Last Minute Columbia Heights Film Shoot Upsets Residents

By on September 14, 2011 10:28 am in Movie shoots

With little notice, residents of Columbia Heights were informed this morning that a film shoot was happening on their block tomorrow and their vehicles would be towed by 7pm tonight. A BHB tipster sent us a photo of the No Parking signs earlier today. (Note: Apparently the wrong signs were posted and cars will allegedly not be towed. However, you may want to check on your vehicle firsthand. Developing…)

The signs indicate that the shoot is for Elle.com .

“Hello Brooklyn” comments on today’s Open Thread Wednesday:

Film Shoot No Parking Rant – Signs on Columbia Heights @ Pineapple this morning holding parking for a shoot from 7pm tonight. NYC requires no parking signs to be posted a minimum of 48 hours in advance. The signs were not there as of yesterday morning when alternate side switched over. Argh. Production company # is 646.427.6510. If they are going to inconvenience us, they should at least follow the rules.

“Lois” adds:

Re. Columbia Hts No Parking signs posted THIS MORNING! I spoke to the guy putting out the cones about giving us fair notice, since so many people spent an hour and a half sitting in their cars yesterday thinking they would be safe for at least a few days. He said it was a mixup from the mayor’s office, but the phone number is posted on the signs and above. I called the number and left a message with “coneman” voicing my displeasure at the short notice.

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  • Elena

    does anyone know how far this restriction is spanning? Just the block on Columbia Heights between Pineapple and Clark? or further?

  • nabeguy

    Elle.com. Hmmm, sounds like they’re trying to be fashionably late. Here’s my suggestion: when you move your car, leave behind a trail of tacks.

  • Gerry

    @Elena,

    We were told to move our cars on Montague Terrace Pierrpont Place has been cleared also.

    And I upset some film crew guy with my NYC Parking Placard when I told him he could photo-shop out my car in his film that I am on call 24/7 and my parking rights overide his film crew — BUT if he were a bit more polite I would park the car on Remsen Street.

    I reminded him that Montague Terrace is my home and NOT his film crews home and that in the future I would like more notice.

  • north heights res

    I called the location office number listed on the sign (646 427 6510) & spoke with “Richard,” who told me that the signs went up last night at 10 pm. He told me that the signs had to be there 24, not 48 hours, in advance, and that due to a “miscommunication” with the Mayor’s Office, the signs weren’t up in time. He also, with some frustration, admitted that they hadn’t even hit the (incorrect) 24 hour deadline.

    He also told me that my car would not be towed if I didn’t get it moved before 7 pm

  • north heights res

    Cross posted from Open Thread:

    I called 311 about the movie shoot, and they told me that they don’t handle any matters pertaining to traffic at all, and that I had to call the precinct.

    I called the precinct and they told me that they have nothing to do with it, that I had to call the parking department.

    The parking department told me that they have nothing on file for a movie shoot here tonight and they have nothing to do with this…however, nothing can stop a movie company from hiring a private towing service to come and tow cars. The parking department has zero knowledge of the shoot and according to the woman I spoke to, would not be towing any cars. She suggested I call the Mayor’s Office for Film, Television, & Broadcasting.

    So I did that. I was told that there have been numerous complaints about this and that it’s being “investigated.” I was then told that a supervisor in that office said that the wrong signs are posted, and that no one’s cars will be relocated.

    I also then spoke with the production manager, who assured me that cars will not be towed, but that she would ‘really, really appreciate it” if I could move my car.

  • Glenna

    Goodness knows, even the shoots that are announced two days in advance are disruptive and inconvenient, and net our community next to nothing. And the practice of invasive, too-frequent shooting will continue to happen until people get annoyed enough. Annoyed yet? Will you be annoyed when you’re living essentially on a studio back lot?

  • WillowtownCop

    Put boots on your car like they do in the hood so no one steals their rims. They’ll never be able to tow your car with boots on all the tires.

  • Jeffrey J Smith

    Typical

  • really?

    These shoots net some of the best movies ever made. You should be ashamed complaining about parking in new york city. having a car is a luxury and living here is too…park in a lot, take the subway, walk. If you moved here thinking parking is wide open then you have lied to yourself. I like watching tv and going to the movies and living here and driving a car. Just because you live here doesn’t mean you own the streets. This argument comes up constantly on here and it’s hard to listen to. Park a few blocks away and walk, it will do wonders for your cholesterol, your blood flow and your attitude.

  • north heights res

    really?, I absolutely accept that parking on the street here is a privilege, and I wouldn’t gripe (too much) if a resident parking fee were required.

    All I’m asking for is a little courtesy. I parked my car on Columbia Heights at 6 pm Tuesday, and found out only because of this space that towing was a possibility. I couldn’t make arrangements to be home by 7 to move my car, and I don’t think that the whim or disorganization of a production company should result in my having to spend hours trying to figure out where my car is and retrieving it.

    I don’t own the streets, you’re right. But neither does the production company.

  • GHB

    really? If walking a few blocks could do wonders for my cholesterol, I guess I could just throw away my Lipitor! Actually, this is not a movie in production like Moonstruck, Prizzi’s Honor or The Godfather, all of which were partly shot in the Heights. It’s a fashion shoot for ELLE.com. Saw them working on the Promenade this morning. I really don’t get why they need so much street space.

  • Bob

    Really?
    Parking in the street where you live is a privilege? Are you out of your mind? And you the fact that you like watching BK on TV is your argument for this?
    Really, Really?

  • John

    I don’t mind the filming too much, but the problem I see most is them taking up so many blocks ( not sure if they did this time ). Like The last one I remember block on henry and Montague Street clinton to Hicks was closed. Never saw a film truck. Found out they were filming down on henry north of clark st. how often do we see them close off more then a block in each direction of locale, just to film inside a building and only use a half a block of parking.

  • Eddyenergizer

    The problem is it’s so cheap and easy for the production companies to gobble up as much space as they want, the city only charges a $300 fee for a film permit.

  • Christina

    Its not just the low permit fees. We subsidize this garbage with our tax dollars. Crews can get 30% of their production costs reimbursed – up to nearly half a billion dollars a year is given out for this program. So in the 6 years its been around…what is that, $300 for every man woman and child in NYC donated to the film industry. I have every right to be upset that I have to move my car….AND that I’m $400 in this year on tow fees for movies (the assurance that it won’t go to the pound is BS.) I need my car to drive to client sites around the tri state. About 3 days ago…Pam Am had 9 blocks of parking roped off up here. Work is hard enough these days without having to be inconvenienced by the corporate welfare handed to film companies. How is this any better than if the city bought 2 million newspaper subscriptions with tax dollars to keep News Corp in business. I’ll be inconvenienced for a bridge, school, hospital or subway project. But someone please tell me with a straight face that Elle is a “public good.”I’ve been barricaded in my own apartment at times in the south slope. This isn’t proliferating because BK Heights is pretty (though it is.) These trucks are everywhere because tax payers pay them to do it.

  • Christina

    Oops…south heights…I’ve never lived in the slope and I have no idea why I said that. :)

  • David on Middagh

    Christina, you may be correct, but I have a hard time believing it. 30% of production costs reimbursed? Do you have a source or link for that figure? There’s a difference between a tax break and actually cutting checks. As I say, I could be wrong…

  • Eddyenergizer

    I believe It is a 30% refundable NYS tax credit, still not anything to scoff at. I can understand if it goes to a small independent filmmaker with limited resources but why should we help pay for an Amex commercial?