By Mary O’KEEFE

The film industry, like all other businesses, has been negatively affected by COVID-19. There was a complete shutdown initially; however, filming has returned to the state with several restrictions and guidelines in place.
FilmLA is a non-profit organization and the official film office of the City and County of Los Angeles. Normally it is the service that is a centralized coordinator of on-location filming permits. It has been the go-to for all questions, concerns and guidelines for those in the industry and neighbors/businesses where filming is being permitted. Since the start of the pandemic though it has taken on a new liaison role. It is still the go-to for many answers, including what is and what is not allowed during this time of pandemic.

Its website has the latest information from LA County Public Health and offers guidance for filmmakers. It has suggestions on what filmmakers can do to continue to work in accordance to the restrictions placed by Public Health. It also has suggested, or “urged,” filmmakers to voluntarily limit activities likely to “invite negative community response.”

“Examples of high-impact activities include, but are not limited to, any activity requiring Community Filming Surveys, activity that affects customer access to retail businesses, significant prep, strike or filming on secular and religious holidays and requests that involve extended street parking, overnight filming, street closures or aircraft use,” FilmLA states.

The organization can strongly suggest but not require production companies to follow its suggestions and, as most have learned during COVID-19, even though people may think they have thought of everything surrounding filming, there are some issues that are not known until something happens.

Recently, a family had tested positive for COVID-19 and, in accordance with Public Health requirements, isolated while they went through the symptoms and waited until their temperatures were down to normal for over 24 hours. They stayed in their Los Angeles apartment following those rules while a film company had hung “No Parking” signs along the street where their vehicle was parked. When they were able to leave their home, after isolation, they found their vehicle had been towed. Thus started a journey that continues today.

The vehicle is being held at the towing company, hired by the City of LA, and will not be released until the family pays over $450 plus a $75 fine.

CVW has contacted the City and County of LA and FilmLA, all of which have been helpful, but no one seems to be able to find out how this charge, which continues to increase, can be waived.

Since this is one of those “negative” impacts on a community that is already coping with a pandemic, CVW is reaching out to see if anyone else has experienced this issue or something similar.

We will continue to follow up on this issue. Anyone who has a similar concern is asked to contact mary@cvweekly.com.