NYC Mayor's Office Thanks RIOC For Assistance During Filming Of Unforgettable On Roosevelt Island - Some Rivercross Residents Tortured By Production's Late Night Intense Beams of Light Shining Into Their Apartments
Accordng to this flyer taped to the Roosevelt Island Tram Station, there will be a film shoot today using one Tram Cabin from 1:30 -2:30 PM which will not interfere with Tram service.
Film production is big business for New York City and Roosevelt Island has had two production crews working here recently - the new CBS Program Unforgettable
and the USA Network Show White Collar.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Vice President of Operations Fernando Martinez shares this letter her received from NYC Mayor's Office.
Hi Fernando,Mr. Martinez explained the benefits to New York City of films being made here despite problems it caused for some residents in this previous post. An excerpt:
I hope all is well. I just wanted to send you a “Thank You” on behalf of the NYC Film Office for all the assistance you & your team provided to the TV show Unforgettable. It is my understanding there were no stages available for the Sony/CBS show and they needed to film the first three episodes @ Roosevelt Island. Donna Masly and Michael Smith from your team as well as Keith Guerra from Public Safety were extremely accommodating by switching out the summer camp location so that the show could film as scheduled in NYC. The economic impact from each show is very important and creates jobs for individuals during tough economic times. Please pass along a sincere “Thank you” to all of your staff who was instrumental in facilitating the three days of work.Best to all,JohnJohn BattistaDeputy CommissionerOffice of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
... Currently, NYC is experiencing a boom in film production, fueled largely by a New York State tax incentive program. In fact, New York City is so busy with film productions that many shows are experiencing difficulty in booking into a qualified stage facility or sound studio. The "Unforgettable" experienced this difficulty first hand, and consequently, the pilot was in jeopardy of being pulled back to Los Angeles. By filming the series on Roosevelt Island, it enabled the show to stay here in NYC and thereby preserving its economic impact. Specifically, the production of the "Unforgettable", means that over the course of 12 episodes - 200 jobs will be saved and that $40 million dollars will be pumped into the New York City economy.Raye Schwartz, one of the Rivercross residents who had problems with the intense light beams being used by the Unforgettable production crew shining into her apartment late at night from across the street responds to Mr. Martinez:
Finally, the production company is aware that its presence may be intrusive to some residents, and is willing to work cooperatively with residents to minimize any inconvenience....
Image From Raye Schwartz
No…I don’t want black cloth covering my windows for two months.
No…I don’t want cloth that’s been in a pile on a dusty truck hanging in my home in the height of allergy season.No…I don’t want black cloth in my home which may have hung somewhere else with bedbugs.No…I don’t appreciate lies from RIOC…you said it would be done August 18th, and almost at the end (August 16th) you changed your tune and got around to letting us know it’s at least July and August!It’s not just a matter of lights in the bedroom: it’s in EVERY room of my home including my living room, kitchen and dining room! See the enclosed photos of tonight’s lights.
Image From Raye Schwartz
If CBS can afford a production company which paid RIOC $88,000 for permits for 2 months, they can surely afford a few hundred dollars to put some shields or covers on those torture lights so they don’t cause ongoing intrusions and suffering for residents. And no, Fernando, their so-called solution is not an indication that they are going to work cooperatively with us.By the way, their so-called indemnification only covers RIOC: I called several of the insurance companies on the NY City film board list, so even if I let one of the film crew in to hang cloth on my windows, they could fall off a stool or ladder (the tops of the plate glass windows are 7 ½ ft above the floor) and break their neck and then sue me! The indemnification is only for the entity that grants the permits (RIOC), not for nearby residents who are inconvenienced! That means if they break or damage my furniture I’m S.O.L. and if they get hurt hanging or removing that stuff and sue me, I have to in turn sue you and by the time it gets to court there’ll be 2 more governors and RIOC regimes!Although the shoot actually began on Thursday, July 30th, we received no notification until August 10th in this advisory, and that’s only because a number of us called or screamed, or we still would not have received any notice:...
... While it’s wonderful that our film industry is flourishing in New York, it’s not wonderful that the folks at RIOC are either so star struck or inept that they are neglecting the welfare of our residents. Just as a reminder, RIOC officers have a fiduciary responsibility, which is not only financial, but as officers of the corporation they must protect our interests. This fiasco is an absolute breach of that fiduciary responsibility!fiduciary, in law, a person who occupies a position of such power and confidence with regard to the property of another that the law requires him to act solely in the interest of the person whom he represents. Examples of fiduciaries are agents, executors and administrators, trustees, guardians, and officers of corporations. They may be contrasted with persons in an ordinary business relationship, in which each party is free to seek purely personal benefits from his transactions with the other.I, too, look forward to more filming and photography, on Roosevelt Island, but not when it’s mishandled the way this was, because in all the 30 years I’ve lived here, I’ve never experienced any film or photo shoot so poorly managed!
