Action! On S 4th Street

Those same stupid trucks were all over Atlantic Avenue (mainly at the corners of Atlantic & Bond) yesterday. One two of the 'trailers" had the names "Rickie" and "Lucy" on the sides.

They were saving parking and had trailers there Saturday night but didn't have any of those 'No parking' due to filming signs up that identify the production. Usually they do a good job of canvassing an area with those. This was the first time I had seen a production without any of them.

I like to jam their radio frequencies. Ain't that hard to do if you're a radio nut. More power.

I hate them ! They clog up the streets with those big ass trucks . Create there own traffic rules and to tell you when, where you can walk on your own block .

Ricky and Lucy are the Men's and Women's bathrooms. You were looking at the honeywagon.

any new yorker knows that all you have to do is check the permit on the truck windows to see the name of the production filming... duh

It getting difficult to take Gothamist seriously with Jen Carlson posts these ridiculous non-newsworthy observations. Maybe our respected editor should stop these things before they get posted.

Dude, thats not the Old Navy Dog

Being a resident of a constantly filmed in neighborhood, I relate to the comment that PAs are pushy and rude when "locking up" a strip of sidewalk or the like for shooting. Having also done PA work, I can tell you that if a PA is rude, it's probably because they've been trying to be polite for most of their 12-hour work day and aren't getting much help. Set production is grueling work and sometimes the only way to get the cooperation of the public is to bark at them - sad but true. Ultimately, just ignore whatever static you get from set PAs and eventually, you'll get where you're going - just know that the PAs don't want to be getting in your way any more than you do - it's tough often thankless work and the movie industry keeps thousands of young and working-class people employed so, like construction work or road work, just accept it when it lands in your hood - they'll be gone before you know it.

Yeah, sure, they'll be gone before you know it. And then before you can blink ANOTHER stupid crew will show up and comandeer your street for two days. I once went for lunch and came back to work only to have some idiot PA tell me I couldn't go back into my building because they were filming in front of it (didn't stop me). Another time I had the director of Law and Order yelling at me to get out his shot because I had the nerve to walk down the street (he had to wait).

Let's get this straight: Studios are for shooting movies and television. Streets are for people to actually live their lives. When I come to your stupid studio and boss you around then you can come to my street and tell me what to do.

Even though New Yorkers claim to have thick skins, we can be really immature when it comes to the movie industry - which has been since the 30's a major part of the New York economy.

Just some points:

1) Not my industry - just did some work there to shore up rent checks. I got out before I got too deep - but my brother and my roommate are 2nd ADs and order around PAs on a daily basis.

2) There really is no such thing as a "union" PA (while there are people who are called that, they are not really PAs - they do a lot of paperwork). While there are unions for directors and other production people (ADs, grips, etc), those individuals don't interact with the public almost at all on set - it's not their job. Moreover, the majority of union workers on set are Teamsters, who, by the rules, cannot lock up a set and mostly spend their time guarding (that is, waiting in) their cars and trucks. These tend to be older, blue collar family guys who don't complain about being paid ok wages for driving around movie types.

3) It is plain old false that most PAs have trust funds. I have friends who've PAed for the Departed, War of the Worlds, etc. and still live on Top Ramen. Most of these people do come from the upper middle class, but are independent young dudes and chicks working six days a week earning less than $30,000 a year for 12-16 hour days. Why they do what they do, I can't say - they're an odd bunch.

4) We New Yorkers don't like to be told what to do. Sometimes, to get a New Yorker to do something they would rather not, you have to go to extreme measures. Some people would rather ruin a shot, thus setting production behind for potentially moments or hours, than wait a moment or two to cross a street or get into a building. If they can't stop after a polite word, you have to put your foot down - otherwise, a production can be halted and have to spend more time in a neighborhood distrubing the peace. Productions want to creep in and out of places like ninjas - in LA and San Francisco, they often do. New York, well, it's always a crap shoot.

5) Finally, like it or not, it is the law that in traffic and on the sidewalks you have to give way to a PA or production - the cops are on their side and will get on you if you get testy with a PA. I have seen this personally many times. On the other side of that coin, however, if a PA ever, ever touches you first in any way, he is not only at risk for losing his job, but has broken the law. If a PA touches you for any reason other than to aid in your safety (I once grabbed a guy from stepping in front of a car at a lockup in Queens) talk to the on-set police. If there is not on-set police, call the film office at the mayor's office.

I say, set production behind. Give them hell. These production companies are making money off of public property, that we pay for with our taxes - do they pay -us-, the residents, to use our collective property? No. They make money from using our things -and- we get nothing back from them except grief about living in our own neighborhoods. Oh yeah, helps economy!!! Like we see a ton of that money in the end.

Who cares - give them as many problems as you can. Sidewalks are for walking.

