L.A.'s VERY Dumb Filming Policies

There’s a scene in the movie “Friday” where Smokey (played by Chris Tucker) is going out with his friend. His Mom stops him and tells him to get her a pack of cigarettes with the money she hands him. To which he replies that it wasn’t enough. Her response “Make it enough.”

That about sums it up when it comes to making any type of movie in this town when you aren’t with any affiliation. You know, negotiating with the city of Los Angeles is futile. No special rates adjusted for how small you are (Pasadena does have a provision for crew size, but the other stuff that they pile on makes it comical). They don’t have any interest in your stupid movie anywhere in their town. In fact, you are a nuisance. Any small town Ohio LOVES movie people. Hell, I remember going to Tennessee in early 2000’s and getting ZERO shit from police for stealing shots in Nashville & Knoxville. They have more important shit to do. Guess what people do if their shit gets stolen or they injure themselves. They DON’T FUCKING SUE THE CITY. That’s common sense that is unspoken between the city and its citizens. In Los Angeles, shit…you throw things on yourself hoping you can take this broken nag to court to get a settlement.

When is Los Angeles going to wake the fuck up? It’s no longer that blonde with big tits that everyone wants to get with. People can get above and beyond great weather for their shooting. So you know what they do? They go elsewhere to shoot and come back to live. Didn’t think of that one, didya’ L.A.

Yeah, the luster is gone from Tinseltown, so the least you can do is give breaks to the people who want to work here. Whose toes are you stepping on? Some washed up starlet who had one hit t.v. show in the 80’s?

I love the attitude that most film commissions roll with (which ever town I’ve visited thus far). “If I don’t like it, I can shoot somewhere else.” If I were management, I’d fire that asshole on the spot. You are the government reaping the benefit of NOT being punched in the face (due to federal regulation) but still are funded by…um…US. I think I figured out my next cause. Getting some of these public places to open up to short films for free with insurance.

I wish that would happen. Unfortunately though, this is small fish. Guys up there in the mayor’s mansion, they’re too busy emptying the city’s funds. God forbid they actually do something and putting a spotlight on them doing illegal activities. Head down…stay quiet. Don’t rock the boat. I sincerely hope those people get syphilis.