Well, my script is finally done (is there anyway I can put the whole thing on here for review and critique?) and two of the scenes involve using prop guns in a place where people could drive or walk by. Does anyone know of anyway to 'legally' do this so no one panics and calls 911?
Is there any certain policy for filming in a public area with prop weapons?
- Thread starter nobudgetfilmmaker
- Start date
If I were you, I would alert the local police because someone with a cell phone will call it in and you could get actors shot, injured, or killed. If the police already know, they can inform the callers that nothing is wrong. If they don't know, they will respond as if there are dangerous weapons being used in an area and even with a film crew, cause problems.
If you have a local film commission office, call them. They will tell you what type of permit you need (usually from them), the amount of set insurance you will need, and will assist you in getting a cop to work on set for your production. They are usually associated with either the mayor or governor's office as well and know all the local laws and policies.
With insurance for stunts and action, shop around. Shopping around could save you BIG money. I could have paid 10 times as much for insurance if I went along with the first place I contacted. That's a big savings right there.
With insurance for stunts and action, shop around. Shopping around could save you BIG money. I could have paid 10 times as much for insurance if I went along with the first place I contacted. That's a big savings right there.
How would I do that? I don't think calling 911 and telling them about it would be a solution. I'm only 18 years old, I don't think I'm ready for all the insurance and crap just yet
Please, Call the NON-EMERGENCY number for the department who has jurisdiction over the area.
My area has it illegal to use guns that allow anything to be prepelled from the weapon at all within the city limits. Look up the laws from your local area to see if what you have is considered a weapon. I had to plug the barrels and remove the compression pin to make them "legal"... then I call the cops so we don't get arrested or shot. Weeks in advance to make sure they know it's going to happen (take names as well - and ask nicely, document everything). a month before, a week before, the day before and right as it starts to setup. They'd much rather be kept in the loop than have to shoe up on your set with their REAL guns drawn.
In addition to what others have said - make big signs that say "movie shooting" and people will figure it out. You could even be as bold to make one that says "relax: the guns are fake".
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
Many jurisdictions will require a police officer to be on the set - even if s/he is off duty and moonlighting as "security."
As pointed out by previous posters have already mentioned - clear, concise communications with the powers that be is paramount to the personal and legal safety of all concerned.
As pointed out by previous posters have already mentioned - clear, concise communications with the powers that be is paramount to the personal and legal safety of all concerned.
If you aren't, then you aren't ready to shoot with prop guns (no matter how real or fake they look) in public.
Solution: move it to private property away from prying eyes. Or indoors with all the right permission from private owner.
Come on...THINK ...you CAN do it, AND NOT DO IT.Have your talent brandish weapons in a private safe environment and then shoot the action in public w/o any weapons.I suggest you figure a way. Shoot closeups where you do not need a weapon in public, make bullet holes appear, give us the sound, people running and reacting, then shoot the weapons in a private setting.
You have compositing tools in the most rudimentary editors.
Did I get some creative juices flowing ?
You have compositing tools in the most rudimentary editors.
Did I get some creative juices flowing ?
911 is for emergencies only. The local police have other, non-urgent phone numbers. You do not need insurance to shoot a movie in public in Ohio.
Our local film commission is www.filmcolumbus.com or the Ohio Film Office through the office of the governor.
A client had a very novel way of preventing weapons "mishaps" on his set; he asked a local cop to be a technical consultant. The officer worked for free - as long as his kid got a bit part - and served as liaison with local law enforcement, whom he worked for anyway.
I would also recommend that the "Signs" solution only be part of the overall strategy as there are many examples of this exact technique failing, including one whereby all the of the cast and crew of a student film were made to lay down face down on the pavement at police gunpoint as they were disarmed... of their realistic looking prop guns.
Statements taken and film recommenced the next day to the tune of a full day of lost time... on a limited time availability location. The producers didn't call the cops... but a passerby did -- reporting a robbery in progress, which has a specific response pattern for the police, especially when they see a weapon pointed at the clerk through the window and another individual with a weapon in a side holster. Apparently, in these situations, the police focus really heavily on these facts and not so much on the signs around the area saying the gunmen are actors filming a robbery.
One actor makes a wrong move, and the producer's job switches to arranging bail or a funeral.
Call the police ahead of time, give them TONS OF WARNING... then make sure the dispatchers know when the guns come out of their storage on set and when they are put away again... and where you are -- that way if they receive calls about it, they know where to expect them to be false alarms.
Statements taken and film recommenced the next day to the tune of a full day of lost time... on a limited time availability location. The producers didn't call the cops... but a passerby did -- reporting a robbery in progress, which has a specific response pattern for the police, especially when they see a weapon pointed at the clerk through the window and another individual with a weapon in a side holster. Apparently, in these situations, the police focus really heavily on these facts and not so much on the signs around the area saying the gunmen are actors filming a robbery.
One actor makes a wrong move, and the producer's job switches to arranging bail or a funeral.
Call the police ahead of time, give them TONS OF WARNING... then make sure the dispatchers know when the guns come out of their storage on set and when they are put away again... and where you are -- that way if they receive calls about it, they know where to expect them to be false alarms.
It sounds like you don't have a film commission office in your area. Otherwise, that would be your first phone call.
In my area, everything goes by licenses and permits. As a private citizen, I can't even have a gun replica without an orenge cap at the end of a barrel.
As a filmmaker registered in the state of NY, I can apply for a permit with tthe city to use gun replicas in a movie with a cop present. The gun can only come out when we are shooting and must be locked up in a storage case under lock and key. For something that fires, we need a licensed pyrotech on set.
Both the film commission and the cop will tell us that.
Google for a film commission office in your area.
In my area, everything goes by licenses and permits. As a private citizen, I can't even have a gun replica without an orenge cap at the end of a barrel.
As a filmmaker registered in the state of NY, I can apply for a permit with tthe city to use gun replicas in a movie with a cop present. The gun can only come out when we are shooting and must be locked up in a storage case under lock and key. For something that fires, we need a licensed pyrotech on set.
Both the film commission and the cop will tell us that.
Google for a film commission office in your area.
Pretty simple.
Call the local police and ask them what their policy is. Tell
them the exact days and times you will be filming with the
prop guns and how many people will be involved. Be prepared
to be told you will need insurance. If you feel that at 18 years
old you are not ready to get insurance and your local police
say you need it, then you will need to change your scenes.
Filming in public where people could drive or walk by while
using prop guns is going to be more complicated and costly
than filming in a private home without prop guns. At some
point, no matter what you age, you are going to have to expand.
Now is as good a time as any. Make that phone call.
In my area as long as the owner says it's okay and it's in his or her indoor property, I was told it was okay. I guess that doesn't go for everywhere though. Another extra safety tip is in case the police do come for you and were not made aware of the filmmaking you can use a police radio scanner to tell if they are coming or not, and be prepared.
As far as having to keep guns under lock and key doesn't that only apply to guns that actually fire? What if you use guns that do not, and add the muzzle flash and ejecting casings in post? If possible I would try to avoid having to have a cop on set. All you would be paying them to do is just stand around, ready to make a phone call in case of an emergency, which you, yourself could easily do.
As far as having to keep guns under lock and key doesn't that only apply to guns that actually fire? What if you use guns that do not, and add the muzzle flash and ejecting casings in post? If possible I would try to avoid having to have a cop on set. All you would be paying them to do is just stand around, ready to make a phone call in case of an emergency, which you, yourself could easily do.
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