Actually, #24, we do see a lot of money for that and, like I said, there's a lot of Teamsters out there feeding their kids on movie work. Moreover, that collective property belongs to them as well - 90% of any NY production is made of people who live in or around NYC - it's their city and their livelihood too.

Finally, you have two options:

A) Don't watch things filmed in NY - for the Black Donnellys, this would be easy - it stinks. For 30Rock or Spider Man, not so easy.

B) Don't complain when a movie is set in NYC and shows downtown Toronto.

So many people whining about what is essentially NOT A BIG DEAL! I highly doubt each of you whiners have more than one production a year filmed outside your residences. Every PA I've encountered in this city has been fine. Get real problems people! Sheesh.

It's a lot worse for businesses which depend on vehicular traffic.

And there is rarely--if any--monetary compensation whatsoever, which usually amounts to pennies compared to business lost.

Penny, AT LEAST six productions are filmed each year on my street or on streets directly adjacent to it. If you expand to a two-block radius it's probably more than a dozen. Some of the small ones are no big deal, but others literally hijack four or five blocks, 24-hours-a-day (and tow all the cars away).

I've seen cars towed away just so the director or some other member of the crew has a parking spot for his own personal vehicle. It's one thing to take over a street for vital production equipment, but why does the director deserve a parking spot instead of someone else who actually lives in the neighborhood. My neighbor once had his car towed for Law and Order SVU at 11:30 PM when the temporary sign on the street said no parking after midnight. Then nobody on the set would tell him where it was relocated to. He finally found it in a bus stop four blocks away.

And as for those Teamsters, THEY'RE GETTING PAID BY THE HOUR! Do them a favor and mess with the production all you want. They don't care. The longer it goes on the more money they make.

I know that Lipstick Jungle is filming around there tomorrow. The permits were posted yesterday.

Well they don't film in my hood so I don't care ! Once they tried to firm a commercial on my block . My neighbor's devised a plan of constant disturbances . They called for tow trucks, Took pictures to show in court of these movie people using there lawns as parking spots, Filming without their permission etc . Long story short the judge had no choice but to side with them and the film company had to pay them each a sum of money to stop future suit being filed ! That's how you stop them from annoying the hell out of you people ! Out smart them !!!!!

some people just hate being told what to do. i am a PA and rarely have to lock up streets but when I am on that task I usually dread every second of it. i never tell people, but ask that they would use the other side of the sidewalk- really most people are fine with this, even when they are obviously inconvenienced: in a hurry, pushing a stroller, carrying groceries, etc. but some people get so upset, halfway down the block, before even reaching the set, that there is no way of really convincing or pleading that can be done. you are being asked to not walk into the frame of a shot, which makes sense. if you do walk into the frame, that take cannot be used, so the crew have to redo work that they have just done. so your action affects 100+ crew members, actors, extras. and really only because you are like the 15 year old who runs behind the live news reporter and does bunny ears behind her head, except that you are grown up and are just plain spiteful. these people are usually very nicely dressed, often businessmen- people that have to use the streets for their work- delivermen, truck drivers, construction workers- all seem to be understanding, because business has to be done.

the PA is the lowest job in the film industry. they basically are being paid minimum wage to work at least a 12 hour day (i've had 20 hour days). they are the first on set and the last to leave. they are not really respected by the rest of the crew. the headsets that they are wearing are not signifying their importance. they have a constant stream of orders in their ears, while not participating in any creative of aspect of what is perceived to be a "fun" industry. the ones that get an attitude with you are trying to show that they are good leaders so they can move up the ladder and be assistant directors.

in a football game, when there is a false start on a play, a lot of people are disappointed. after all this anticipation, you have to line up and do everything all over again- you are not moving forward. that is how it feels when someone walks through a shot on the street. i do know it is annoying. you have someone to be and you need to get there fast and you were not counting on the orange cones and pushy 22 year old with the headset and the lights. but that PA played no part in his being there. you are upset with the producer or the location manager or the director or someone else. but the PA is just doing some very lame, boring job, for no respect, most of all, from you.

and i've never heard of these trust fund PAs. most of us live off of the craft service tables, i stuff my pockets with snacks every day. i am paid in two weeks what the person's responsible for me being there blocking the street are paid in one day.

Please, Jean Luc, get off your high horse.
Film crews are hated by MOST NY'ers, we are not impressed with your Job or your celebs.
I worked in the entertainment industry and know who works there. You may not have a trust fund but you have money. More than you know. It's still a lily white and rich industry.
Who else can afford to work for sub par wages? Someone who can afford to fund his/her dream to get in the movie industry.
"craft service" damn you people invent your own words, just like "separate books".
You guys don't provide any benefit to the neighborhood in general.
I hope Law and Order gets cancelled.