Take a careful look at the photo at right. Do any of these friendly faces look familiar to you? If they do, then you probably live, work or go to school in one of the many local neighborhoods used for on-location filming. The faces belong to our FilmL.A. Monitors, and they are our eyes and ears out on-location while filming is in progress.
FilmL.A. Monitors are assigned to on-location film productions to complement Location Managers by serving as “ambassadors” and a point of contact for residents and business owners who may have concerns or questions about the filming process.
Arriving up to an hour before the permitted start time and working in four-hour minimum shifts, Monitors help production companies stay in compliance with their permits. They also assist neighbors at the location with parking, noise and clean-up related concerns.
Though Monitors serve as representatives of FilmL.A. while out on-location, their role stops short of enforcing film permit terms. Within the City of Los Angeles, the role of permit enforcement — the ability to shut down production or sanction production companies for permit violations — belongs to the Los Angeles Police Department as the permit issuing authority.
Nonetheless, community members say our Monitors get results.
Arts District Community Filming Liaison Jonathan Jerald recently wrote that his community’s “great experience with [a] FilmL.A. Monitor underscores the importance of having someone from an independent perspective who understands the importance of respecting the needs of production companies and balancing those against the concerns of residents and small businesses.”
“This is exactly how the system should work,” Jerald added.