 4th street, in Boyle Heights.
John Swartz on January 15, 2008, at 09:16AM – #1
Does Film LA, Inc. even exist? Supposedly they're supposed to plan ahead for this stuff.
celia on January 15, 2008, at 10:27AM – #2
i think the problem is that film la doesn't realize they're contractually obligated to do many other things besides rubber stamp each film permit and collect fees from all the studios & prodcos, regardless of any negative impact to the community.
there was another shoot that closed down the 3rd street tunnel this weekend, too. traffic was a mess, on all the surrounding streets.
saturday afternoon, i walked down main street from banquette. at 5th & main, i saw a couple crossing the street and hesitate when they saw all the production on the street. there were no signs posted saying that all businesses were open. i overheard as they stopped to ask a production employee, "is everything closed down the street?" he replied, "yeah, we're filming." the couple looked disappointed, so i stopped to interject, "all the businesses are open. pete's cafe, blossom, banquette..." i help up my bag holding two slices of the best coffee cake ever as evidence.
it wasn't an outright lie from the production team, just a lie of omission. but if i were a business on main street on saturday, i would've been pissed.
urban memo on January 15, 2008, at 07:46PM – #3
Banquette was closed on Sunday. I walked over there anticipating a the-the-best-bagel-toast-i-have-ever-had for breakfast and was dissapointed to see them closed.
I wonder if any of the local businesses that were effected by the film shoot were paid anything?
Metro Local on January 15, 2008, at 09:30PM – #4
Productions should post signs indicating businesses are open, otherwise the production should compensate the business if impacted by their location shoot -- it's just that simple.
Allowing multiple closures of streets Downtown at the same time is something that will continue until more people pay attention to the Board of Public Works role in the street closure process.
FilmLA dumped a ton of permits on Downtown last week signaling a return to the same level of mismanaged over-filming that activated the neighborhood last year.
Don't waste your time complaining to FilmLA about FilmLA, focus complaints with the Councilmembers, Mayor and the Board of Public Works (who approves FilmLA's requests for street closures).
Tell them FilmLA is not proactive in protecting the community's interests and that you want the Los Angeles Municipal Code with respect to protecting your right to enjoy your property and access to it despite location filming enforced.
It's the only way the situation will ever change.