With the recent wrap-up of Tyler Perry Studios filming on Berry’s campus, the treatment of students during filming has come to light. From issues with parking to inconsiderate crew members, Berry students, especially those living and taking classes in the Ford Complex, felt as though filming was taking priority over their comfort in their own living spaces. Even if the crew was not working directly in the residence halls themselves, they interfered with the daily lives of students. Having film studios come to campus for filming purposes may be good for Berry as a whole; however, it should not take priority over students – something film crews should work to be more considerate of.
Parking was perhaps one of the biggest issues anyone living in or driving up to the Ford complex had to deal with. Students originally had to deal with a lack of parking spaces due to some areas of the parking lot being blocked off for the film crew, which while annoying, was manageable. The issue became far worse, however, when film crew members’ vehicles were parked in student spaces, oftentimes taking up more than one spot. Students were already having a tough time finding parking spaces within the restricted space, so having film equipment take up some of those spaces did nothing but exacerbate the issue.
Crew members were also repeatedly rude to students walking around the Ford Complex. Students who were unaware of when scenes were being shot were abruptly told to be quiet upon walking out of their residence halls. Some crew members were also rude to students trying to find parking spaces in the area allotted for students. The lights used to film at night also became an issue for students living at Ford, as the light shined through the windows of dorm rooms until filming for the day wrapped up late into the night.
Having a major film studio such as Tyler Perry Studios on campus is an exciting prospect for Berry; however, it should not take priority over the livelihood of students. Students pay a lot of money to live on campus, and part of what they expect is to feel comfortable within their own living space. They should not be forced to give up this comfort for an extended period of time so that a movie can be filmed.
Furthermore, film crews need to be more considerate of students, most especially when they know they are filming near residence halls. Students have every right to exist in their living spaces, and film crews should recognize that their jobs do not take priority over the comfort of students within their own dorms. If they expect students to be quiet in a certain area at specific times, communication is essential. An email about when to expect filming to be taking place in certain areas would be very helpful for students so they know when they need to be quieter in those places. This would make the process easier for both students and crew.
Imagine that a major film project takes place next to your house. While the filming is not taking place on your property, you quickly find that its proximity ensures that it still affects quite a bit of your homelife. The film crew gets upset any time you make too much noise on your property even when they do not explicitly tell you what times they are filming scenes during, park their vehicles and equipment all along the road and even in your driveway, and keep you up late into the night as they work on filming. You would rightfully be upset about the situation. You did not agree to the project going on next door. Should the crew not be considerate of that?
It is impossible for a major film project such as “Six Triple Eight” to not interfere with student life in any way. For future projects such as this, however, students, who pay to attended and live at Berry should take the priority. If students are expected to pay as much money as they do to live on campus, they should also be able to expect that their lives are not completely interrupted by whatever may be going on near their dorms. They deserve to be treated with respect by the film crew and to feel comfortable in their own living spaces. With this in mind, a future filming process on Berry’s campus could go over much smoother with people happy on both sides.
