Filming Permit Announcement  Creates Rumor and Confusion

BY SUZANNE GULDIMANN

A press release issued by the City of Malibu advising the community that a Malibu Pier film/photography permit has been issued by the State of California to allow “a large-scale filming event for a movie that is allegedly “loosely based” on Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” generated a Hamlet-like debate on the lines of “to be, or not to be.”

“The permit has not been released yet,” California Film Commission Permit Coordinator Helene Dervishian told the Malibu Surfside News on Tuesday afternoon.

“The city press release was incorrect,” Dervishian said.

The city’s press release stated that “a film/photography permit issued by the State of California will allow a large-scale filming event to take place at Malibu Pier from Jan. 9-23. Filming dates and times are as follows:  Jan. 9-11, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Film shoot preparation Jan. 14-18, 10 a.m. - 12 a.m. Filming of activities on pier, inside/outside buildings on pier. Jan. 22-23, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Set removal.”

Rumors indicated that the alleged permit was for a romantic comedy about a pair of suicidal 20-somethings who “meet cute” called “Ten Things I Hate About Life,” directed by Gil Junger and described as sequel to his Shrew-inspired 1999 film and TV series “Ten Things I Hate About You.”

The Malibu Pier is owned and operated by the State of California. Permission to film on the pier must be obtained from the CFC.

It remains to be seen if the film shoot will proceed or end as “sound and fury signifying nothing.”