Raye Schwartz
Image From Raye Schwartz
13 comments :
Anybody else besides Ms Schwartz who had a problems with the production? For some reason it seems she is only known to be complaining about things. Be it in the WIRE or on this blog. What's with the hyperbole anyway? It says a lot about her.
I live in Manhattan Park and ever since the pool behind my building was vandalized a year ago management installed flood lights that shine all night through. The soccer field next "door" has teams playing all the way through 11pm and the flood lights there are usually turned off a lot later than that. Should I follow Ms Schwartz in her footsteps and complain constantly about this? Or should I act like an adult and adjust to reality? Hmmm...
For Christ sake, why do you entertain this Schwartz character?
If this is your best take on reporting, or sourcing of information, you have gone mad.
This is nothing but idiocracy upon her part. A dilussional old hag with a lot of energy for bickering.
DEAR ADMINISTRATOR, PLEASE STOP ENTERTAINING THIS WOMAN.
Again, if this is your best source of information, please shut the blog down to save yourself from further embarrassment.
No wonder why public safety basically told her to piss off, they must know her the best. She seems like the fly on a wall that doesn't leave even if you leave the door open.
Why is it that every single annoying resident that lives here always says 30 years. As if seniority on a piece of rock matters. I am willing to bet soup to nuts that Ms.Schwartz was the annoying lady giving the psd officer grief for being told not to enter south point park.
If it wasn't for her male companion she should have got locked up. I was there, I was on the bicycle looking at the damage throughout the island. Funny coincidence, that same lady was argumentative in saying "I have lived here for 30 years" as well.
Funny it matches the above: "I, too, look forward to more filming and photography, on Roosevelt Island, but not when it’s mishandled the way this was, because in all the 30 years I’ve lived here, I’ve never experienced any film or photo shoot so poorly managed!"
Ok lady, you were told to leave the area and you put up an argument against the officer. Seniority doesn't make you immune to laws and rules made for us all to follow. Why was it that when the officer advised me not to enter, or be in the area, I listened?
@Too much complaining: Yes, other residents complained to Public Safety and also to Donna Masly at Sportspark who handles the movie permit process.
The fact that they did not share their complaints in this public forum does not mean no one else complained.
You have me confused with someone else. I was not ever at Southpoint park! You lost your bet...pay up!
Mr. Katz and RIRA need to give out some of the $2,500.00 they collected last month in the name of the residents here to us that really were right in the thick of things and bothered and kept awake by noise, kept out of our elevators etc...He was on safari while we were putting up with the hassle. I hear some residents have gotten checks. I want to see a list of all residents that have gotten checks and when and how much .
Mr. Kramer of Hudson/Related needs to meet with the public here! Matt Katz and RIRA do NOT respresent all the island residents. RIOC does not respresent the residents here. Their days of being the "Pied Piper" are over. Their little tree house, or club meetings are a farce and nobody cares what RIRA or RIOC has to say because they are so tilted and only care about their agendas and desires.
RIOC collects ground rents from residential buildings’ landlords; this funds its $20 million budget for maintaining the island, which the state is leasing from the city for 99 years. RIOC should be collecting a fee to be paid to residents during all the photo shoots, tv or movie shoots..Not Matt Katz. A list then shown at meetings who received a check for their hassles and frustration. White Collar was filming in my building and in my hall way and kept me and my pets up and nervous. Where is my check Matt?
" I called several of the insurance companies on the NY City film board list, [...]"
I mean, really? Really?
Does John Bastistta know that Matt Katz and his wife of RIRA go around asking for money from film and movie crews here?
Does John Battista and the Mayor's office know that Matt Katz and his wife go around with their hands out asking for money when filming goes on here, with RIOC's approval? They justify it by saying it goes to RIRA for the people of the island. A list should be provided of all monies taken and how it is used and distributed. I personally think that is conflict of interest on their part and hounding these crews is in bad taste as well as misreprensentation of the people of this island.
RIOC should be collecting a fee to be paid to all residents during all the photo shoots, tv or movie shoots..Not Matt Katz and his wife. A list then shown at meetings who received a check for their hassles and frustration.
some of the 88,000.00 film fee permit money should be given out to the island residents as well.
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