Portland residents upset they weren’t informed of gritty movie set installation

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - People living in the Portland neighborhood want to know why they weren’t informed a production company would be turning one of their streets into a gritty looking movie set.

“I didn’t know it was a movie set, because nobody said anything,” Portland resident Richard Meadows said. “I thought there was a homeless camp set up down here.”

Meadows said he found an elaborate recreation of a Los Angeles sidewalk homeless camp early in August.

A city permit issued to the production company indicated it was a movie about a cop losing his K-9 partner in the line of duty. However, the sudden arrival of tents and graffiti on 15th Street in Portland was an unexpected Hollywood twist.

Residents said the production wrapped on Aug. 11.

On Wednesday Portland’s Metro Councilwoman Donna Purvis said she was caught by surprise too.

“It looks like the ball was dropped internally,” Purvis said. “Not with the council’s office.”

Meadows blamed the Mayor’s Office for failing to inform the neighborhood.

“We’re more than welcoming to have them, we just want to know,” Meadows said. “I’m sure they had extras. I’m sure I could have probably found 25 extras for the movie without any trouble, if they just simply asked.”

The Mayor’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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