Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

For a film crew to block my front door?!

251 replies

Lj8893 · 20/10/2013 14:49

I live in a small town and there is currently a blockbuster film being filmed right outside my front door. Its a period setting so they have done loads of set decoration all around, including blocking up some windows etc.

Yesterday my dp came home (I wasn't in) and our front door had a door shaped block wedged in front. He grabbed a crew or security member who moved it and he told them it can't be there as I am due to go into labour any day (I'm 39 weeks) and it is our only exit/entrance so for fire and health and safety reasons it can't be there, or we at least need to know when!

Earlier on he popped in from work, and it was there again. He repeated the same speech from yesterday and they moved it, and told him when its up it will only be for 2 mins max.

Its up there again, and has been for nearly 45 minutes!!! I have rang and left a voicemail for the assistant location manager (his number was put on a info leaflet through our door a week ago).

Essentially I'm trapped in my house, and yes I could push it out with some force but that's not really fair on me is it?!

Its actually starting to make me feel quite panicky now.

AIBU?! Or what should I do?!

OP posts:
CuChullain · 22/10/2013 10:29

In my experience most film crews working on location are incredibly up themselves, have a huge sense of entitlement and who more often than not treat local residents as an inconvenience.

My street was once used in an episode of Inspector Morse. The production company had written to everyone advising them of the shoot and the proposed time they would be finished. They also asked if people to stay indoors, to keep the curtains closed and keep any lights that overlooked the street off as well, a bit irritating as it meant that I could not use my kitchen till the 8.30pm planned finish time. Come 9.30pm there was still no sign of them finishing and I was starving so I started to prepare a meal using only the small light above the hob in the extractor fan. Within 30 seconds of turning the light on I had some production assistant banging on the door shouting at me to turn the light off, I pointed out that they were already an hour past their stated finish date and were beginning to take the piss. No apology, no ‘we will be finished in 10 mins’ just a “turn that fucking light off”. Pricks. I slammed the door and ignored them while I made dinner. In the broadcasted episode my house ended up on the cutting room floor. Ah well, it was a nice meal!

Leopoldina · 22/10/2013 10:34

without having read whole thread, has someone suggested already that you hang a GIANT Nike / Coke / Pepsi logo out of your window? Large branded posters are your friend. if you make your house unfilmable, they'll have to come and be very very nice to you or spend a disgraceful amount in post production removing it.

womma · 22/10/2013 10:38

Hello OP, just checking in to see how you're getting on. I'm so sorry you've had such problems with all of this, and glad someone has finally taken notice and is addressing the problem.

Hope your stress levels are down a bit now!

LongTailedTit · 22/10/2013 10:40

They should be discussing bloody Health and Safety obligations and fire safety, not just manners! Useless bunch! Grrrr.

Some of these crews really do think they're more important than 'normal people' - they think they're doing us a favour bringing some glamour into our drab little lives and we should all be grateful. How a bunch of riggers, sparks and chippies in high vis jackets are glam is a mystery to me. Hmm
A glimpse of a film star doesn't really make up for the level of disruption you've had!

Anyhoo, hope you don't have any more bother from them, good luck for the arrival of miniLJ! Thanks

addenuf · 22/10/2013 10:42

MokuMoku - they did, I was there, on Weymouth beach, oggling Terry Stamp and envying Julie Christie.

womma · 22/10/2013 11:03

I've got a filming story: when my old boss was told (not asked) they'd be filming a scene for Notes on a Scandal from her front garden, she wasn't that bothered. She had a horrid wizened old tree in her garden, and they chopped it down, again without asking. She rang up the contact number they gave her to say she was miffed they'd got rid of the tree without her permission, thinking that was that. Later that day a very contrite production asst knocked on her front door with an envelope of cash. Her teenage, monosyllabic son was there, and as this asst gushed about how sorry they were and could they offer any compo, he just held his hand out wordlessly. She put tenner after tenner in his hand, until the envelope was empty and he had £500! And they had a new tree planted too. All for a 2 second shot of Cate Blanchett cycling up Hampstead Road.

So OP, that's how to deal with them!

jellyboatsandpirates · 22/10/2013 11:19

They're just going to discuss manners? Seriously?! Why are you literally rolling over and taking this?
They're barricading you into your house. Blocking your exit. Just "stationing someone outside" ISN'T ENOUGH!!
As I said early on in the thread, phone your local fire station, (not on 999 obvs) and explain what's happening, I bet they'd be extremely interested and would come and have words with them.
Stop being so flaming wet and starstruck.
I'd have been hanging out of the upstairs windows shouting "Save meeeeee" to piss them off and knacker up their fiming by now.
You say it's a period drama? I'd have some thoroughly modern rap music blasting out and would turn it off if they removed the obstruction.
What would they do? They're the ones breaching fire regulations, you'd have done nothing wrong! Smile
As I said, stop being so flaming wet. Ring your fire station if it's still there as it's astounding you're just LETTING them.

sleeplessbunny · 22/10/2013 11:35

I am thoroughly appalled by some of these stories. There is just nothing at all acceptable about this sort of behaviour, and the safety aspect of the OP's situation leaves me aghast. What planet are these people on? Certainly one for the police in my book, OP. They have failed to keep their word to you repeatedly, and they are trapping you in your home. It is dangerous and illegal.

