Downtown Filming Discussion Heating Up

I come to Downtown once a week for my daughter to attend Colburn. I also like to check out the new offerings at Metropolis books. We also usually get lunch, while we're there.

Unfortunately, the filming in the OBD and in/on Bunker Hill that it's almost impossible to predict whether or not I'll be able to park and/or walk down the street without being hassled to wait for a shoot.

It's almost enough to persuade me to take my business elsewhere.

if only it were easy to put databases of information on the web.

I agree with you 100% - the notifications in the last 6 months have all but disappeared. I work as an in-house Film Production Supervisor for one of the major studios, and I volunteer for my homeowners association as one of our building's filming liaisons. When filming crews are professional and considerate, it's a fantastic experience and a way that an association can earn revenues.

When it's not good - like lately - it can be a nightmare. And Film L.A. is largely responsible. For a while, they were diligent about getting the sign-off notifications to residential buildings, but recently that has pretty much come to a hault, or those door-hanger sized notices are randomly taped to doors and store front windows with no sign-off consent required from the residents.

My advice is to be the BIGGEST PAIN IN THE ASS with Film L.A. It's the only way to get their attention. Call and demand to speak to the coordinator who issued the permits in the first place. Then ask to speak with their supervisor.

If a production is being inconsiderate, I also go out to speak with the location manager and production manager as well, ask to see their film permits (you have a legal right and they must present them on demand), and since many of them work with me - and they know I represent the studio I work for - they will respond to me. But unfortunately for the average resident downtown, most times they will ignore you because they know that it's too late because their film permits have alreadt been issued or they have a location contract signed and in place. They also know that Film L.A. is non-responsive to complaints that come through their hotline.

I want filming in downtown to continue - believe me, it effects my industry.

But when films like "Dreamgirls" film in the alley and blast their audio playback so loud you can't hear yourself speak, or you find a production trespassing on your property without permission, or like this morning when a production closes all of the block of Spring St. between 6th and 7th down during peak traffic - it's hard to sympathize with rude, out of control productions.

How much would it cost to have a website where film shoots can be posted on the web for all to see ?

It can also be posted on Metro's traffic alert site.

It made sense to film Downtown without much forethought when the area was abandoned on weekends. But people live here now. A couple of weeks ago, Olive was closed from 4th to 6th all day Saturday and Sunday, which clogged traffic terribly. Most of the time nothing was happening. That was inconsiderate and unecessary

Downtown was a perfectly situated "gigantic set" before us pesky, irritating residents moved in here!!! how dare we! Don't werealize this is a "company town"??? We should be happy that the exalted "Industry" would deign to even bless us with their presence, much less actually have their royalty set foot upon our grimy streets. Oh the horror! I can only surmise how uncouth we must appear down here... actually living in a place that has more concrete than greenery, imagine that! Why would anyone even think of living in an area where one could possibly catch a whiff of that deadly indicator of absolute social devastation - the scent of stale urine! And the homeless people! The "Industry" is so accomodated to having them around... they are quite useful, for example, when filming a movie about post-apocalyptic life or trying to represent Baghdad... Yeah - I guess the "Industry" should have fought harder to keep the City from having people actually live anywhere between Grand and Alameda. We are mucking up their set. We are a thousand little pinpricks in their precious soft underbelly. We might even do something unthinkable... like band together and actually speak out as a... what... a COMMUNITY.

Here's my somewhat cynical take on a possible film industry response... and one we should be aware of... even if it doesn't get this hostile...

What? Them actually get together and do something? Naaah. Impossible. Everyone knows "nobody really lives Downtown", unless they are either homeless or working with the homeless. Why would they? It makes absolutely no sense for anyone in their right mind to want to live anywhere else but the Westside or Silver Lake (OK, maybe the Valley). So, obviously, those half crazy people living in Downtown must be there because they have to be... maybe they don't have cars and have to walk to work in those office towers on Fig and Flower. Sad. To actually think that they might live there, in that abandoned core that is our "Industry's" private playground... well, OK, but it is hard to imagine that they would even really care about a street being closed, or a parking lot being shut down, or helicopters at 3 am, or explosions at 2 AM (followed by helicopters), or film crews setting up shop and well, maybe closing off a few businesses for a while. After all, can anyone imagine why someone would actually think of running a BUSINESS down there? I mean, what with worrying about getting mugged, stepping over "bums", avoiding fecal matter on the sidewalk and complaining about how bad it must smell down there... like they'd have time to care about a little inconvenience. Don't they realize we are trying to help them? Preposterous. Still, we think we need to show those little squeakers who really is boss in this town. Let them speak. We've got a few thousand high priced lawyers that'll be more than happy to scare the bejeezus out of them when we're good and ready. They'll see. We'll run them out of "our set" if they shout too loud. Just wait 'till they see how fast the press and the media can turn against them!!! Oh boy!!! Like shooting ducks in a pond!!! Come on, boys... it's target practice time! Where's my helicopter, Charles???

