A Riverdale resident who was reportedly upset with the constant use of a neighbouring home for film shoots is facing charges after he allegedly blared music from a portable stereo in an attempt to disrupt filming at the address.
Police say that they were called to a home at 456 Pape Avenue on Monday morning after receiving complaints about loud music that was disrupting a film shoot at 450 Pape Avenue. Police say that officers discovered a stereo on a table outside the home at 456 Pape Avenue upon arrival and asked the owner of the home to turn down the blaring music.
The owner initially complied but police say that he then turned on the stereo again after about an hour.
At that point, police were called back to the area and again asked the man to turn down the music.
This time, police say that the man refused to comply and proceeded to get another stereo and place it in a second floor window. The man then blared music from that stereo as well, police say.
Officers in turn gained permission to enter the man’s home and arrested him, according to police.
Nick Shcherban, 60, was charged with mischief over $5,000, criminal harassment, causing a disturbance and public mischief.
In a release that was sent to media outlets two hours prior to the alleged incident, Shcherban said that the number of film shoots at the home has gotten out of control.
He said that during the shoots there is “bright lighting on cherry pickers, massive and loud air conditioners the size of a small car, dozens and dozens of vehicles, multiple portable washrooms and huge numbers of people.”
He said that the shoot on Monday for the HBO movie Fahrenheit 451 will go from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. for two days and comes on the heels of a “disaster” of a shoot for the movie “It” that he said dragged on for 42 days last year.
“This residence is not a film studio and movie lot,” he wrote.
While Shcherban contends that it is “now time for the city to say enough to filmings at 450 Pape Avenue,” several area residents that CP24 spoke with on Tuesday disagreed.
“The film crews have been very disruptive in the past but this particular film crew has been incredibly respectful,” one neighbour said “They sent out notices, they knocked on doors and they asked for our approval. They are also not parking on the street. I have no complaints about this crew.”
“Everyone has to work,” another neighbor said. “It is better to have jobs than no jobs.
Home has hosted 11 productions since 2015
The historic home at 450 Pape Avenue has been the site of 11 productions since 2015, according to the city.
Coun. Paula Fletcher said that she did receive some complaints from area residents last year while the movie “It” was being filmed at the home but was under the impression that those complaints had been resolved.
In fact, she said that “well over” 50 per cent of residents in the neighbourhood had voted to allow production on the film to take place at night.
“If it was a bad location and everyone felt like that, they would not have had that 50 per cent,” she said. “Our process is set up to get consent and if something is really bad there will be well over 50 per cent of the area that says it has got to end.”
Fletcher said that it is particularly unfortunate that Monday’s incident took place as much of the film industry gathers in the city for the Toronto International Film Festival.
She said that there were 3,000 filming permits issued in 2016 and 2,000 so far in 2017, all of which were executed without an incident like the one that occurred on Monday.
“The film industry brings about 35,000 jobs into Toronto and there is often the odd filming location in neighbourhoods. Most people just put up with it because they know it is so good for the economy,” she said.
Shcherban was released on $1,000 bail following a court appearance on Tuesday. He is due back in court on Oct. 12.
Meanwhile, filming on Fahrenheit 451 is continuing as scheduled at 450 Pape Avenue today.
