Man Headbutts PA On Set Of Premium Rush

@ NYC PEOPLE

the next time you hear "sir/miss you can't wall here right now I'm sorry were doing a stunt and it's not safe" i understand you have your rights and it's a public sidewalk that's wonderfull we all do and are aware of them. It's not the intention to violate your rights it's purly saftey if you don't want to listen and just be ingonrant and walk into the middle of it go ahead your gonna get plowed into by a stunt car godforbid all because your dumbass can see the bigger picture if there's nothing going on notice how no one cares where you walk ..and as fornthe neighborhoods you think it can be done for free ...the permits we pay for cost a good amount of money...money that goes back to the city you know that place you live in so stop whineing

1. a random person tried to grab me as I was walking about my business, on a public sidewalk.

2. I would have had to wait at least five minutes, which in some jobs means losing a LOT of money!

3. I was yelled at for trying to find my way out, because they had not bothered to worry about an alternate route for pedestrians heading uptown.

4. i have not ethical obligation to pay attention to your job, if you're going to jump in front of me forcefully and get in my way. you are the one invading a public space and blocking traffic!

5. and finally, i couldn't care less how long your shots take if you choose to not care about the people who live/work there, it's your responsibility to find a solution, not mine.

cheers!

I find it outrageous that the media covering this incident (Gothamist included) are advocating the actions of this maniac and making any sort of case for justifying violence against production assistants on a film set. The film industry brings thousands of jobs to NY every year, and most film crews treat the neighborhoods they work in and their residents with courtesy and respect. The individual who was assaulted the other day is no exception. Filming on location is a reality of living in New York...just like parades, presidential visits, street fairs, construction, and other things that interfere with traffic and parking. Is it OK to assault a Con Ed worker because he's temporarily closing your street to conduct his business? I find the media coverage of this event to be a disgrace. This headbutting maniac has been called a "hero" and has received accolades from other disgruntled impatient New Yorkers, whom the press choose to feature in the context of this story. He is nothing but a criminal, and he should be penalized to the fullest extent of the law for assaulting an innocent person who was just doing his job. Let's not encourage the maniacs who lie dormant among us. We might all go around wishing we could headbutt all kinds of people who inconvenience us all over town all the time, but societal convention, a human code of ethics and THE LAW dictate that this is not an appropriate course of action. How about some anger management, people? Now instead of having the paint that their father was so anxious to buy, Breffny Flynn's kids had to spend the day without their daddy while he was incarcerated for assault. Have we really become so uncivilized that we are willing to call such an asshole a "hero???" Think about it...and grow up.

ok this is going to shed light on what happened

first of all the "headbutter" parked his car right in the middle of the set right were one of the stunt cars loose control the main concern was his safty and also his car which could have been hit during the stunt. he was kindly asked to return to his car and just park it around the coner for the safty of the stunt and him. and as for the wife saying he was pushed is a complet lie becasue she wasnt even there(she got there when her husband was sitting in the backseat of a cop car) the man lost his temper as people can but theres was no excuse for hitting that pa.

hes a grown man with a family and thats how he deals with it!

i understand people get angry with the shoots as would i but understand that this busniess brings substancial work and money to the city...that man is far from a "american hero" hes more of a coward for not calming down and assesing the sittuation, he acted like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

and please for god sakes leave the PAs alone were at the bottom we dont make these disicions on were to shoot and what to close down were just doing a job the same as the rest of you were all new yorkers alot of us born and raised including myself ...and for the love of god people need to stop being ignorant manhattan is a god damn grid system if 3 blocks are closed off GO AROUND!!..its not hard your all big boys & girls...but if you do have to do something that is within a set or a closed area just ask instead of plowing threw...were there for safty not to mess up everyones day 9 times out of 10 we will help you get where you need to go just talk dont headbutt

Someone burn the hollywood sign please...

Still waiting for that..

kick you for being an ass. That would make me feel better.

I'm sure it would.

True story...Once, a year or two ago in Union Square Park, Sesame Street was shooting

something with a dancing Statue of Liberty. I started to take a picture when I was told by a PA that it was not allowed. I commented it was a public park and they could not stop me. Don't you know she had someone follow me around. I went on the other side of the park wall and clicked away, made sure she saw me too. Funnier is that I never even kept the photos. LOL.