GingerBlondecat · 22/10/2013 11:50

Didnt they 'promise' a person by the door the second time around? That turned out Bogus.

Believe it when you actually see it

(((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))

3bunnies · 22/10/2013 11:51

That's awful, tell them that they need to put someone good looking inside your house with a walkie talkie whenever they block it up. Hope all goes well with the baby, just as well they aren't telling you to keep a newborn quiet or maybe even film crews aren't that mad.

Original poster
Lj8893 · 22/10/2013 12:28

I'm not being flaming wet and Im certainly not being starstruck......I couldn't give a fuck about anybody in the film!! The shire horses are pretty though.

I'm 39 weeks pregnant, its been stressful, I can't be doing with the extra stress and hassle of phoning fire services, etc etc. especially when the filming finishes today.

Our door hasn't been blocked yet today yet the assistant has been stationed outside our door since we spoke at 9am so so far they are sticking to their promise which is all I care about right now.

A bottle of wine and a big box of chocs has turned up at our door too which always weakens my resolve Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Lj8893 · 22/10/2013 12:29

Oh and we just came back from the supermarket and as we were walking up the road a random crew member ran up and grabbed my bags off me and walked them to my door. The meeting about manners seems to have worked!!

OP posts:
womma · 22/10/2013 13:03

Good! Hope you're scoffing the chocs now ( good energy for giving birth). You've not been wet in any way, you got it sorted. Well done.

Sukebind · 22/10/2013 13:11

We had the a yoghurt drink ad filmed down our road. Jamie Theakston had to ride up the road on the back of a milk float. Quite amusing.
Hopefully the door saga will all be over now for you Lj. Good luck with the baby!

pindorasbox · 22/10/2013 14:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PoppyScarer · 22/10/2013 18:04

Glad to hear things seem to have been better today!

Good luck with the baby, OP!

Sizzlesthedog · 22/10/2013 18:17

Lovely town. My brother went to school there. I'm surprised none of the boys have pulled a stunt in front of the camera.

Hope you had a calmer day and all goes well for your birth.

ShriekingGnawer · 22/10/2013 18:58

Many years ago i was driving DH and his friend to work down our one way street. DH's friend had been told if he was late one more time he would be sacked. We were stopped by a man with a clipboard who told us (incredibly self importantly) that they were filming and would be 'about ten minutes' but he was sure we wouldn't mind waiting for something so exciting. DH's friend leaned through from the back of the car and held the horn down. Oddly enough they stopped filming and let us through...

Original poster
Lj8893 · 22/10/2013 19:13

Thanks all for the good luck wishes.

Dp was outside earlier and the location manager walked past and said "ill get someone to give you and LJ a tour round the set later"

It is funny that these companys expect everyone to be so excited and starstruck about filming. Tbh it doesn't really do anything for me! I'm a theatre gal myself!

OP posts:
Original poster
Lj8893 · 22/10/2013 19:13

Oh and the door block hasent been on at all today!

OP posts:
absentmindeddooooodles · 22/10/2013 19:36

Glad you got it all sorted. Good luck with the baby! :)

SeaSickSal · 22/10/2013 20:10

Take it in the back garden and set fire to it.

Incidentally when I was a teenager a friend of mine lived next door to the local MP. His parents were away and we went round to his house, took loads of recreational drugs and drank copious amounts of booze.

We woke up the next day to the door knocking, went and answered it and the world's press was outside. Loads of news crews, the paparazzi, everything. Turns out the MP next door had quite dramatically been caught with his pants round his ankles with a very young girl in the middle of a general election campaign. The news that night had rather a bewildered wide eyed group of teenagers wearing some very outlandish outfits being doorstepped and asked for their opinion on said scandal involving next door neighbour MP.

It was rather an odd come down. Especially when the MP escaped through the back garden to get away from the press.

When all the girls left they were asking if he had ever tried it on with us and if he hadn't would we say he had for a story.

They are not the most considerate bunch in the world, the media.

GreenVelvet · 22/10/2013 21:19

Some fascinating stories here ...

I suppose that doesn't help you OP.

ubik · 22/10/2013 21:23

Seasicksal - it wasn't Piers Merchant was it?

pixiepotter · 22/10/2013 22:31

surely they have paid( and ime , handsomely paid) to use the property ?

Swipe left for the next trending thread