More problems with neighbours film crew

[londonmummy1966]

Not sure this is an AIBU or a what to do but I'm getting really stressed about this so I thought I'd ask.

I posted recently about the security guard for my NDNs film crew being arsey about moving his car when it was blocking my drive and I needed to use it. They did move it eventually but later that night the response was to try and put up some police no parking bollards (not the police though) in the spaces outside our house when they had no parking restrictions in place. We also had the crew set off their burglar alarm and NDN refused to come out and turn it off (they are staying elsewhere in town as it is "too disruptive" for him). Eventually his ex's partner came and turned it off at 11pm.

Since then they've damaged the brick work on our garage without owning up to it. They then "rectified it" by putting the (now broken) brick back with a huge wodge of cement to fill the gap. They also knocked down plants in my garden when maneuvering scaffolding poles. When I complained to my NDN he said not to bother him with it and his ex just tells us to talk to the location manager who is very plesant and says he'll deal with it but doesn't always.

I'm really worried now as they are booked in for another week of filming until 11pm at night the week my dds go back to school and DD1 has some important assessments and big auditions that week. The local council film unit are no help at all. They seem to think it is great that people want to film here.

Any help/ideas?

Is there any sort of standard guide to film location work/code of conduct that I could hit them with if the filming is as much of a nightmare again?

What you mean like this one?

filmlondon.org.uk/filming_in_london/code

I did try a nice email to NDN - well, there's your problem then, you keep sending nice e-mails to people who wouldn't give a fuck one way or another.

I posted on your last thread - we had filming done in our house in Spring although it was just one day and much lower key than a BBC drama. We got paid for use of the house. The neighbours got nothing. Having said that, the inconvenience to them was minimal as the filming was between 10am and 8pm, it was school holidays and most of the crew were parking in a nearby school so as not to inconvenience the neighbours. I would imagine that filming in a busy London street with no alternative parking would be a whole different ball game.

OP I would really advise going higher up the chain to the CEO of the production company - you should be able to find out who that is by googling. Lots of moaning on Twitter or any community facebook pages.

I'd Twitter-complain to the production company, the TV station who commissioned them, any star that I suspected was in the series and keep doing it every few hours until I got the response I needed. And the Council too.

I can't believe how when you're doing an extension or something you can't start til 8am and have to finish at say 6pm (or whatever it is), but they can be allowed to film in a residential area) til 11pm! Plus, if you're say, a childminder, they won't give you approval for it if your customer's vehicles are going to cause a blockage for other residents - again, two different sets of rules - why, just because it's filming?!
Here filmlondon.org.uk/filming_in_london/planning_your_shoot/legal/smallcrew it says this:
Common law rights allow users of public highways to “pass and re-pass ... and to make reasonable use of it”. Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 restricts these rights where the use of the highway causes an “obstruction” to other users rights of free passage. If you are considered to be causing an obstruction then there is a risk that you will be stopped from filming. (doesn't say who by but I'd personally give the police a call)

Film London www.filmoffice.co.uk/media/60362/FO_Film_Office_Rules_Guidelines_Street_Filming.pdf say this: do
not:
• obstruct the footway and maintain access at all times
• obstruct others from going about their business
• cause a disturbance or hazard and 7.0 COURTESY 7.1 Crew members will act at all times with exemplary courtesy and this 12.1 The Production must make sure that a healthy and safe working environment is
created for all. All relevant Health & Safety legislation must be abided by at all times.
12.2 The producer must appoint a competent person to act as the Health & Safety
representative and a full risk assessment of the location must be carried out in
accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Management of
Health & Safety at Work (Amended) Regulations (2006).
12.3 The Production must provide a comprehensive Risk Assessment of the location to
Film Office LLP and be able to satisfy their insurance provisions and statutory
obligation to employees and those affected by their actions.