Well you showed her who's the boss. Did you also kick a dog on your way home because it walked across your path?

You use "angry pickle" and ask if I kicked a dog? That makes no sense. I would, however, kick you for being an ass. That would make me feel better.

And yet, whenever a movie set in New York is filmed in another city, all of the New Yorkers bitch. You just can't fucking win with you people.

SINK.

If these production crews are doing so much for NYC, then why don't they at least patronize neighborhood businesses for their food and drink? Why do they need to block our streets with their crappy tables of their own food proably bought in from out of town.

seriously we work 12 hr days, sometimes longer! we dont work 9-5 like most people.. don't complain that a table of snacks is set up. what else do you want to complain about??

Craft Service vendors are local. They purchase food at the same place you do: the local grocery store. They also pay taxes, and live and work in NYC.

The crew often goes more than 6 hours without stopping for a meal, which is why snacks are provided as a courtesy.

There are plenty of days when crews are setting up or wrapping. On those days, coffee, water, and snacks are purchased from local deli's and supermarkets. Usually, the crew goes to lunch at a restaurant in the neighborhood.

And, oh yeah, Thank you for your well wishes. what a nice guy you must be.

I'm sure I'll get right to it regarding that head butt.

The film crews are typically a huge inconvenience. They are constantly shooting on my block and I have had to beg the PAs to let me enter my own apartment building because they don't want any pedestrians mucking up the shot. If pedestrians are such a problem, then they should film on a sound stage in LA, not on a block where people live and work. It's impossible to care that they are providing jobs for film school graduates or whatever the supposed benefits are when you are told you can't enter your own building until the crew decides to let you. Of course I don't think it's reasonable to assault the PAs, as they are just doing their job, but these film companies have got to understand that we can't come to a complete standstill and wait until it's convenient for them before we can go about our regular business.

Why would you beg or even wait? Just walk right in.

What? Because they're filming something.

Such drama queens. It's really not an inconvenience, you can go to your stupid overpriced apartment - as a courtesy you can wait a couple of minutes. I doubt you're going back and forth all day.

Actually, I *do* run in and out of my apartment all day and it *is* an inconvenience to not only wait, but haggle for permission to walk down a public street and enter my own apartment. I would not go so far as to headbutt a PA but I think anyone prevented from entering their home would find it an inconvenience, especially if it's hot or raining or snowing or if you really have to use the bathroom or, in my case, if you need to get home to pick up your textbooks so you can get to class on time. Film shoots seem really cool if you don't happen to live where they are shooting, but most New Yorkers agree that they are a huge inconvenience. There is nothing fun about having floodlights glaring in your windows all night and trucks idling on your block till the wee hours, not to mention having your street blocked off and begging some teenybopper PA to let you go home. Look what happened to Perry Street because of that stupid Sex in the City show. They had to install a chain across their steps with a big No Trespassing sign because the tourists would not leave them alone.

I am amazed at how spoiled new yorkers can act. How about a thank you? Say this "thanks film industry for providing new York with thousands of jobs! What can I do to help? Just stand here for a minute and go about my day? That's easy!"

It's true that sometimes it's 2 minutes. But don't blame the p.a.s who are getting paid next to nothing just to pursue a career doing what they love. They are doing what they are told. If they don't, they don't get hired again. Also, if a p.a. does touch a pedestrian they are wrong but that never happens unless the p.a. is really new or just really stupid.

I hope this headbutter spends a decent amount of time in jail or counceling. If this Guy gets angry that easily he needs help.

Also, a note to nycpa... don't waste your time arguing with a Guy who essentially named himself masturbation. Maybe we'll get lucky and someday he'll get headbutted while he is just doing his job.

Hey, that's Me!

I'm almost famous, hey! that's another movie!

how about tax breaks for me, instead of all these entitled elites. yes, I've worked in the industry, they don't like being told "no".

Who likes being told no?