Ok, I certainly hope that it never gets like that. The precedent is there though... and the only way we can really be heard is to get together and show a willingess to stand up for our rights and quality of life - and, this is important, be very willing to work with the film industry to find that "win-win" place. I do not hate the "Industry". I do find it rather irrelevant in a lot of ways, but then again, I'm a guy who might see a dozen movies per year - a lot of people see three or four per week. I use the TV for DVD's, sports and occasional news. So... yes, I'll come to a session about this. I might not be too affected down here in the Fashion District, but Downtown needs to come together as a community when something like this is going on. Julie Rico posted on new downtown about offering Red Dot as a meeting place, at least initially, and I think that is just great.

Hi Eric,

Please check your email - I just sent you an email from my Yahoo account regarding these filming notification issues, so I hope it doesn't get stuck in a spam folder.

Dennis

Eric here are few topics you should write about or discuss about a community that doesn't get much attention:

how about some developers that are coming to downtown and taking over every single building and small business are force to close? or how about some of the sweatshops that can be found in downtown (not many as before but you can still find some)? or how about the working immigrant community that has been here for the last 30 years making our clothes? There has always been a community here in downtown, its just that their story's have never been told. They are probably a big part of the community than us...just a thought.

The EIDC (excuse me, Film LA) must respond to the entities which have empowered it via contracts to issue filming permits on behalf of the City of Los Angeles and the County of Los Angeles.

In other words, if filming issues are not getting appropriate attention from Film LA then take your concerns to your City Council member, the Mayor's Office and/or your County Supervisor. Explain to them that your complaint to Film LA has not gotten response and that you are asking their office to inquire into the matter on your behalf.

If your government representative balks and claims Film LA is not under their authority, then ask them why Film LA is the only place you can get a film permit to legally shoot in their jurisdiction? In other words, if you can't get a film permit directly from the City or the County to film in the City or the County, then how is Film LA not under the authority of the City or the County?

In short, if Film LA is not serving its role in resolving filming issues in an area then the City and/or County may need to review whether or not it is appropriate for Film LA to issue the permits for that area.

The Downtown Neighborhood Council will be addressing this issue, so it can formulate a plan of action, at the Residential Issues Committee meeting Monday evening at 5:30 at the Little Tokyo Branch Public Library.

I have a long history with the EIDC/Film LA and am happy to be in a position to advise the neighborhood council through my work on the Public Safety Committee how it may best represent the interests of our community's members.

Would it kill them to have a website that announces street closures for filming events? Bookmark the sucker, and you're done.

Unfortunately, there is a large segment of the Downtown population which does not have daily access to the Internet.

Furthermore, why is it a resident's responsibility to look for when a temporary commercial enterprise (i.e. a film production shooting on location) wants an exemption from zoning to use an area for its temporary business venture?

In essence, filming on location is not a right because of the commercial zoning and public safety implications so it is beholden upon the production to treat a location with respect and consideration in order to get the public's cooperation.

That is the main issue at hand with the present state of filming in downtown's residential areas -- production companies are not respecting the area and residents are understandably upset about it.

Unless the problem of excessive downtown filming is solved the new lofts will suffer from equally excessive turnover with consequent decay over the next twenty years. The matter is an urgent one and must be resolved. Websites, email, and cell phones are now ubiquitous enough to subject film-permits to bidding between production companies and neighborhood associations, individual residents, and any other interested parties. Without this kind of flexibility and quick action, downtown's renaissance will be stillborn because no one wants to live in a Zone, and a Zone is what downtown is and will remain until neighborhoods can exert meaningful power. More money for City Hall is the solution and online auctions would raise that money while granting residents and business owners the opportunity to control their daily environment. We should think about auctions when we think about this problem.