ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

12 years, 1 month ago - SONJA NASH

Hi - did you speak to Turul Brown? He is a good man to speak to for insurance and NO that is not reasonable. However - you need to pitch it right. This is currently a NON COMMERCIAL NON PROFIT making project. Is it not?
Until you sell the film - it IS non profit making! Say your budget is miniscule and everyone is working for favours / expenses etc., there are no Big names are there?? You should see that quote come right down.

As for changing the shot from night to day? That's a big change :( What are you shooting on? If it's on the Arri or similar - you won't need much light anyway. You could light it with LED panels run off a car battery. I know that's possible because I've worked on a shoot in the dark without street lighting either.
And if you told the council that you were a non profit making crew - they may well come down on that permit price.

Best of luck with it all.

Sonja

12 years, 1 month ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Prop weapons constitute 'simulating a crime' so the local police NEED to know at least 2 weeks ahead ideally. They will work with the local film office but will insist that you letter drop the locality with flyers explaining who you are, what you are doing, and how to contact you. They will also insist on minimising inconvenience and alarm to local residents. They may even insist that you have pcso's present, at your own cost (allow 2 x £60/hr min 4 hrs if they do). What the police do not want at all is for any neighborhood watch or local to see your weapon and call them to deal with a 'kid with a gun'. If you don't go by the book, and one does call them, expect SO19 to surround you in approx 9 minutes, and either bollock you bigtime if you're lucky, or arrest you for wasting their time if not. The ONLY way to play with guns in public is 100% by the book, do it right and you're fine and dandy. The Met aren't out to stop amateur film makers, they just want to prevent alarm to the people who pay their wages.

12 years, 1 month ago - Paul Willis

Just a thought, not sure if it makes any difference to what you need to do but most of EC3 comes under the City of London Police rather than the Met

12 years, 1 month ago - ANDY LEWIS

Let me be clear threatening someone with a lighting stand may look like the stand IS a prop gun so you must grab the shadow shot. Don't spend forever lighting it. Be sensible. Andy

12 years, 1 month ago - Shahid 'Shez' Hussain

Regarding insurance. I got a package quote from IMS £350. Seems a lot for a nights shoot.

Is it reasonable??

12 years, 1 month ago - ANDY LEWIS

£40! And just what exactly do the council say you getting for that? To whom are you supposed to show this valuable document? Sonja is right about LED lights. £60 buys a very powerful area light from a builders merchant. The Colour Temperature is rather blue but for night time that's not a problem. Cheers Andy

12 years, 1 month ago - SP User

another link: http://content.met.police.uk/Site/mpsfilmunit Do not think YOU can be the one that uses a prop gun and doesn't "have to call the cops". Or use a proper armorer. http://www.theknowledgeonline.com/the-knowledge-bulletin/post/2013/04/02/Met-Police-warns-for-toy-guns-on-set

12 years, 1 month ago - ANDY LEWIS

Oops. Sorry wrong entry.

12 years, 1 month ago - ANDY LEWIS

A gun or even a smoke machine means that you have to inform the police ( maybe the firebrigade) and I imagine you will have to pay for a constable to attend the shoot. I had to have a policeman attend for a simple crime scene set up on a location once. I moved the location to a quiet wood. Why not shoot the gun in close ups inside? If you can change the gun to a rifle then shoot the shadow and you don't need a weapon on set at all. The tip of a lighting stand imakes a good assault rifle and a bit of plastic tube a shot gun. If you need the alleyway the council will want to close it to the public and do you will need third party public liability insurance ( not just the £21 BECTU personal liability insurance ) or they can't help you at all. Sounds like an expensive exercise you have there. Andy

12 years, 1 month ago - John David Clay

Shahid,

permit and a risk assesment are necessary for any location you use. - I certainly dealt with that as part of MSc degree yet to get there second time in the real world. but I would always go for health and safety cables gaffered down lights operated with gloves when they get super hot, and ahave someone watch for public hazards even at night.

Hope the council support you with your filming.

Best of Luck!

John

12 years, 1 month ago - Shahid 'Shez' Hussain

Update. The council have sent me an encouraging email. I have been told of because the size of the production (crew -10) the charge for the permit is £40+vat. Reasonable!!

Howard thanks for the concern but it’s cool I am well aware of contacting the police in advance.

Andy wise words my friend. I am now considering making changes to the script so it can take place daytime. Creatively it doesn't work as effectively as in night but hell it will save money and hassle for light setups.

Insurance??
Anyone recommend a website for decent rates??

once again thanks everyone for the replies!

12 years, 1 month ago - SP User

This link explains it all quite clearly. BE AWARE! If you are using a prop gun you MUST notify the Metropolitan Police. http://filmlondon.org.uk/filming_in_london/planning_your_shoot/permissions_and_boroughs

12 years, 1 month ago - ANDY LEWIS

Yes 1pm. That's up in the mall cinema level? Andy