There's NO and then there's NO, complain to higher ups, bitch and moan till higher ups give in, turn the NO to Yes,

Then Rinse and Repeat.

what good is saying NO when that happens every time? You're trying to do your job the way you were told to do and you get overturned. might as well just say Yes and leave me out of it. would be easier for all parties involved.

1. Why does a production crew need to feed the homeless who live in the neighborhood? That just reminds me of certain people who complain about store owners (eg, grocers) who don't "contribute" to their crime-laden "community" where they had opened a store!

2. If living in the city gets you so upset that you have to use an excuse like "I pay taxes!" to do anything you want to anyone you want, then maybe you should move out of the city.

"Please stop in your tracks, citizen, and wait for as long as you are told. We are filming a Myley Cyrus film here; this is of utmost cultural importance."

I would love to see one of those PAs tell an actual messenger to hold up a few minutes...well most likely it would end with the same results, a broken nose.

The guy had no excuse for assaulting someone - then again, like most of us, he's fed-up with the bullshit of entitled filmcrews and private security details and tourist buses, etc., all who seem to constantly feel they deserve priority. It's easy for New Yorkers to become second class in their own city. I live in the historic Upper East Side, 78 and 5th and obvioiusly there are some uber wealthy people on my street (as opposed to a common working joe like me). We get so friggen tired of the black SUVs with the cop car flashers behind the grills and the giant guys in black suits who block the street or park all day in front of fire hydrants and even block the damn sidewalks because Mrs. so-and-so is coming out of her townhouse for a shopping trip to SoHo, which, for some unknown reason calls for us to be stopped or hindered.

I want to cheer the guy but initiating a violent act should never be "justified" as his wife said.

REALLY? We're slurring people with "faggot" now?

No, really?

If you want to make yourself feel better about being inconvenienced, just help yourself to a free breakfast or lunch at the food tents like I do.

The funniest - or sad, however way you choose to look at it - thing is that most of these movies are Hollywood fluff, garbage that I wouldn't pay a quarter to see.

The last time I was stopped by a PA they were shooting an Eddie Murphy movie. I would have loved to have rammed that walkie-talkie where Mel Gibson don't shine.

On a positive note, last friday I was scheduled to move. Also learned that this movie was closing off my entire block, leaving no room for a moving truck. I called the number on the film permit, told her my situation, she said she'd take care of it and call me back. 5 minutes later, she did, said she leave a space for my truck. I wake up, the street is packed with trailers, except a little black car parked where my moving truck was supposed to be. It was his job to make sure nobody parked there, and that's exactly what he did. No attitude, nothing. My truck pulled up, he moved, smiled and said have a nice day.

This PA on the other hand should be sent to Gitmo.

Cool. PAs should be headbutted once a day by the director just so they can remember their place. Every PA thinks they're the next James Cameron and we should respect it now. Nobodies.

PAs who go on power trips and try to act like cops deserve to get head-butted. The smarter production companies are the ones who have their PAs say 'please' and 'thank you,' to people.

But be forewarned before reacting to pushy movie people. They tend to bribe cops with lots of free food etc.

As a former PA..grabbing a pedestrian or even telling them they can't cross while filming is a bad ethic..but ALWAYS happens.. I have told my fellow PAs to NEVER touch someone or even put their arm in front of them to stop them from crossing in front of the shot. You can NOT tell someone what to do

You politely ask them if they could hold up until the shot was finished (most of the time it's about a minute) OR if they could please walk across the street away from where they would be out of the shot.

If this PA did grab or abuse his power..he should be taken off the set

I Just so happen that I was driving past the set of "Premium Rush" a couple weeks ago and I asked the PA what they were shooting..He snapped back.."You never heard of it..It's called Premium Rush.."

I hope it was him who got headbutted..

(I actually had heard of it..I worked in pre-production on it)

My fellow New Yorkers, I grew up in NYC and this is where I live and work, as one of those many pesky people on movie crews. I am sorry we get in your way, we don't really want to, but we do have to ASK people to detour and wait as we get a shot.

Usually we try only to hold things up only when the camera is rolling, not the setting up time, not when we rehearse with stand ins, just from roll to cut.

A main rule of the PA is to ask, but never touch anyone. Sometimes a PA may step in front of a person to block them, but they can not make physical contact.I have seen many people just go right around them and there is nothing they can do.

