The D.C. Council is urging the federal government to open the U.S. Capitol grounds to commercial filmmakers, arguing that movie and television crews are a boon to the local economy.
The council unanimously approved a resolution earlier this month to that effect, citing the Capitol grounds as “an attractive venue for commercial filmmaking.” And, “allowing commercial filmmakers to film on the Capitol Grounds will increase the likelihood that movies with a plot set in the District of Columbia will film a large portion of the scenes in the District,” according to the resolution.
“Encouraging more productions to film in the District of Columbia will infuse new revenue into the local economy, and will create new jobs for D.C. residents,” theresolution states.
Film or photography equipment is permitted on the Capitol grounds provided the product is for private or noncommercial use. Noncommercial documentary or historical filming is considered on a case-by-case basis, and even the use of tripods requires special permission.
The rules are set by Congress, said Eva Malecki, spokeswoman for the Architect of the Capitol. Anybody requesting filming privileges must get permission from the Speaker of the House, the Senate Rules Committee and the U.S. Capitol Police.
The council resolution goes hand in hand with another initiative to prevent big-budget production crews from bailing on the District after getting their obligatory shots of the monuments and the White House. Emergency legislation that was approved unanimously earlier this month established a $1.6 million incentive fund, which would be doled out to nationally distributed projects that spend at least $500,000 in the city over a period of five or more days.
