Film fees deemed unconstitutional in national parks

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 2/1/21

In 2019, director Gordon Price sued the U.S. Attorney General and the National Park Service after he was issued a citation and fee for filming without a permit at the Yorktown Battlefield in Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia for an indie film. This week, Washington D.C. federal judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sided with Price, claiming that filming—commercial or not—is a protected form of speech. This deems it unconstitutional to charge fees for filmmakers in national parks. This is a huge win for filmmakers, and will undoubtedly make filming in nearby coveted parks, such as Yellowstone and Grand Teton, a much easier task.