19.0 NIGHT FILMING (20.00-08.00)
19.1 All night shoots are to be co-ordinated with Film Office LLP.
19.2 Film Office LLP will need to see the script for the scene(s) to be shot so that they
have an accurate idea of what is intended: a realistic wrap-time for the amount of
action to be shot is to be given. Night shoots in residential areas are naturally
sensitive and it is essential to consider and consult with local residents and
businesses in the planning process.
19.3 All residents and businesses are to be contacted by letter at the earliest opportunity
explaining in some detail what is proposed and how this is to be achieved. Film Office
LLP’s telephone number is to be quoted as the contact number for residents who
wish to voice concerns. Adequate time (a minimum of one week) must be allowed for
residents to voice their concerns.

19.4 Whenever possible night shoots should be scheduled for nights when there is no
working day following. Companies intending to shoot in residential areas beyond
23.00hours (or after 20.30hours in areas where there are young children and there is
a school day following) on a night when there is a working/school day following will be
subject to stringent requirements to ensure no legitimate complaints ensue.
19.5 Any activity, including filming, is subject to the Environmental Act (1990) regarding
noise and nuisance. A legitimate complaint about noise or nuisance from a resident to
the Local Authority can result in the termination of the shoot and the confiscation of
equipment. Therefore, it is advisable
a) To shoot all scenes requiring noise above conversational level before 22.00hrs.
b) That conversation at the location is limited to what is essential to achieving the
shoot and even then at whisper level.
c) That walkie-talkies should be turned down to a minimum and earpieces used.
19.6 There may be cases when equipment or heavy vehicles that cannot be removed
silently at the end of filming must be left in situ until 07:00 the following day and
attended throughout the night by security. This must be cleared by Film Office LLP
one week before filming.
Only essential vehicles will be allowed close to the location. Personal vehicles and
facilities should be parked away from the location and residences to minimise noise
at the end of filming. Film Office LLP will be pleased to co-ordinate the use of local
car parks, schoolyards etc for this purpose.
So as to minimise the impact of extra vehicles parking in the area and specifically the
noise of departing vehicles at the end of the shoot, personal vehicles should not be
parked in streets designated by Film Office LLP in the immediate vicinity of the
location. A plan of 'off-limits' streets is to be carried in the call sheet.
These conditions are to be published in the call sheet in addition to any risk
assessment so that the entire crew is aware of them.

Not sure if it's worth giving these guys a call.

Also you have to remember that the neighbour has no control - when you agree to have filming done in your house you relinquish pretty much all control over what happens, when it happens and when people come and go. For that loss of control you get a nice fat fee of course.

So NDN might not be being deliberately awkward, it's just that he or she has no more influence over what the film crew do than any of the other neighbours.

Absolutely get your dd to practise loudly and at length with the windows open. If they object, explain that she absolutely must practise and that if they want it to stop they'll have to rehouse the family somewhere with a piano.

Also, have you tried contacting your local councillors?

Have you got a schedule of what they will be doing next week? Is it all internal scenes or might there be noisy external scenes? I'd try and find out.

I'd also pose your problem to the location manager and ask him what he proposss to solve the problem. If he doesn't have any suggestions or doesn't follow through, then disrupt their filminnutil they start taking you seriously.

You need to grab the location manager by the short and curlies and make it very clear to him that the situation is unacceptable. Make his life miserable. Find out the name of the production company and the location manager's boss. STOP BEING NICE!

Get on to your local councillor who will help you. Your councillor is your elected representative and usually has more clout with the council. The council website should have a list of their names and contact details. Don't worry about getting them involved in this; they are quite used to it! And you do have a legitimate situation to resolve.

While the film company can film until 11pm, they are not allowed to make excessive noise after 6pm or before 8am. (Same as for builders.) Get on to the council's environmental health department again, or get your councillor to do it, if the council won't take action.

Thanks for all of this everyone - I have emailed one of the local Councillors I have dealt with before as I am concerned that there appears to be no way of dealing with noise at night - and why these guys can night film for a whole week in term time. . I am waiting to hear back.

I'm going to draft an email to Rebecca Chapman now - thanks for that Lonny but I want to discuss with DH tonight before I send it.