Film making is a vital part of NYC. We spend a bizillion dollars on wood, food, nails, gas, location fees, studios and a gizillion other things. We also bring in a ton of tourist (i know, you hate them too) who go to shows, eat at restaurants, and tip waiters and bell boys, and spend cash in stores and boutiques.

Many people wrongly think of movie people are from Hollywood,as if Hollywood has invaded NYC. Not true, we live here, we are you neighbors, we pay taxes too, and we dearly love this city, just like you do. We even helped in the recovery effort at the WTC. We brought our big lights, cables, generators and personnel and lit the debris up so the searchers and iron workers could do their thing.

Next time a film crew gets in your way, I hope you can see us as your fellow New Yorkers, at work, just making a living.

Thanks,

Jim G,

(one of those pesky movie electricians)

I live in this neighborhood and used to work for a film studio. And I have to say, the last two weeks, the crew of this film has really just taken over W 105, 106 and 107 as if the neighborhood belongs to them on the weekend (truthfully, the PA's have been blocking off traffic from around W 99th to W 108). More than once I've wondered if the production company is going to reimburse residents who have to pay for parking because street parking is off-limits (and I saw cops towing a car that dared to ignore the orange cones last night). I don't recall even seeing signs posted prior to either weekend letting residents know that blocks were going to be inaccessible because of huge production vehicles and chase scenes tying up traffic for entire days.

And this is minor, but Morningside Heights has a pretty sizable homeless population. It personally rubs me the wrong way to see a huge craft services table of food and a barefoot homeless person around the corner. Not that the city's homeless is a production company's problem, but seriously, if you inconvenience an entire neighborhood for a few days, it wouldn't hurt to at try to be considerate to the people who have to spend their two days off of the week avoiding your silly movie set.

Just as an aside about the homeless thing, yeah it does suck to have that big set-up of food and have to tell the homeless that it's just for film crews. I try to sneak off a sandwich or something if I see a homeless person in the area to give to him. Also, I know some catering companies take their leftover food to a shelter to donate.

As for getting rude PAs, if you ever encounter a PA you think is being too rude or definitely puts his hands on you, by all means report him to his boss, called the "Key PA" on set. Most of us know that we are guests and try to do our jobs in the most respectful way possible. But a certain percentage of PAs, just like a certain percentage of ANYONE, are rude assholes. Reporting them to their bosses is a good way to get them off the job, or at the least off the streets and to a position where they are not dealing with the public.

I love how opinionated and angry people get about shows being shot around their neighborhoods, scream and whine and then go home and watch TV. Slothy scumbags. Hurry up do yourselves.

He should have kicked the production assistant in the balls and then told him to fuck off...

I hate being told to stop by one of these asshole PAs helping film some garbage Hollywood flick. Last time that happened was in San Francisco where I nicely told the PA in question to "Get that F**k outta my way." It worked.

I was walking to work on Park Avenue a few days ago, and noticed a film crew had taken over a couple of blocks to my right. I couldn't hear much, because I was listening to All Things Considered, but I almost felt one of the PAs actually reaching to grab my arm. I sped up and saw cameras still rolling and some angry asshole (maybe NYCPA?) gesturing firmly that I move fast and get out of the shot. I ignored the above douchebag because I was running late and my need to have a good standing at work is far above the need of hundreds of assholes to film without interruption in my place of work and residence.

You can film in my neighborhood, but you have to make room for me, not the other way around. You'll find that people will be far more inclined to wait for you, when you remember that you're a guest.

Do you see what you said? You wanted good standing at your job so you walked in a shot and ignored someone else doing their job instead of A. Waiting or B. walking a different route because it might take you 5 mins more? And you called the film/tv crew assholes without even knowing them all because they were just working and doing their job. Do you know how much it cost and how much time it takes to do some shots? And the longer people keep walking into shots the longer they have to be there to do them! Wow! way to be a mature adult. I really hope you do not watch any tv shows or films that take place in NY.

It has actually been pretty slow production-wise in NYC since the tax incentive expired in 2009. It was reinstated as of last week with the passing of the new state budget.

