Film crews will descend on Fitzrovia during the Early May Bank Holiday week to shoot scenes for two productions for the streaming company Netflix, says Camden Film Office who promise to keep any nuisance to residents to a minimum.
Our Man From Jersey, a new Netflix action film, will be filmed inside and outside of the Bay Leaf Café on Tottenham Street.
Around 100 film crew will be in place and part of Tottenham Street and Whitfield Street will be closed at times during preparation and filming on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 April and between Tuesday 3 and Friday 6 May.
Numerous parking bays will be suspended in and around Tottenham Street.
The film crew have requested suspensions on Charlotte Street, Whitfield Street, Chitty Street, Scala Street, and Fitzroy Street to accommodate film vehicles and to keep the shooting scenes clear, says Camden Film Office.
However, notices for parking suspensions went up before residents were informed of the filming.
“I believe some of the suspension signs for this shoot have gone up already and we apologise again that these were in place before we could notify you of all the productions plans,” says Francesca Carr of Camden Film Office in an email to Fitzrovia News and residents groups.
It is not unusual for the Film Office and film crews to be slow in contacting residents about filming.
What is supposed to happen is that the production companies engage with residents, send out letters and put up notices well in advance about any filming and street closures. This is laid down by Camden’s Film Office as a condition of filming. Yet it often fails to work in practice.
The Film Office says the production team is in contact with local businesses which may be affected by the shoot and a belated letter drop is being carried out in the area to inform local residents. They say there should not be any disturbance.
“Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times and the production will have marshals on hand to advise throughout the shoot,” says Carr.
There will also be filming taking place in Fitzroy Square during the week. Some of this is also for Our Man From Jersey and some is for another Netflix production, a serial called Damage.
For the Fitzroy Square filming, parking bays in Warren Street, Conway Street, Grafton Way, Cleveland Street, Fitzroy Street and Charlotte Street will be commandeered. Notices have been put through residents doors in the last few days giving details of the filming and where vehicles will be parked.
“The majority of suspensions are for clearance of shot whilst they are filming on 5 and 6 May but some are for technical support trucks and vans containing our filming equipment,” says Carr.
Access to properties will be maintained at all times as well as emergency access.
“Local support is hugely important to us and we aim to work with the production to make sure as little disturbance is caused as possible. If you have any concerns or further questions about the plans outlined here please do not hesitate to contact us,” says Carr.
A common complaint from residents is that the film crews treat the streets and local people with little respect. Crews dump noisy and polluting generators outside people’s homes and drivers of technical and welfare support vehicles frequently idle their engines for prolonged periods — and Camden’s Film Office let them get away with it.
Fitzrovia News has contacted Camden Film Office to ask them what the crews will be using for electricity during the preparation and filming; and to ask if film crew vehicle drivers will show some respect for the planet and local residents by not idling engines when stationary.
Update: 28 April 2022. Camden Film Office responded to our questions to say:
“The production will be using generators for this shoot. We try to encourage the use of generators that are as eco-friendly as possible and have reduced fumes and noise. We are currently working with the production to make sure the generators that are used are in the best possible locations for the area.
“I absolutely understand the residents’ concerns about idling vehicles. This is a highways offence and we take reports of it very seriously. We communicate to all productions that this is not allowed under any circumstances and if any residents see this happening they should report it to us,” said Francesca Carr.
Correction: 28 April 2022. Some of the information that Camden Film Office gave us was incorrect as it omitted details of preparation work in Tottenham Street on Thursday 29 and Friday 29 April. This has now been corrected in the story above.
More details: Filming notification email sent out to residents groups (pdf).
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