Yes, please sign this folks! Even if you only have a passing interest in the U.S. Constitution and/or freedom. Without the ability to shoot video in public, NYC videobloggers will be reduced to strictly webcam and (indoor) cat videos!
http://www.pictureny.org/petition/index.php On 7/27/07, mcmpress <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Many of you have probably heard about this already but for those who > haven't, please sign the petition (link below)or write to the Mayor's > Office for Film and TV (address below) and forward it to any others who > care about this important matter. > > PLEASE NOTE: > > > All of a sudden we, as photographers, filmmakers, students and > teachers, are facing serious restrictions by The Mayor's office about > NYC street photography. > > Please sign the petition. We don't have much time with an august 3rd > deadline. > > > Here is the URL with the petition to sign: just > click on this: > > http://www.pictureny.org/petition/index.php > <http://www.pictureny.org/petition/index.php> > > > Introduced quietly just before Memorial Day weekend, > the regulations could severely impede the ability of even casual > photographers and filmmakers to operate in New York City. A group of two > or more people who want to use a > camera in a single public location for more than a > half hour (including setup and breakdown time) could be required to get > a city permit and $1 million in liability insurance. According to the NY > Civil Liberties Union, > > "these regulations violate the First Amendment right > to photograph in public places, and open the door to selective and > discriminatory enforcement." > > SAVE THE DATE: > Friday, July 27th, 6:30 pm > Rally for the 1st Amendment - Union Square > > Hope to see you there. > > > Jem Cohen, Astra Taylor, Laura Hanna, Beka > Economopoulos, Brandon Jourdan, and Julie Talen > > > > FOR MORE INFORMATION: > > > > Original NYTimes article: > http://tinyurl.com/2scoog <http://tinyurl.com/2scoog> > > <http://tinyurl.com/2scoog <http://tinyurl.com/2scoog> > > > > > PDF of the proposed changes: > > > http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/downloads/pdf/moftb_permit_regs.pdf > <http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/downloads/pdf/moftb_permit_regs.pdf> > > > <http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/downloads/pdf/moftb_permit_regs.pdf > <http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/downloads/pdf/moftb_permit_regs.pdf> > > > > > NYCLU Response: > > http://www.nyclu.org/nyc_photo_permits_pr_062807.html > <http://www.nyclu.org/nyc_photo_permits_pr_062807.html> > > > < http://www.nyclu.org/nyc_photo_permits_pr_062807.html > <http://www.nyclu.org/nyc_photo_permits_pr_062807.html> > > > > > Excerpted from an email by artist and filmmaker Jem > Cohen: > > > > The Mayor's Office of Film deals primarily with big > film shoots (ie. > > commercials, features, t.v.) where permits and > insurance are, > > understandably, a given. However, many photographers > and filmmakers carry on > > an equally vital tradition in which spontaneous > documentation of the urban > > environment is at the very heart of our work. Being > a street photographer > > often means standing in a random location and > waiting: for the right > > activity, the right light, the break in the traffic; > the countless other > > unpredictable factors that need to fall into place > to make a shot > > worthwhile... > > > > Permits would have to be obtained for specific dates > and times and exact > > locations, and the insurance would be out of reach > for many individuals. The > > fact is that we simply CANNOT predict where, when, > and how long we are going > > to film or photograph; we CANNOT afford expensive > liability insurance > > policies; we occasionally NEED to work with other > people or to use tripods > > to support our gear. (The regulations would, for > example, effectively rule > > out a great deal of time-lapse photography which > depends on tripods and > > cannot possibly be done with time limitations of 10 > to 30 minutes, as well > > as the use of large format still cameras and long > lenses). > > > > Especially in the current climate, official > clarification of photographer's > > rights could be a positive thing. (Many of us have > been shut down by police > > or other authorities who do not seem to understand > that we DO have rights to > > film and photograph in public places). That said, if > these regulations go > > through, it would invite if not require police to > harass or shut down both > > professional artists and amateurs. > > > > Unfortunately, I believe that we must see the > proposed regulations not only > > as a blow against New York as a city that welcomes > and inspires art-making > > (and historical documentation), but as part of a > continuum of broader > > attacks against civil liberties and free expression. > > > > Please contact the following person immediately and > express your concerns. > > > > Julianne Cho > > > > Associate Commissioner > > > > Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting > > > > 1697 Broadway > > > > New York, NY 10019 > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <http://us.f307.mail.yahoo.com/ym/[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > ph: 212.489.6710 > > > > fax: 212.307.6237 > > > Professor Andrea Weiss > Film/Video Program > Dept. of Media and Communication Arts > Shepard Hall 471 > City College, City University of New York > Tel: 212 650 5048 > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > -- Adam Quirk Wreck & Salvage 551.208.4644 Brooklyn, NY http://wreckandsalvage.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
