ORIGINAL 4:13 PM POST: Thanks to JBC for the first tip on this — the Seacrest parking lot will be off-limits tomorrow as will a lot of parking in the area along the east side of Harbor Avenue, 6 am-6 pm, because a film/video crew will be in action. Someone we asked at Seacrest would only say “film” but Adam says his building nearby has been notified it’s a “TV pilot.” (We saw one obvious prop – a makeshift A-board sign for a nameless “Water Taxi” with three tiers of ticket prices that bear no relation to the pricing of the real Water Taxi, which of course is out of service till spring.) We’re off to do more online research in hopes of securing details, but wanted to get word out ASAP about the parking restrictions for tomorrow. 4:41 PM UPDATE: Just got a photo of the notice (thanks again to Adam). Will retype the text here momentarily. Two things of note: Alki Crab and Fish WILL be open during the shoot (which the notice says will last about six hours), and one part of the production will include “the detonation of a charge which will simulate a car explosion.” 4:57 PM UPDATE: To read the entire text of the notice with details about what they’re doing tomorrow, including that “detonation,” and why there may be some intermittent traffic control in the area tomorrow too — plus which show is apparently involved — click ahead:
First, here’s the text of the notice that Adam photographed and sent to us:
Tick Tock Productions, a company producing a television pilot, will be filming at Seacrest Park between the hours of 7 am and 2 pm.
We will be shooting for approximately 6 hours at Seacrest Park and the Alki Crab and Fish. Scenes will be shot in multiple areas of the park including the parking lot, the pier, and picnic table area as well as inside the cafe. Please be aware that the cafe will remain open for business during the shoot but there will be times when entering and exiting the restaurant will be limited for a short time. Those wishing to patronize the restaurant should be aware that cameras will be present and that for a short time it will be a live set with filming going on. There will be someone stationed at the door to confirm when the cameras are rolling.
Please note that there will also be live action in the parking lot culminating in the detonation of a charge which will imitate ‘a car explosion.’ For safety we will restrict use of the parking lot the day before — January 10th. Barricades will be in place so that the parking lot will be clear of cars and so that ‘picture’ cars can be placed in the lot that have been stripped of all liquids, flammables and anything environmentally hazardous. We are working with professional explosive experts, a team of safety experts, and will have the support of the Seattle Police Department and the Seattle Fire Department to ensure that this is done with the utmost safety and with the least amount of impact possible. Please be assured that what we are calling an ‘explosion’ will be done with movie-magic and while it may look dangerous, will be conducted by licensed professionals, under the watchful eye of the fire department, will be under control at all times, and will be cleaned up immediately afterward.
We will not block any driveways or impede any neighbors as they come and go from their homes. However, it will be necessary for us to control the immediate park area as well as traffic for short periods of time to ensure the safety of passersby and vehicle traffic on Harbor Ave. We hope this doesn’t cause any major inconvenience to the neighborhood and we will be as contained as possible while we work. We understand that it may be an inconvenience, and greatly appreciate being able to film in your neighborhood.
We are working closely with the Mayor’s Office of Film and Music in an effort to make filming go as smooth as possible. …
From there, the note ended with an invitation to residents to contact production managers if they had questions or concerns. Looks like Adam not only has provided this info but also has figured out which production it is — MTV’s new game show “The Phone,” which would explain why the production company is Tick Tock, a subsidiary of “American Idol” production company Fremantle. Here’s a blurb about the show (co-produced by Justin Timberlake). That doesn’t mention a Seattle connection but Adam found one in an apparent crew member’s online resume (listing: “Assistant Production Manager/Production Coordinator for MTV’s “The Phone” Seattle filming”). ADDED 5:11 PM: In comments, “Noreaster” found a help-wanted notice for the production, which further verifies – here’s an excerpt:
Tick Tock Productions & Fremantle Media (Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Amazing Race) is producing a major MTV Reality competition called “The Phone” – Principal Photography taking place in Seattle Sunday January 11th through Saturday January 17th. With Wednesday the 14th off.
Also, we found a page on the MTV website mentioning a casting call in Seattle last August.
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