Cigarettes.

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Kentertainment

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I am about to write a short film that requires a character to smoke. The problem I would more than likely be facing is the fact that the character would be an underage teen or the actor might not even be a smoker.

I have heard that prop cigarettes are available and are called herbal cigarettes, but I've also heard that they still contain the things like tar, just not nicotine and tobacco.

Is there any other option (aside from take the smoking out), or am I ill informed about the herbal cigarettes?
 
How much smoking does he gotta do?

Seriously.

It's it's just a few smokes.

use the real thing.
 
hmmmm... isnt giving cigarettes to a minor illegal? I think I'd avoid that... Now if your actor is of age and isnt a smoker - I think i'd be telling them to figure it out.

edit - just re-read that the character is underage. nevermind that thing about the law...
 
my two cents:

in the film i'm shooting now, we had to get a non-smoker, smoking quite a bit. leave it up to the actor, if he's dedicated to the role and wants his character to be believable, he'll opt for the real thing.

one suggestion -
get him smoking a couple weeks (days, if need be) before the shoot so he's at least use to the inhale and it looks a bit more natural.
 
LightningFilms said:
my two cents:

one suggestion -
get him smoking a couple weeks (days, if need be) before the shoot so he's at least use to the inhale and it looks a bit more natural.
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It's not that hard to look natural smoking even with fake smokes.

I've had to learn a few times. And having an unlit smoke to fiddle with when ever I had a free hand did the trick.

If you are really scared of the legal issues....

http://www.smokingonline.net/fakecigarette/index.htm

http://www.smokingonline.net/fakecigarette/index.htm
 
rook said:
It's not that hard to look natural smoking even with fake smokes.
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I disagree, and I'll bet every other true smoker will too. I can always tell if someone smoking in a film actually smokes (or at least has for a long period of time at some point in their life). The non-smokers probably won't know the difference, but smokers know what I'm talking about...

anyway, I'd opt for the herbal ciggs...
 
ryan brown said:
I disagree, and I'll bet every other true smoker will too. I can always tell if someone smoking in a film actually smokes (or at least has for a long period of time at some point in their life). The non-smokers probably won't know the difference, but smokers know what I'm talking about...

anyway, I'd opt for the herbal ciggs...
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Thank you!! You're absolutely right, and in this situation, the ONLY reason I would opt for herbal cigs is because the actor is a minor. Other than that, it's too foolish to fake it.
 
ryan brown said:
I disagree, and I'll bet every other true smoker will too. I can always tell if someone smoking in a film actually smokes (or at least has for a long period of time at some point in their life). The non-smokers probably won't know the difference, but smokers know what I'm talking about...
Click to expand...
Watch Clerks, and watch Kevin Smith. He was a non smoker when they shot the film. Now watch Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. After playing the same character in 4 movies, he's now up to 2 packs a day, and you can tell.
 
ryan brown said:
I disagree, and I'll bet every other true smoker will too. I can always tell if someone smoking in a film actually smokes (or at least has for a long period of time at some point in their life). The non-smokers probably won't know the difference, but smokers know what I'm talking about...

anyway, I'd opt for the herbal ciggs...
Click to expand...


I was trying to say yo can practice with fake smokes and learn to make it look real.

Not to use fake smokes in the film...I mean look at my first post.

Lets face it, there's nothing to learn. It's getting comfortable holding them and being familiar with them. If your actor can't fake that then...jeeze...maybe you need to hire a better actor (lol).

Oh and always tell...if they smoke for real or not? doubt it. But then again, there's no way of knowing cause if they are faking it well we'd never know.
 
ryan brown said:
I disagree, and I'll bet every other true smoker will too. I can always tell if someone smoking in a film actually smokes (or at least has for a long period of time at some point in their life). The non-smokers probably won't know the difference, but smokers know what I'm talking about...

anyway, I'd opt for the herbal ciggs...
Click to expand...

What if they're a really, really, really, good actor?
 
If you can get herbal cigarettes that look like real smokes use them. It's really easy to get nausea & the cold sweats from smoking while acting, even if you're a smoker. If you've ever done it you know exactly what I'm talking about. And you can't fake inhaling even if you're really, really, really good. Smoking is all about inhaling. If you're not inhaling, you're not smoking. Just ask former President Clinton.
 
rsbush said:
It's really easy to get nausea & the cold sweats from smoking while acting, even if you're a smoker. If you've ever done it you know exactly what I'm talking about.
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I've done theater and film in which my character was a smoker. Can honestly say I've never felt "nausea" and "the cold sweats" during any performance. However, I can't suggest enough that the actor not shoot the scenes on an empty stomach.

Smoking on an empty stomach will make you light headed and even dizzy...especially if the actor isn't a regular smoker.
 
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