Ironic Surrealism II

Marines Denied Permission To Film Commercial

SAN FRANCISCO, Sep. 24, 2007 (KGO) - New York said “yes,” but we said “no.” Why were the U.S. Marines denied permission to film a recruiting commercial on the streets of San Francisco?

San Francisco is, once again, the center of a controversy over how city leaders treat the U.S. military. This time, it involves an elite group of Marines who wanted to film a recruitment commercial in San Francisco on the anniversary of 9/11.

The tension has been building in the two weeks since the city turned away members of the Silent Drill Platoon, and it boiled over Monday afternoon at a meeting of the San Francisco Film Commission.

The U.S. Marine Silent Drill Platoon performed Monday morning in New York’s Times Square. They filmed part of a recruitment commercial through the start of the morning rush hour — something they could not do in San Francisco on the anniversary of 9/11.

“It’s insulting, it’s demeaning. This woman is going to insult these young heroes by just arbitrarily saying, ‘no, you’re not going to film any Marines on California Street,” said Captain Greg Corrales of the SFPD Traffic Bureau.

Captain Greg Corrales commands the police traffic bureau that works with crews shooting commercials, TV shows and movies in the city. He’s also a Marine veteran and his son is serving his third tour of duty in Iraq.

He says Film Commission Executive Director Stefanie Coyote would only allow the Marine’s production crew to film on California Street if there were no Marines in the picture. They wound up filming the empty street and will have to superimpose the Marines later.

“Ms. Coyote’s politics blinded her to her duty as the director of the Film Commission and as a responsible citizen,” said Captain Corrales.

We asked Stefanie Coyote why they’re not allowing the Marines to shoot on California Street. She wouldn’t answer our questions.

At today’s Film Commission meeting, she said she wouldn’t let the Marines film because of rush hour.

“Traffic control was the issue,” explained Stefanie Coyote.

However, the Marines would have just shut down one lane of California Street for a few minutes at a time, and Captain Corrales points out the Film Commission often approves shoots for rush hour.

“If they want to get the job done, they find a way to get it done,” said Captain Corrales.

The city’s treatment of the Marines is making many people angry, from local conservatives like Christine Hughes with the San Francisco Republican Party who told us, “it’s an embarrassment. I’m a fourth generation San Franciscan and I don’t even recognize my city right now.”

To current and former Marines like Vince Rios, a Vietnam veteran.

“I’d like to say, ‘does your mother know you’re doing this? And if so, is she proud of you for that?’” said Vince Rios.

“The city of San Francisco made a statement saying, ‘we don’t like the war’ by shutting down the troops. I don’t think that was the right thing to do,” explained Eric Snyder, a U.S. Marine.

“I wish to hell she would leave her politics at home and take care of the city business and the bridge business on an even keel basis,” said Mike Paige, a Korea veteran.

The Marines also applied for permits to shoot on the Golden Gate Bridge that same morning, but were turned down because of similar traffic concerns.

The end result — the crew didn’t film the Marines in San Francisco at all. They had to go to the National Park Service for permission to shoot in Marin overlooking the bridge and at Kirby Cove.

“Golden Gate National Recreation Area is steeped in military tradition and we’re honored to be a part of their continued military traditions so we’re glad that we could accommodate the shoot,” said Amy Brees with the National Park Service.

Captain Corrales and several other Marine veterans came to the Film Commission Monday afternoon. They see this as just the latest insult along with the city blocking the USS Iowa from docking here, banning the junior ROTC from high schools, and trying to ban the yearly Blue Angels air show.

“This — a slap in the face of every veteran and every parent of men and women who are doing their duty — is shameful,” said Captain Corrales.

The Marines we spoke with also make the point that the city allows street demonstrations, anti-war protests and other events which snarl traffic, such as Critical Mass. They still don’t understand why the Marines got turned away.

ABC7 Video Extra
Watch raw video of the Silent Drill Platoon from Times Square Monday morning below.

Feel like giving the Coyote a piece of your mind? Well here ya go. Have at it.

San Francisco Film Commission

Stephanie Coyote - Executive Director

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 473

San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 554-6241, FAX: (415) 554-6503
stefanie.coyote@sfgov.org

Stephanie Coyote is actor Peter Coyote’s wife.

@ Hot Air FYI, Stefanie Coyote is married to actor Peter Coyote. Ahem.

I dug up some old dirt on the coyote here.
Who is Kaiser Soze? Included a photo of Peter Coyote and his comrade Sean Penn.

*Updated as I write*.

There is controversy swirling around this story, according to this USA Today article.

Controversy over film shoot featuring Marines in San Francisco

When browsing through the comments on the I-Team article Silent Drill Platoon, I came across this information.

Posted by: Jason Barton | September 25, 2007 at 01:53 PM

I called Ms. Coyote’s office and finally got through to a staff person.

The staff person stated that the Marines were not provided a permit during the heavy traffic hours, but were issued a permit for the following weekend. She said the i-team did not accurately cover the story. She also stated the marines were more than welcome to be filmed on the street, but it was their decision to not use the marines during the weekend filming.

I am not sure who is telling the truth. I have seen many journalist extent the truth to make a story more “juicy”…

*** Note from Dan Noyes: Thanks for doing a little digging, Jason. To clarify, the Marines Silent Drill Platoon has a very tight schedule on their national tour, during which they’re filming the commercial. The platoon was only available Tuesday morning, the anniversary of 9/11. To offer a weekend shoot was a moot point. Captain Corrales told us on the record and others confirmed off camera that the Film Commission often approves shoots during rush hour. It is Corrales’ opinion and others involved in the process that the Marines were not afforded the same opportunity as other production crews. ***

It is understandable why San Fran may not be supportive of US Marines. They have no clue what a REAL MAN is! The city hosts such garbage as…

Via Sweetness & Light.

The Folsom Street Fair describes itself as “the world’s largest leather event.”

“We hope to see the fairgrounds filled with people in their most outrageous leather/rubber/fetish attire enjoying the worlds largest and best loved Leather fair,” the Web site says…

Freaks of nature are continually allowed to roam the streets of San Francisco, while the U.S. Marine Corp is slapped in the face!

Apparently Miller Beer is a long time sponsor of the fair. I do not drink Miller beer. But I’ll say one thing, Miller beer will NEVER pass these American lips!
I do not care if it is the last remaining beer on earth. I would do without. That coming from one of Irish and German ancestry. Which speaks volumes my friends.

Now for the REAL MEN!
Semper Fi!!

Blue Star Chronicles has video up of ‘The USMC Silent Drill Team‘ in action. Enjoy!