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September 5th, 2008

HaHa MOFTB.

Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting – New York City.

all i needed was to put a light on stand outside in NYC. just one. tripods are now called a ‘hand held device’ and do not require a permit. however, if that same tripod holds some sort of light device and not a recording device, film or still, you need a permit and $1,000,000.00 of insurance.

there is no still photography permit for this, you need a motion picture permit for your one light on a stand outside in NYC, your proof of $1,000,000.00 of insurance, a ‘key to city’ signed agreement and a form stating where you’d like to put this one stand with a light on it outside in NYC. all typed, all info in the correct box/space/form. one mistake, you must start over.

i need to put a light on a stand soon outside in NYC so i did it all, handed it in and was told to come back in 20 minutes. i gave them over an hour and went back. there was a problem, in all these pages of questions and filled out boxes, there was no space or question or line item where i was asked or instructed to inform them of my need for this one light outside on a stand in NYC, therefore, according to all this paperwork and trouble, i don’t need a permit. while filling out my motion picture permit forms for the second time i was surrounded by production professionals working for actual films and tv shows you all have heard of while i filled out the same papers they were for my one light on a stand outside in NYC.

i was then instructed that i was suppose to state my need for a light on a stand outside in NYC on the form where it asked me the address of the shoot. how i was suppose to know this is quite unclear.

also unclear, why the need for a permit at all, they are free. never mind all the other serious flaws in the entire process or why a camera on a tripod doesn’t need a permit but a light on a tripod outside in NYC requires $1,000,000.00 of insurance.

odd side note, the office is above david letterman’s studio and thank goodness, 2 blocks east and 1 block north of my home.

taking a picture outside on a street with one light on stand in NYC should not be this hard.