Red Hook Residents Complain Hollywood Film Shoot Has Taken Over Neighborhood
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Red Hook, Brooklyn will play a starring role in an upcoming movie featuring some of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
But residents said that is little comfort due to the fact that their neighborhood is overrun with trucks, trailers and film equipment.
Hollywood producers selected the neighborhood to shoot scenes for the movie "Winter's Tale" starring Russell Crowe, Will Smith, Jennifer Connolly and Colin Farrell.
Locals said the shoot has been going on for three weeks and they are already wondering when filming will wrap.
"Basically, there's very little parking, cones everywhere," Red Hook resident Francis Kerrigan told CBS 2's John Slattery on Tuesday.
Kerrigan, who has lived in Red Hook for eight years, said the cones reserve spots for various film vehicles.
"Basically, any of these entertainment services trucks, generator trucks, lighting rigs," he said.
City officials said film and television productions bring in about $7 billion per year, but some residents said that comes at a cost of inconvenience.
"Well, you can't park. You can barely walk down the block. It's like they're taking over the block," neighbor Shy Ben Judah told Slattery.
Unlike most locations that have permits posted for film vehicles, none have been posted in the neighborhood.
Kerrigan said he doesn't know who to call to complain about the extended shoot.
"I'd like it if there was ways that people could get in touch with the location people, see if they really need as much space as they tend to block out for these things," Kerrigan said.
Spokeswoman Marybeth Ihle with the city's Office of Media and Entertainment said in a statement: "The production was only able to be in the vicinity of Red Hook because it utilized two private parking lots for the majority of their vehicles....Only a minimal amount of essential production vehicles have been parked on the street."
A spokesperson for the movie said shooting will continue until the first week of February at various locations in New York.
A statement released Tuesday evening to CBS 2 from Warner Brothers said the company makes every effort to limit the inconvenience to local residents during the course of shooting.
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