The film/tv industry brings quite a bit of money into the state and local economy; the return has been estimated as $1.90 for every $1 credit. Think of the benefit to lumberyards, hardware stores, office supply, restaurants, car rental agencies - these are the beneficiaries of the influx of film and television productions.

A lot of people will be going back to work now that the budget has passed and many who feared their business would close will have a life preserver thrown to them. People don't realize that in order to make a reasonable budget film, you have to create what amounts to a small city - it's mind-boggling in scope.

I don't know if Breffny Flynn had a medical emergency and needed to get across the street and that prompted him to fly into a rage, but I do know from experience that many times the PAs are instructed to pause pedestrian traffic for the safety of the pedestrians.

There is frequently a potentially hazardous combination of equipment, electrical cables, stunt vehicles, etc. on set and it can be dangerous to ignore the requests of the PAs. That being said, there are some PAs who are less polite; they regularly work 18hr days (no union/not regulated) and sometimes their patience wears thin.

I can understand Mr. Flynn feeling impatient due to the inconvenience, but the situation needn't have escalated to violence.

Here's a link to an article about the economic benefits of the film tax credit for those interested in a little more info:

http://filmmakermagazine.com/news/2009/03/new-york-film-community-mobilizes-in-support-of-tax-credits/

EMPIRE STATE FILM PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT FACT SHEET

I. Program Overview

The Empire State Film Production Tax Credit is 30% of qualified film production expenditures, (crew and vendor costs – no star, producer, writer, director salaries eligible). NYC offers an additional 5% credit on same costs.

II. Overall Production Statistics: 2004 – 09

Total Production Jobs Created/Retained: 165,645

Total Combined NYS and NYC Tax Collections: $2.7 billion

Total Combined NYS and NYC Tax Credits Applied For: $685 million

Of course, you're going to say all that. oh it's dangerous, etc etc etc, my god, cables, wires!

I'll believe it when I see it. now don't go spending all that money in record time again, OK?

I bet you're glad your working.

That's a pretty weak retort when given a reasonable reply. "Oh of course you're going to say that thing that perfectly explains the situation".

I could care less, you guys have been treated pretty well by those tax credits, sir.

How bout doing some real good will and hire people who really need jobs. Good paying jobs. Not some job where one wakes up at dawn to save parking spaces.

So, first you're bitter about the tax credit creating jobs for PAs, and then you say that instead people need to...create jobs? I don't see your reasoning. Also, who are the "people who really need jobs" and why do you think they would not want jobs waking up at dawn to save parking spaces? If they are so needy, shouldn't they be taking any job, no matter how early it starts or how many parking spaces they save? What do you consider to be a job worthy of creating?

You know what my reasoning is. I've worked in your industry and seen all the entitlement. that's all I have to say. so stop it.

No, I don't know what your reasoning is, as you keep diverting from the issue. I completely understand as how you do not watch movies and television you don't see the value of having productions being filmed, but I don't see why that fact means you can't occasionally walk one block out of your way when asked to, or in fact when it is in the best interest of your safety to.

And also, what position did you hold when you worked in the film industry. I ask so I have a frame of reference.

when asked to? yeah, I would love to see that. All we get is a flyer telling us that our cars may be towed and the filming will go on for 12 hours, from 8pm to 9am with lot's of car crashes and gun fire. which I don't mind, but that megaphone can drive one nuts.

You close an entire block and think that does not affect the neighborhood, there's a reason why some community boards are sick of it.

If communities are sick of it, then by all means they should petition the city. I have not heard of any neighborhoods in which filming is banned, but voicing your opinion to the people who actually give the permits to the productions couldn't hurt. It would certainly be more effective than headbutting people.

And community boards have put a moratorium on filming.

it's the more affluent communities like the UWS.

who cares about the poor people?

of course, going to your CB and to the CB meetings especially will be more effective and persuasive than what this guy did.

He shouldn't have resorted to physical violence to get his point across. (passive violence would suffice, haha)

Last Saturday I saw a premium rush PA yelling at a guy to stop filming their set (he was out of shot and not interfering).

I understand when they don't want people to interfere, especially when they've been on set all day or all night, but I hate it when they lie and intimidate people into not filming.

