??? about legalities

[DrPsychoSpaz]

Hey, I'm currently writing a script for a horror/drama/mystery and some of the scenes would happen in the backroads of the suburbs. I planned to shoot these scenes just outside my house on the street(that's how low budget I am). What do I need to do this? Do I need to contact the city or something, or is it perfectly fine to do?

[his Dudeness]

You can either do it 'guerrila' style and just do it and hope that no-one notices/cares/minds.

Or you can contact the local film office and find out about getting permission. However, if you do this, you'll almost certainly have to pay money - I contacted the local film office and they wanted ?75 for shooting on each seperate public location.

So my attitude is - bollocks to them. I'll just go and shoot!

[marti-c]

I was always lead to believe that you can film anywhere that is a public area, with certain exceptions i.e not within 3 feet of a shop window. When on the street as long as your not causing an obstruction then no problem. (try and allocate a member of crew to directing public around the shoot. Also note that places like parks and cemetaries DO NOT count as public access areas and require permission to film in.

marti

[Gwailofilms]

I'm all for the "fuck 'em & shoot" side.

I've shot about three horror movies just by running around the streets of my hometown at three in the morning.

Although, there was one time when the olice showed up, and guess who was holding the rubber knife...

------------------
The future is here:-
www.gwailofilms.co.uk

[ThomasB]

For our first movie we shot at a restaurant and other public places. Since we used weapons (airsoft guns) the police was present to make sure that no citizens call them up because of a 'shooting' or something

Anyway, we asked the city for permission and had to pay 100? for 'permission to use public places for other than traffic purposes'. The police was present from 7pm to 5am and that was also covered with the 100?.

I didn't want to risk anything and I'm glad that we asked for the permission.