Hey all,
I've done a ton of searching (not just on this forum) and can't seem to find complete answers to some questions and was hoping you all could help. I'm in the middle of a short film that is a passion project for the people involved. I have contacted the local film office to see what was needed if I wanted to "film" anywhere accept private property. The answer is, of course, liability insurance and permits. Ok, so I called on insurance, cheapest I found was about 500 bucks, which I don't think is that bad if it "makes or breaks" your film. The problem I have is it is for 30 days, period, no exceptions. As with most no-budget shorts there are scheduling conflicts, weather, etc. etc. you have to deal with that can push me well beyond that. Not to mention the fact that it could take 2 weeks or more (if they are efficient) to even issue me a permit and then I've blown half my time. So here is the deal as I see it. I'm not going in with a big crew, it would be me, maybe a sound person and an actor or two, at most. We could look like friends and blend in anywhere and would not do any damage to anything (say like if we were in a public part/attraction whatever).
So my question is, how many of you, (and I'm not talking to those of you in LA or people that make a living doing this, I'm talking about a passion/hobby that you will probably never make a dime off of unless you win a festival or something) go this route VS just run and gun it?
Secondly, say you were not standing on the property, but say you were filming out of a car window going across a bridge or down a street or something? Or if you had some drone footage of a beach scene? I know for a fact you are allowed to film say for your personal vacation so could you throw that footage in a short film? Would you just want to make sure there was no identifying buildings/landmarks etc. in it? Does it matter? What is the worry if you do just use it, do you get the electric chair if someone in the government sees a building in a short film?
I always in my life try to do the right thing, and if I was making a living off filming, etc. then this whole scenario would change. But it seems to me it is ridiculous to make someone jump through the same hoops as a million dollar production company when it is just some people doing it more for artistic reasons, don't you think? I mean come on, millions of people camp, walk, hike in public places every single day, and film the whole thing for their scrap book, and that is totally fine, what is the difference really? I certainly understand bringing in huge trucks full of equipment, etc., real damage certainly can be done and I get that, but a few people filming with a camera and maybe a boom mic needs millions of dollars in insurance and permits when thousands of regular visitors to the same place are doing the same thing....really?
Last question is about the actors themselves. First off I would never do anything dangerous, ever...ever. But in today's litigious society someone can just trip and fall, maybe even because they are being stupid. What do you all do about this? Do you make actors sign a liability release or something? In my mind, we are a group of like minded individuals coming together to do a common interest FOR FUN, not a living. With that said I see this no different as if a group of people got together to play Frisbee in the park say. You wouldn't even think about liability in a situation like that, but because of scumbag Lawyers and the people they represent (and I have family members that are lawyers and so are several friends and most agree
) we often have to think about it. So what do you do?
Thanks so much for any guidance, I really appreciate it.
I've done a ton of searching (not just on this forum) and can't seem to find complete answers to some questions and was hoping you all could help. I'm in the middle of a short film that is a passion project for the people involved. I have contacted the local film office to see what was needed if I wanted to "film" anywhere accept private property. The answer is, of course, liability insurance and permits. Ok, so I called on insurance, cheapest I found was about 500 bucks, which I don't think is that bad if it "makes or breaks" your film. The problem I have is it is for 30 days, period, no exceptions. As with most no-budget shorts there are scheduling conflicts, weather, etc. etc. you have to deal with that can push me well beyond that. Not to mention the fact that it could take 2 weeks or more (if they are efficient) to even issue me a permit and then I've blown half my time. So here is the deal as I see it. I'm not going in with a big crew, it would be me, maybe a sound person and an actor or two, at most. We could look like friends and blend in anywhere and would not do any damage to anything (say like if we were in a public part/attraction whatever).
So my question is, how many of you, (and I'm not talking to those of you in LA or people that make a living doing this, I'm talking about a passion/hobby that you will probably never make a dime off of unless you win a festival or something) go this route VS just run and gun it?
Secondly, say you were not standing on the property, but say you were filming out of a car window going across a bridge or down a street or something? Or if you had some drone footage of a beach scene? I know for a fact you are allowed to film say for your personal vacation so could you throw that footage in a short film? Would you just want to make sure there was no identifying buildings/landmarks etc. in it? Does it matter? What is the worry if you do just use it, do you get the electric chair if someone in the government sees a building in a short film?
I always in my life try to do the right thing, and if I was making a living off filming, etc. then this whole scenario would change. But it seems to me it is ridiculous to make someone jump through the same hoops as a million dollar production company when it is just some people doing it more for artistic reasons, don't you think? I mean come on, millions of people camp, walk, hike in public places every single day, and film the whole thing for their scrap book, and that is totally fine, what is the difference really? I certainly understand bringing in huge trucks full of equipment, etc., real damage certainly can be done and I get that, but a few people filming with a camera and maybe a boom mic needs millions of dollars in insurance and permits when thousands of regular visitors to the same place are doing the same thing....really?
Last question is about the actors themselves. First off I would never do anything dangerous, ever...ever. But in today's litigious society someone can just trip and fall, maybe even because they are being stupid. What do you all do about this? Do you make actors sign a liability release or something? In my mind, we are a group of like minded individuals coming together to do a common interest FOR FUN, not a living. With that said I see this no different as if a group of people got together to play Frisbee in the park say. You wouldn't even think about liability in a situation like that, but because of scumbag Lawyers and the people they represent (and I have family members that are lawyers and so are several friends and most agree
) we often have to think about it. So what do you do? Thanks so much for any guidance, I really appreciate it.