That's because it's already been copyrighted and if you record it the copyrighted cops will come after you.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100513/2001309420.shtml

all the PA needed to do was to get on that important walkie talkie with the headset and tell the big shots to hold up, I have a resident of the area who needs to get by, it would only take a second.

it's not like guy was deliberately trying to ruin the shoot, which is an entirely different thing.

What puts the desire for one resident to not be delayed several minutes when going home above the one hundred and fifty something people (the vast majority of whom are ALSO NYC taxpayers, gasp!) who are there doing their jobs? Do you also expect construction workers to stop work and hold your hand to escort you through they're construction site?

Incorrect, your sense of entitlement does not trump the neighborhood's. You're there as a guest.

We're there as a guest of the city, correct, who has permitted us to do our work in the public city streets and to put people in place to keep the public safe and to ensure that we can complete our work.

But it's a two way street, so far residents are getting the one way shaft.

Nobody's getting the shaft, dude, it's not a fuckin big deal to wait a minute, or go around the block. Get over yourself.

You're right, it's not a "big deal" unless it IS a big deal. How do YOU know that waiting "a minute" (which we ALL know is/was more than a minute) isn't screwing up someone's day? Why is the work YOU'RE doing is somehow more important or justified than someone else's just because he's an individual?

I don't think one time was a big deal to this guy, but he obviously had been stopped and inconvenienced before.

Quit justifying someone else's self importance over the movement of others. Just because you've got a walkie talkie and know an extra on Gossip Girl doesn't make you an industry superhero.

Uh...I don't even work in that industry. I'm talking about common courtesy.

Common courtesy is that you don't take over the streets in a residential neighborhood and tell people where to walk and when. And if yout job is to film in the streets then guess what? Part of your job is waiting for people to get out of your way. Tough shit whoever doesn't like it.

The same could be said about yourself, dude.

I've seen your post history.

Post history? Wow, you creep. Get a life. At least look at something relevant to what you're speaking of instead of doing some weird creeping shit. I am the truth you seek.

hey, it's just shows what type of poster you are.

don't like it? don't post vile, hateful stuff.

sometimes it's better being nice and civil.

For you, but I am teaching the truth. And you're all a bunch of c**ksuckers.

Well, no...what you get is to live in an amazing city, a city that's so amazing that it is the backdrop for many films and television shows. What you give in return is dealing with the repercussions of that: the high population density (because more people than just you want to live in such a great city); the large number of tourists (because even people who don't live here want to see what our city has to offer); and film crews occasionally causing a disturbance (because the city is so interesting that storytellers want to set their stories here). If you don't agree that this is a fair trade off, well, that is your opinion, and I can't make you move away, only you can do that.

As for the relationship between film crew and neighborhood resident, I don't think residents get the "one way shaft" as you put it. As a PA, I do my best to inconvenience residents and passersby as little as possible. If I know that their path won't interfere with the shot, I let them know that. If it does, I suggest a way to walk around or do my best to let them know how long the shot will take. In addition, most people find it fascinating to see the film-making process, and to be able to see their neighborhood on the big screen. I know it's easy to become jaded after the fifth Law and Order incarnation is filming on your block, but is it so hard to have consideration for other people who are doing their jobs?

And, the issue of choice works both ways. If your film crew doesn't want to deal with locals, you can always pony up the money for a soundstage. It's a lot easier for a production to make that choice than it is for me to move somewhere else so you can make a straight-to-DVD film.

In addition, most people find it fascinating to see the film-making process, and to be able to see their neighborhood on the big screen. I know it's easy to become jaded after the fifth Law and Order incarnation is filming on your block, but is it so hard to have consideration for other people who are doing their jobs?

Maybe the tourists from Iowa "find it fascinating to see the film-making process, and to be able to see their neighborhood on the big screen" but 99% of the time I've been diverted or held up for a film shoot, everyone around me has been irritated, upset and angry.

How would you like it if I moved my office desk into your living room completely uninvited, borrowed all your power outlets, and then expected you to tiptoe around me because I was working? Would my job really be more important than your ability to live in the house you paid for?

