August 6, 2007: Lisa Guido
from pictureny.org joins us on this special edition as we
talk about the New York City Mayor's office (of film,
theatre and broadcasting) new proposal that severely limits
the rights of citizens to videotape or film in public. Could
these rules trickle down to other states?
The Mayor’s Office
of Film deals primarily with big film shoots where permits
and insurance are, understandably, a given. However, many
photographers, filmmakers and videographers 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 videographer 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.
