IN RE: FIGHT BACK: NYC MOFTB proposes charging a “New Project Application Fee” for Shooting Permits.

I just got off the phone with John Battista, Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Mayors Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting. He returned my call within a couple hours of leaving a message for him. In all fairness to Mr Battista, he seems like a really nice guy in a tough position handed down by his boss, Mayor Bloomberg.

Mr. Battista’s explained that as a result of Mayor Bloomberg’s across the board budget cuts, every department is looking for ways to cover or lower their own expenses without having to result in layoffs. In December, two MOFTB employees were laid off. I am all for saving jobs, but not at the expense of jobs in another industry (ours).

I asked Mr. Battista how he felt the proposed changes in the permitting process would affect still photographers and editorial shooters. He suggested that in most cases an editorial shooter would only require the “optional permit” and would not have to fill out the long form.

I suggested that a lot can be done with a small budget, for example: a motorhome rental can fit in a $5000 budget and getting parking for that vehicle would require a permit. Additionally, a shooter using battery power on-location would probably at least want to put their light on a stand, which requires a permit.

His initial response was, and I paraphrase, “Well, if you need to fill out the long form then you probably have the budget to pay the $300 fee.”

Sticking with my $5,000 budget number, $300 is 6% of the total budget. How about a shooter with a $2,500 budget on an editorial shoot, $300 is 12% of the budget. Or a $1,200 budget, $300 is 25% of the budget. You may call me crazy, but even a still shooter with day rates at $5,000 or $10,000 on commercial shoots will accept editorial work at these dismal rates.

I asked Mr. Battista why they have grouped all types of applicants in one group when it comes to this $300 application fee. Why not just the feature films or large productions where $300 is a pocket change? Or charge as a percentage of the total budget of the production (and preferably not up to 25%). Apparently, the Mayors Office did a study to see what it cost to process the first page of the application form (between the front end employees, their supervisors, etc) and they came up with a figure about double the current $300 fee. I’m not quite sure I understand how the same resources are required of the MOFTB for still productions as are required for a feature film, or how a season of a television series can be compared to a single day shoot of a still photographer.

My conversation with Mr. Battista ended with him telling me that nearly every group has come forward with complaints, including TV commercial producers, low budget filmmakers, student filmmakers and others. He says there is little he can do to continue to provide the services that the MOFTB provides if he has to lay off more employees, and this $300 application fee is the only solution they have.

I still feel like comparing a still shooter’s (or other low budget production’s) resource requirements with those of a feature film is a little bit off the wall!

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As a side note, I have been chatting over the past couple days via telephone with Eugene Mopsik, Executive Director of ASMP. He has been exploring the photography industry’s options with APA, EP and NPPA who have all expressed an interest in coming on board in finding a solution.

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DON’T FORGET TO SIGN THE PETITION:
http://www.petitiononline.com/no2moftb/petition.html

About the author

Kevin Michael Reed
Kevin Michael Reed (Google+, Facebook) is a fashion & beauty photographer and producer/director based in New York City and Los Angeles, CA. He is the President/CEO of RedFOG Visual Media, a production company in New York City, and a partner in Passion of Photography, Inc, a company dedicated to teaching photographers and sharing our passion through charitable causes. Kevin has lectured and hosted workshops throughout the United States and the world teaching photographers the business and creative sides of photography. (Kevin's Fashion & Beauty Photography Portfolio can be seen here).

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