Film crews need to understand that when they choose to shoot in residential areas, there will in fact be residents there. And the residents were there first, and they have the right to be there. It's up to YOU, the film, to work around THEM. Many crews don't even make an attempt to minimize the disruption they cause or to be polite, which contributes to the bad blood. A while back one of the community organizations in the Village put out a report card for film shoots and some of the things reported were unreal: garbage left in the streets by crews who didn't clean up after themselves, for instance.

you are correct, some of us "jaded ny'ers" could really care less about a film shoot in our block.

if you do what you say, I don't have any problem with that. it's when you, not YOU personally, take over the neighborhood that is a concern. when I mean take over, I mean treating it's people like crap to the point of using the police to harass residents and laugh at the poor suckers. like it's some sort of power play to show who's really the boss.

If you really want to keep on, I have one anecdote to ask.

Heh. I've been tempted to headbutt them before (especially the ones for the TV shows that film on my block all the time, there are THREE regularly filming here now, and Curb Your Enthusiasm was here last week), but I've never given in to the urge. I have however shoulder-checked them out of my way. But why would you listen to them, anyway? I can't believe they give them tax credits to film here, they're like a pestilential plague. It would be one thing if they weren't so disruptive, but I don't appreciate having some failure-as-a-screenwriter telling me I can't go to my own apartment every week.

Yeah, I find it interesting someone who has a film quote as his username is so intolerant of film crews (do you think the Big Lebowski was filmed all on a sound stage?

I find it interesting you only pop out of the woodwork when Gothamist mentions filming. Troll much?

And yeah, I like movies - and have run into movies filming perfectly reasonably across the city during my time here. In fact, when I first moved here I sometimes even enjoyed standing and watching a shoot for a few minutes. Since you clearly didn't really read my post, I'll remind you that I was referring to my hatred for TV crews, who are around ALL THE TIME. If they dropped by for a week, once, I wouldn't mind. I mind when every other week some shitty TV show i.e. Gossip Girl is closing down my block with self-important turds telling me I'm not allowed into my own apartment. If you lived where they filmed all the time, you would feel the same way. I don't live anywhere special - my block is extremely bland, yet TV makers seem to find it endlessly enchanting. This was not the case when I moved here, and has only happened in the past few years. If they were less obnoxious or less frequent I probably wouldn't mind so much, but they're both - ever had one of those giant spotlights in your window at 3AM?

No, but I have had jackhammers and road equipment waking me up in the early morning from construction, should I go out and headbutt those guys?

Saying there's a difference between a film crew and a TV crew on your block is asinine. News flash: they are the exact same people! And to say you don't mind if it's a film you like but if it's a TV show you don't watch it can go fuck itself is shallow and petty and unrealistic. Sad to say there's no check box for "artistic merit" or "will nicemarmot enjoy this production" on the Mayor's Office filming permits.

cool story bro

Ignore the production assistants, walk where you want, and blast loud music out your window until they pay you to stop.

More headbuttung please

A production assistant cannot stop you as they

have no police powers and because of this you can just

say "get out of my way i'm going and if you stop me I

will call 911 and have you arrested for false arrest".

You just then proceed on your way.

One exception is when they are shooting a live street scene

with moving vehicles,then they can have you wait till the

shot is finished.

Cops that work a movie set loathe to

get involved and actually can't.

Most PA's are nice but every now and then you get a jerk

who thinks that walkie talkie thing is connected to

homeland security.

As a matter of fact the day of filming in question WAS a day where they had vehicles driving through the streets doing automobile stunts, so the PA that got headbutted was trying to keep the man from entering a dangerous area, and for that he got assaulted.

They weren't Bloomberg's tax credits, they came from the State. The only impact he's had on production has been to impose the first ever permit fees in NYC history. The man is a cancer.

"They weren't Bloomberg's tax credits, they came from the State"

In fact both the state and the city have film production tax credit programs. The state's is a 30% credit and the city's is 5%.

Good. If Bloomberg's a cancer, at least he can take a bite out of the film industry as he metastasizes. The City and State whore us all out for the film industry. It's time for some regulation. On-site filming in NYC has real value that cannot be fully realized through the power of CAD. Make them pay! I hope Mr. Flynn gets a medal!