I recently went to the office in Los Angeles that issues permits for filming. It's located inside a studio lot, so you sign in up front, have your ID scanned,

I recently went to the office in Los Angeles that issues permits for filming. It's located inside a studio lot, so you sign in up front, have your ID scanned, get a printed badge to wear and walk to another building that has the permit office. In that building, you go to the security desk and tell them where you're going. They call the elevator for you. You get on the elevator. It has no buttons inside. The desk sends you up to the permit office. When you leave the permit office, you press a button next to the elevator and it shows up and takes you to the lobby. There are no other options for you. Studios got paranoid about security post 9/11. Which I guess makes some sense. But why the film permit office is inside one of them, I'll never know.