City May Seek Permit and Insurance for Many Kinds of Public Photography (NY)

[IChing]

Source: NY Times

By RAY RIVERA
Some tourists, amateur photographers, even would-be filmmakers hoping to make it big on YouTube could soon be forced to obtain a city permit and $1 million in liability insurance before taking pictures or filming on city property, including sidewalks.

New rules being considered by the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance.

The same requirements would apply to any group of five or more people who plan to use a tripod in a public location for more than 10 minutes, including the time it takes to set up the equipment.

Julianne Cho, assistant commissioner of the film office, said the rules were not intended to apply to families on vacation or amateur filmmakers or photographers.

Nevertheless, the New York Civil Liberties Union says the proposed rules, as strictly interpreted, could have that effect. The group also warns that the rules set the stage for selective and perhaps discriminatory enforcement by police.
“These rules will apply to a huge range of casual photography and filming, including tourists taking snapshots and people making short videos for YouTube,” said Christopher Dunn, the group’s associate legal director.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/nyregion/29camera.html?ei=5090&en=71135caff6fefe6a&ex=1340769600&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

[bluestateguy]

1. Bloomberg loves big government

I think people should go outside and film while smoking a cigarette and eating trans fat foods.

[AmyDeLune]

14. ...and breast-feeding! n/t

[ThomCat]

2. What possible justification could there be for needing

insurance to take photographs. x(

This is just stupid and criminal. There should be no restriction on the ability to take photographs or videos in public. The only time any permit or insurance should be required is if you're closing the area to public traffic and setting up some kind of infrastructure.

[zonkers]

7. Plenty of reasons. Irresponsible filmmakers/photographers put others at risk in many ways...

They often alter the environment to get a shot.
They disrupt and cause traffic.
They have equipment that can blow away, fall over or disrupt traffic.
They leave a mess behind.

The OP said this will not apply to tourist stuff or shoots under 30 minutes, so most normal folks will not be affected. I think making a commercial shoot get insurance is a good idea.

[KittyWampus]

8. my issue is any group over two people.

[ThomCat]

10. You know damned well that cops would use this against

anyone they want, unequally and unfairly, just because they could. Anyone with a camera would now be a fair target.

My problem with many laws is that there they can be abused more often and more easily than they serve a valid purpose. Existing laws already cover the situations you're talking about, so what does this new law offer except a new reason to harass people?
:shrug:

[zonkers]

12. Good point. And any group more than 2 is a dumb idea. But I do think

film crews often take adantage of things.

[Miss Chybil]

13. Yes and sometimes peoples hats blow off and hit other people in the eye.

It's really bad. Insurance for everybody who enters the public domain is a must. Once I saw a lady unwrapping her hot dog and a big gust of wind came by and ripped the wrapper right out of her hand. The wrapper brushed another passerby on the cheek before it landed on the ground and this guy slipped on it. It was horror, I tell you. Just horror. What was really bad, is the lady never even picked the wrapper off the ground and about 1000 other people stepped on it before the street-sweeper came by and sucked it up.

Another time, and more to the point of the subject, this young guy was taking a picture of his girlfriend. He actually moved a trash can out of the way and never put it back. There it rested, probably for, at least, a week in the wrong spot. Anyone in their right mind would have known it was really supposed to be sitting two feet to the left. I'm sure if he'd had insurance that never would have happened.

[zonkers]

17. Chybil, Chtybil, Chybil... have you ever seen the damage a film crew can do?

[Miss Chybil]

18. No. I was just being sarcastic.

It was too good to let it pass.

On edit: I don't like the vagueness of this ordinance, though. Too many things left for police interpretation.

[Irreverend IX]

19. Creeping fascism at its finest...

If you're not doing anything wrong, what do you have to hide?

[partylessinOhio]

3. Bloomberg is nuts. All that fortune he sits on has driven him batty.

Next he'll want to tax the air visitors breathe! If he wants to make New York so unfriendly then people will just stay away.

[bluestateguy]

5. Fees for driving in Manhattan, police searches at the subway stations

Gun grabbing, bans on trans fats, draconian smoking laws.

He's every bit the totalitarian that Giuliani was, though he does it with more of a happy face than his predecessor.

[KittyWampus]

9. fees for midtown is a great idea for ridding city of smog/congestion as long as they exempt

small businesses making deliveries.

Like bakeries that are out in Queens, they have to deliver their stuff morning and also afternoon.

Not fair to expect them to pony up huge sums every time.

[aquart]

11. Life-saving smoking laws.

Cute how you act like it's his idea alone.

[Vincardog]

4. IS the city going to get insurance for every one of their spy cameras?

[Rick Myers]

6. They will 'selectively enforce' this law?!?!?!?

So if you have brown skin or a DU t-shirt on, you better have insurance!!!

[noel adamson]

15. ...or filming a case of police wrong doing.at a 5 hour long...

...demonstration against this proposed ordinance.

[BrightKnight]

16. film and photography students, amatures, autours, low budget projects

A lot of documentaries would not get made. There a huge amount of low budget work that would be killed by this. Only large and well funded projects could be done in New York. Large projects are going to have insurance anyway.

If you are going to have any expensive equipment on the street you are need to have a few people around to help you keep an eye on things. Even a 16mm Bolex and some sound equipment could require more than 2 people.

Are we going to require that everyone with a skateboard or bicycle be bonded?

[Irreverend IX]

20. This law does for the First Amendment...

What firearm owner registration, assault weapon bans and other moronic gun laws do for the Second Amendment.

[Sherman A1]

21. Yet another reason to not to visit NYC on vacation

Make more rules restricting my ability to practice a hobby or to enjoy myself and I will simply go elsewhere. Fewer visitors = Fewer $$'s

But that is okay with me.