Thanks for the info on the London Film Code - problem is that it just refers you back to the Council film unit who don't care.

Also you have to remember that the neighbour has no control

Yes, I agree with this. Keep complaining to the perso in charge on sit and the take it higher.

What do you do when he palms you off with promises and then does nothing?

Sorry to hear you're still having a nightmare

I'm afraid the location managers job is to palm people off. So you have to basically stand your ground. Say you're not budging until he sorts shit out

I would threaten legal action over damage to your property. I don't say that lightly. That is truly shocking

I would also pester the council - confirm with them in writing if possible that they only have permission to film until 11. After that it's lights out everything shut down.

Every complex shoot I've been on has overrun - especially external as there as other factors to take into consideration. You want it in writing that they are not allowed to over run.

also if you know the production company I would contact them. If it is a Production for the Bbc I would go straight to the exec - Piers Wenger
www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/tv/articles/drama

The execs hold the power. They are the people commissioning the programme.

And yes to shaming them on Twitter etc. Are any other neighbours affected as much as you? Get a gang. The more the better.

Chased yes I've seen the schedule and it is all external night shots with rain machines etc etc so it is not going to be quiet...
I only found out about this because I phoned the location manager to ask why he had put a letter through the door telling us they were filming and hadn't been to talk to us beforehand. When he came to see us I asked to see the schedule - I doubt the information would have been forthcoming if I hadn't asked.

You need a small child, preferably of the excitable variety to shout, "Mummeeeeee, mummeeee, why is it raining over that house? Mummee, mummeee, why is there no rain over ours?"

And repeat.

You need to be aware that if you make noise or disrupt the shooting it will take longer.
They may have only got permission for a certain length of time, but I suspect they'd probably have no problem increasing it.

If you send an email follow it up immediately with a phone call. Emails can be overlooked. Make yourself the noisy, squeeky wheel irritant. If your neighbour is an a*se about it and not concerned for about his neighbours why worry being reasonable?

Maybe you need to consider taking some action to stop this happening again...? Time to consider a Solicitors letter regarding the right to enjoy your home etc.

Don't rely on councillors (or council staff) reading email. Phone them.

OMG. A rain machine! That means noisy outside filming.

They can extend the filming, but at a not insignificant cost. You need to find a way to make this their problem on a short timescale.

I agree with pp
Location Managers job is to keep the thing going and be charming

Do not be palmed off, do not be nice, be a pain in the arse.

You need to be very high maintenance - cc every bugger in to everything, ask for a meeting detailing the full schedule before they begin and ask them how they are going to mitigate for disruption, noise etc and make you are inconvenienced as little as possible.

You can make it a pita for the film office too by going through the local councillors, find out the head of service at the level above the film office too.

We're only 50 miles from London, OP, but sadly have to work this week.

Otherwise, we could provide a noisy barking dog who is an escapologist and very noisy - she'd be trying to get in every shot - and an unusually noisy motorbike that might need a tune-up whilst parked in your drive.

Oh, and I've got a really loud voice too!

Is your neighbour getting paid by the film co for the use of his house? They should bloody well pay the lot of you. It's an awful inconvenience.

Nothing to add but my nosiness: are you by any chance in west London OP? We live near a very picturesque old-timey square where film crews and vehicles currently have the whole area locked up. Council is notorious.
Good luck, it is a right old pain in the arse.

Rain machine means outside, which means lights and noise. You need to get on the phone and stay on the phone to basically everyone above the Location Manager - so the production manager (will be on the letter you got), their CEO or whatever, then the BBC as above. Bit of tweeting won't go amiss either.

Disrupting filming through making noise will of course be satisfying, but won't make them quieter or the lessen the length of time they're there...

I would stand outside shouting "HUMMUS AND PITTA" over and over at the top of my lungs.

Local Councillor has now got back to me to say that they will take it up with the film team so hopefully they will get a message not to muck around any more.Will see what she comes back with but also be a bit more assertive with the location manager.

I know this isn't what this thread is about but what are they filming?