getting permission to shoot a film

[darth vader]

If you are shooting a film in public do you have to get permission? I know that the biggies where they need to cordon off the whole street, requires permission, but we are shooting an amateur movie which involves some work on location, do we need to get permission? it's not as if we'll need to take over the street (or part of it even) so we wouldn't affect anyone.

[comloulou]

Is it going to be porn?

[darth vader]

why, when the word "amateur" is used in the same sentence as "film", does everyone assume pornography is involved. I meant amateur as in we're doing it for a laugh, and not getting paid for it

[FTVS]

I don't believe you do need to Darth if, as you say, you are not going to disrupt anyone and all the people appearing in the film have given their consent. If you did need to I could see all sorts of problems with people's home videos. having said that there certainly are areas where you would not be allowed to film but i imagine you've worked that out for yourselves.

[Lennon]

I don't think you need special permission - as you say, its not like you're gaining profit from it or using anyone's 'performance' without permission. The only thing I would say, is if you're doing it in a street with shops, especially shopping centres, then watch out for security guards and cops on foot as they might stop you if they think you're casing the area. My mate's a security guard in a shopping centre and at Xmas they have amazing displays and people take photo's, but innocently, and they have to stop them in case they're taking pictures of weak entry points etc. Hope that helps - have fun! :)

[gerry]

i'm pretty sure you don't need permission if you are just filming in the street, however if you were going to use any shops or any buildings in this film you need to get their permission .My mate made up a short film for his drama project and he wanted to use a couple of shops (just like someone going into the shop and having a look around) he went into the shop explained to the owner if it was ok and they were cool about it.

[Hippy]

As a fellow photographer, believe me, it is perfectly legal to take pictures of anyone or anything provided both you as the photographer and the thing/person are in a public place, or the thing/person in on view from a public place without the aid of hoists, high ladders or telescopes/mirror contraptions. The safest rule is if you can walk down the street (or other public place) and view the person/thing normally there is no legal restriction to photographing it.

There can be no objection on grounds of privacy, even if the person is in a vehicle, as it is a PUBLIC place.

There could be other restrictions on you personally or your subject that would bring you into conflict with the law or the courts. You must not encourage or perpetrate an illegal act or breach of the peace in order to make an intersting photo. You must observe any injunctions that apply to you, your crew, or actors. For example a judge may have prescribed a curfew or a restriction to movement for a person; for example during a suite for harrassment or persistent petty offending.

Remeber, not all places to which the public have lawfull access are deemed Public Places. Most shopping malls (Blue Water, Brent Cross, Metrocentre, Eldon Sqaure Milton Keynes Centre Blackpool Pleasure Beach for some) are private places and permission is usually forthcoming if you apply to the Management Suite or Publicity Office in advance with details of what you want and in what way the eventual material will be used.