Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks are working out plans to film a portion of Transformers 3 on location in Washington D.C. Those plans however, may be hitting a roadblock thanks to the National Park Service. The NPS seems to have a problem with Michael Bay filming certain things on the National Mall.

The Washington Post reports:

“Bill Line, Park Service spokesman, said the producers “have asked to do some things that simply are not done on the National Mall,” among them staging a “car race” along the Mall’s gravel paths and flooding it with artificial light in order to shoot at night.”

“A lot of this could be more appropriately shot in a Hollywood studio,” Line said. “The National Mall is not an area in which Americans come to see high-tech action movies being shot.”

So, you’re probably saying to yourself “that’s a fair statement, what’s the problem?” Read on… this is just about to take a hard left turn.

“Kathy Hollinger, director of the D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development, acknowledged that the plans amounted to “a lot more than D.C. has ever been accustomed to in terms of scale and impact,” including, for instance, simulated explosions and pyrotechnics at locations along Pennsylvania and Independence avenues.”

“The robots will be here,” she said. “It’s not like they’re going to be building and having these little miniature Transformers running around and then make them look real with CGI effects afterward.”

That’s right folks, Kathy Hollinger Director of the Office of Motion Picture and Television Development. Who, according to the deparment’s website… is the District government agency that works to position the capital at the forefront of the film and video industry’s diverse business development opportunities thinks that Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and all of their 28 foot tall robotic brethren will be stomping their way down Pennsylvania Avenue.

[The Shakedown]

Wow! That’s all I’ve got… I’m pretty speechless.