It's one-thirty in the morning and Harvard Avenue is empty of vehicles. Residents stand huddled on the sidewalk. "Are they coming back?" they murmur plaintively, asking anybody or perhaps nobody. "Temporary No Parking" signs are still posted which, along with a bit or confusion and resentment on the part of the residents, is all that remains as evidence that a Film Crew has been in possession of the street for the last 30 hours.

On the other side of Hollywood Boulevard, Kingsley Avenue is a beehive of activity. The entire east side of the quarter-mile long quiet residential street was permitted by FilmLAInc to be used by the Production Company as the location “parking lot.” Crew members are busy securing the 14 trucks, 3 shuttle vans, 6 motorhomes, generator, catering truck, tents, catering equipment and picture cars that are "staged" on the street and permitted for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. All this on a holiday weekend!

Needless to say, the residents want to know who allowed this to happen. "Why would they do this?" they ask of each other in a weary tone.

Initially they complain to the security guards who turned up on Wednesday evening with "Temporary No Parking" signs serving as evidence that they were empowered to secure the street for the use of the Film Crew.

They then call FilmLAInc and talk to Amy who is proud to point out that two months ago FilmLAInc invested in a laptop so she can now search the permit database without having to shuffle through all the paper! Amy finally finds the name of the Production Company but is unable to email the permit, print the permit, fax the permit or even access any limitations or specifics of the permit, asking instead, that the residents wait until "Greg" gets to work in the morning. "He will know what's going on!"

Amy graciously provides the phone number for the Location Manager, a high strung and easily agitated Bob Craft, who pleads on the phone, "I've got to get some sleep, I'll talk to you tomorrow!" Bob is of little help, which is mildly irritating but soon forgotten as the film's Producer, Paul Hellerman, shows up on Kingsley and introduces himself to the neighbors.

Hellerman listens as Nellie Kandralyan complains that she has a holiday party planned for the weekend and now there is no room for her guests. Humberto Torres complains that nobody in his building heard anything and now it's the middle of the night and they’re still out trying to make arrangements for parking.

Paul is amiable, agreeable and listens well. He also bears bad news. Not only is a Film Crew coming to the neighborhood but they are arriving any minute! FilmLAInc has not only given the away a quarter-mile of quiet residential street to use as "storage" but they've given the crew the right to drop all the trucks in the middle of the night!

Appeals to the Police Department result in two patrol officers and a supervisor, Sgt. Ehrlich, showing up. They consult with Hellerman, the residents, talk to Amy of FilmLAInc, read the several pages of permit and determine that they can't confirm if the requirements of the permit have been met (notification, signature survey, posting) until FilmLAInc opens for business in the morning when they will ask for the documentation that supports the permit. Sgt. Ehrlich indicates that he will prepare a report for the next shift supervisor so that the LAPD can follow through on this permit.

The saga continues and in many ways it is a unique story but in many ways it's another day in paradise, residents and film crews at odds with each other over the circumstances of a location film shoot yet in agreement with each other that FilmLAInc has yet again failed the community, the industry and ultimately the City of Los Angeles with a poorly executed film permit.

In this case, Geoffrey Smith, FilmLAInc’s Director of Community Relations, acknowledges (halfway through the first day of shooting) that FilmLAInc failed to notify the community of the impending arrival of the film crew, a requirement of the permit process. Strike One!

Further examination of the film permit indicates that the specifications for some of the lane closure was permitted the day the crew took possession of the street, which would prevent the DOT from posting the street in advance of the event, again a requirement of the permitting process. Strike Two!

An appeal to Officer "Scotty" DeGator, the lead officer for the four person team of retired LAPD officers who provide traffic control support for the Film Crew yields the instruction to "Go talk to FilmLAInc, they have enforcement authority." This instruction is contradicted by Sgt. Lisa Turvey, the LAPD officer who is in charge of special events who points out that FilmLAInc has no enforcement authority and, in fact, doesn't issue permits but only processes them for the Police Department which holds the ultimate enforcement authority.

Requests for access to the critical "signature survey" document, which nobody has seen, are rejected by Geoffrey Smith of FilmLAInc because “it is an internal document.” Sgt. Turvey intervenes and requests the document but the day ends with no survey. Everybody waits...

Granted, this a far cry from the days when FilmLAInc was known as the Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC) and was run by President Cody Cluff and VP Darryl Seif, both of whom left office in handcuffs as the District Attorney raided the offices and charged Cluff with embezzlement and Seif with forgery.

These days FilmLAInc is only charged with incompetence, gross incompetence.

Production companies not only complain of FilmLAInc’s performance, they demonstrate with their money their disdain by hiring one of several production service companies to handle the film permitting process with FilmLAInc, paying twice in order to avoid having to deal with FilmLAInc! Based on results, often harsh but always fair...

Residents complain regularly, sometimes wearily and sometimes with anger and volume, but the complaints are regular and consistent. Sloppy permits, inconsistent notification, overshot locations, lack of enforcement and contempt for the public are all charges that are leveled at FilmLAInc and that demonstrate the vacuum of leadership oversight that exists in the film permitting process.

The City Council even gets in on the complaining, twice having initiated reviews of the system and asking the public for feedback on the impact filming has on the community.

The collective dissatisfaction with the status quo is so significant that the City of Los Angeles is preparing to consider other entities as its partner in film permitting, notification services and complaint processing. It is in preparation for this "Request for Proposals" that the City Administrative Officer is asking the public for feedback.

It has been suggested, with only a touch of sarcasm, that perhaps the City of Santa Clarita should bid on the contract. After all, they've got the experience and they have great relationships with LA's Production Companies and crew members. They demonstrate this on a regular basis by scoring more and more productions, all at the expense of Los Angeles. Based on results, often harsh but always fair...

The City of Los Angeles needs to hear your stories, your suggestions, your feedback. Friday, August 31, 2007 is the last day. That's today!

Email Michelle Davis with the Subject titles "Request for Information: Film Permit Services Proposal" to cao.film-rfi@lacity.org and go on record. Your feedback is essential if we are going to work together to invigorate the industry, protect our communities and create a win-win environment in Los Angeles.

Please provide your name, address, telephone number(s), email address and any other pertinent contact information.

What are the major areas in need of improvement as it relates to the film permitting process within the City of Los Angeles?

What would you suggest as effective measures to coordinate film permitting within the City of Los Angeles?

Do you expect the City incur any costs with respect to filming and film permitting? If so, what costs?

What costs would you expect the film industry incur?

Do you believe one organization should be awarded a single contract for both permit coordination and notification services or would it be more advantageous to offer two separate contracts?

What are your expectations for this Request for Information?

Please identify and provide comment on any other issues relating to film permitting within the City of Los Angeles that have not been addressed as part of this Request for Information."