According to a NY Daily News article published today, the public will no longer be allowed to view the weekly stack of city film permits. These are the same permits that are posted on the streets of NYC and give information about what is filming and the dates and hours when filming will take place. The Mayor’s Film Office used to open its doors to the public for a few hours each Wednesday and anyone could go in and look through all of the filming permits for the week. It comes as no surprise that the # 1 users of this service was the paparazzi.
Starting Dec. 1, anyone who wants to see the permits will have to request them in writing and will receive the information back within a week. Needless to say, the paps are pissed.
So, how does this effect OLV? It doesn’t. Most of our tips come people who see the permits posted on the street and it doesn’t appear that those permits will change. I have contacted the Mayor’s Office to confirm that is the case but have not heard back as of yet. If you see one of these permit signs on the street, you can email us at olv@onlocationvacations.com.
Christine,
Don’t hold your breath waiting for a call back. It’s all a big, deceitful lie anyway intended to stifle access to film shoot information. The tenured papparazzi have their own well placed tipsters within the industry and don’t need the permit information. . you just need to get every other resident on board this site with their own accurate information. Don’t be shocked if some employees of that permit office are looking to make friends in the film industry to advance their own careers, so whatever they have to do as a favor against public access will be done…
I agree with Anon on many counts, but the law is the law, so if they have to post permits on the street and they have to return written requests for permits thanks to the freedom of information act, than we should use that to our advantage. I’m planning to write them for permit info and see what they’ll send me beginning Dec 1st. Does anyone else want to to try too? We might have to wait a week for the info but it sounds like they have to give it to us. If anyone wants to help me write letters for the permit info for the site, email me at olv@onlocationvacations.com.
It is no wonder the Daily News hire a stupid celebrity photographers name Dick because they need to pair him up with the stupid reporter that wrote the article. Number 1 users of the service are not the paparazzi, but actors and actresses looking for work. It’s true that the service was a valuable tool for the paps to get information, but most rely on tips, word of mouth and OVL. In fact, On Location Vacation, is one of the most visited site by paps. OVL replaced the permit office as the most trusted and most informative source of movie set information. I stopped going to the permit office when they selectively let you view mostly out of date permits and a few “good ones.” Did I mention there was a charge of $.25 to copy a permit? Keep your permit office closed, but I wonder what they are going to do when they get a deluge of requests under the Freedom of Information Act? They can’t even answer Christine’s email!!!
So, they did end up getting back to me and here’s what they said:
The Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and
Broadcasting will certainly continue to issue permits in our office as
usual.
The change I believe you are referring to is the discontinuation of
Wednesday Record’s Access permit viewing sessions, which has been a
courtesy service allowing the public to peruse copies of the permits we
have issued in our office. This change will be effective December 1,
2009.
In lieu of the Wednesday Records Access Program, New York State’s
Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) provides a process for the review and
copying of an agency’s records. Under FOIL, all requests for access to
MOFTB records must be submitted in writing, either by letter or e-mail,
to the agency Records Access Officer. In your request, please describe
the records you are seeking as specifically as possible, including as
much of the following as possible: types of documents, date, time,
location, production title, and any other information that will enable
the Records Access Officer to identify the record(s) you are seeking.
Include how you would like to receive the requested information if your
request is approved, or partially approved. Include a daytime phone
number, in case the Records Access Officer has any questions about your
request. Copies are available at the statutorily permitted duplication
fee of $0.25 per page, by certified check or money order made payable to
the NYC Department of Finance.
If you wish to view or photocopy MOFTB permits in the future, please
submit your written request by:
Mail:
Records Access Officer
Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
1697 Broadway, Suite 602
New York , NY 10019
Email:
FOIL@film.nyc.gov
i wouldn’t be surprised if the industry people pushed for this. i was on a set in nyc recently and the head of security kept asking how people always know where they are filming. i played dumb and said “well i mean you put signs on a busy street and people will see them” but they seem to hate that this is a free country and people can watch them and take pictures while they are making movies.