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Lights, camera… parking permit? Deal curbs film crew chaos
PRIMROSE Hill, a magnet for film directors seeking a sugary-sweet snapshot of life in London to take back to Hollywood, has had enough.
Statistics show film crews invade the area 18 days a year on average.
To help manage the influx, the Primrose Hill Association has now struck a deal with the Town Hall’s film unit, which gives permission to shoot footage in Camden.
Film-makers will be asked to pay an administration charge and fork out for special parking permits. Donations will be made to the association. If the deal works, the Town Hall could roll it out across the borough.
Pam White, one of the association members who helped put the deal together, said film crews “cause a certain amount of excitement – or disturbance – depending on your view”. She added: “The film crews can behave like bouncers, telling you what you can and can’t do. It can be galling to be treated this way in your own street. Not all are like this, but there really are no words to describe the bad ones.
“They take up parking spaces with large lorries for their equipment, which includes wardrobes and canteens.” Stars such as Nicolas Cage, Jude Law, Robin Wright Penn, Juliette Binoche, Cate Blanchett, Gwyneth Paltrow and Judi Dench, have had films shot in Primrose Hill recently. Director Anthony Minghella, who died in March, used St Mark’s Crescent for one of his last films, Breaking and Entering.
Although the council’s guidelines do not include set fees for using streets, the association asks for a donation depending on the size of the crew. Mrs White said: “It can be anything from £500 to a few thousand, depending on the length of time they use the area. Again, some have been very forthcoming. Others say they would give a donation but then haven’t.” A council spokesman said the agreement would be reviewed in June. He added: “It was put in place to obtain a balance between the needs of film-makers, residents and businesses.” |
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