Coppers ever get ya'?
- Thread starter Zensteve
- Start date
When I was directing a short supernatural thriller "Momentum," we needed to leave a camera locked off in the same position for about different twenty takes. The only problem, the camera was right in the middle of the main footbridge in the city.
it was a night shoot anyway and about 2am when we started setting up. Just as we did this a Police car turned up wanting to drive over the footbridge. My producer went up to them told them we were shooting and that they could drive over the bridge for the next two hours, could they pass it on to the other patrol cars.
Even though we didn't have either permits or permission, they apologised and turned round.
The only other run in I had was on the last shoot of the feature "No Place," when we were recreating a Bosnian War. We left word with the Police that we were shooting, we had a licensed armourer on location, but the Armed Response Team turned out on the first day, scaring the hell out of our 3rd AD.
it was a night shoot anyway and about 2am when we started setting up. Just as we did this a Police car turned up wanting to drive over the footbridge. My producer went up to them told them we were shooting and that they could drive over the bridge for the next two hours, could they pass it on to the other patrol cars.
Even though we didn't have either permits or permission, they apologised and turned round.
The only other run in I had was on the last shoot of the feature "No Place," when we were recreating a Bosnian War. We left word with the Police that we were shooting, we had a licensed armourer on location, but the Armed Response Team turned out on the first day, scaring the hell out of our 3rd AD.
I've been involved with a couple of run-ins with "the authorities." Fortunately I was acting and not involved with the production side of things.
We were filming an epic fantasy (Tomorrow's Night) in a really obscure, secluded section of a state park. The whole cast and crew hiked in and were very careful with the surroundings. Part way through shooting, a park ranger drove his truck across the fields and demanded to know what we were doing. The director, playing dumb, said he had permission from the town. The ranger got upset, "They got no jurisdiction on this land" and left in a huff - forgetting to tell us we couldn't film there. Happy ending for all.
We were filming an epic fantasy (Tomorrow's Night) in a really obscure, secluded section of a state park. The whole cast and crew hiked in and were very careful with the surroundings. Part way through shooting, a park ranger drove his truck across the fields and demanded to know what we were doing. The director, playing dumb, said he had permission from the town. The ranger got upset, "They got no jurisdiction on this land" and left in a huff - forgetting to tell us we couldn't film there. Happy ending for all.
Put 'em in the film...
A friend and I were shooting a Super8 feature in Northern California back in like, '91. We found a gated government car parking lot with lots of concertina wire on top of the enclosure... We wanted all that in the background for a particular shot... So, while we were shooting, the local Marysville police came by... I had my friend flash his Yuba College student ID since I wasn't in school... Told the guy we were shooting a short film for class... LOL.
Anyway, once he figured we were no threat, he asked if there was a part in the film for a policeman... LOL. I said "As a matter of fact, there is!" --and I improvised a quick little scene where he gives the main character a ticket... He used his police car and even signed a release... LOL.
filmy
Zensteve said:Anyone have any stories about being interrupted by local authorities while shooting without a permit?
If so, what happened?
Have to pay a fine? Just hit the highway? Wished you good luck when they saw it wasn't really a dead body on the ground?
(I am boring and have no stories)
A friend and I were shooting a Super8 feature in Northern California back in like, '91. We found a gated government car parking lot with lots of concertina wire on top of the enclosure... We wanted all that in the background for a particular shot... So, while we were shooting, the local Marysville police came by... I had my friend flash his Yuba College student ID since I wasn't in school... Told the guy we were shooting a short film for class... LOL.
Anyway, once he figured we were no threat, he asked if there was a part in the film for a policeman... LOL. I said "As a matter of fact, there is!" --and I improvised a quick little scene where he gives the main character a ticket... He used his police car and even signed a release... LOL.
filmy
FilmJumper said:
Nicely done, Filmy...
I've learned that most people don't care what you're doing with a camera, as long as you're not filming them. Unless they WANT to be filmed...
Our first shoot for our series took place in downtown Pittsburgh at a Greyhound station and the neighboring payphone. The phone was directly outside of a major building (the US Steel building, I think), which prompted a security guard to come out and question us. (High security concerns regarding terrorists in June of 2003, apparently.) We explained what we were filming and, as long as we promised not to get any lingering shots of the building, he didn't care.
Wow Clive...you directed Momento?! That was an okay movie. Good job.
jk
jk
Too funny...
Small world Scooter...
Yeah, I even went to Marysville High (graduated in '76) although I never lived there... I lived in a little town up in the hills about an hour away called Strawberry Valley... LOL. Maybe you heard of it?
At the time I was making my Super8 feature though, I was in the Navy living in Roseville --down the road about an hour...
Then I moved to Nevada City... Retired from the Navy in '98 and then moved out here to New Mexico two years ago...
Marysville was pretty cool to shoot in though... Nobody really bothered us and the downtown area had some decent old buildings to exploit in the background...
filmy
scooter said:
Small world Scooter...
Yeah, I even went to Marysville High (graduated in '76) although I never lived there... I lived in a little town up in the hills about an hour away called Strawberry Valley... LOL. Maybe you heard of it?
At the time I was making my Super8 feature though, I was in the Navy living in Roseville --down the road about an hour...
Then I moved to Nevada City... Retired from the Navy in '98 and then moved out here to New Mexico two years ago...
Marysville was pretty cool to shoot in though... Nobody really bothered us and the downtown area had some decent old buildings to exploit in the background...
filmy
I graduated in 90 from MHS. I've been all over the area, includin Strawberry Valley. Is it still called that? Roseville..yeah, the auction!!!! Jimboy's Tacos!
I was in Marysville this March. Not much has changed since I left in 1995. They have a Jimboy's Tacos though. By the time they opened that I was a vegetarian.
I was in Marysville this March. Not much has changed since I left in 1995. They have a Jimboy's Tacos though. By the time they opened that I was a vegetarian.
A tip when getting permits is to list all of your locations for every shooting day, so if you have to change locations, due to rain or other, you have permits for all of your locations on that day. No need to send a PA downtown for a few hours to change things around.
Northern Cal...
Yeah, it's still called Strawberry Valley... LOL. I'm sure it will always be called that... My Mom still lives there. Yeah, I used to live right around the corner from the auction in Roseville. My last year and a half in the Navy I was stationed in Reno... Ate at Jimboy's at least twice a week...
My dentist is in Grass Valley and I make the trip back there every 6 months for my checkup... That way I see my mom and my wife's family... So you're an MHS graduate too... Too funny.
filmy
scooter said:
Yeah, it's still called Strawberry Valley... LOL. I'm sure it will always be called that... My Mom still lives there. Yeah, I used to live right around the corner from the auction in Roseville. My last year and a half in the Navy I was stationed in Reno... Ate at Jimboy's at least twice a week...
My dentist is in Grass Valley and I make the trip back there every 6 months for my checkup... That way I see my mom and my wife's family... So you're an MHS graduate too... Too funny.
filmy