filming in US by non -US-people

D

dre83

Veteran
I was wondering, can everyone film in the US (don't take about licence and bullshit) ?

Can a "german DOP" come to the US with his camera and easely pas security without being asked 2106465048648648604860860686676 questions if he's not going
to blow up something (a tree or so...)
Or a French soundguy or italian this or that guy ?

I heared that to protect the US people, only US people can do a job in the US...but is it also when the production company is foreign ?
 
If you're trying to get a union gig in a union town, you'll probably have some challenges. But if you're on a visit as part of a foreign production company, assuming you have all the proper filming permits as required by local laws where you're shooting, and you don't have any legal restrictions on international travel, then it shouldn't be a big deal. I've freelanced audio here in Knoxville with a Canadian crew for a CBC program... they didn't have any problems.
 
yes all permits ATA carnets...

But it's more the "customs" part in the airport... will they think it's a bomb??? Wel yes of course, they're from the US... so everything is a bomb....
 
It can be pretty tricky to do now - the Visa system is very clear. A tourist visa does not let you work - and a colleague tells me that work does not even have to be paid. If you go in as a tourist - then being DoP is going to be a problem IF they check. Taking pro-looking gear into the US will mean questions, and depending on your answers will be the decision. When I flew into California last year to go to a friends wedding in San Francisco as I opened my wallet, the immigration Officer saw my Press Card - I explained I was going to a wedding. I got questioned on why I'd come so far, where I was staying, what I'd be doing, and why there were two cameras in my bag. I was just there as a guest, so it was ok - but if I'd been working, and had work documents on me, I don't think it would have been a good result.

The US is NOT a friendly place to get into, and not fun - coming from Europe.
 
no, I've never been there... But I'm not "jumping" to go there to be honest... according all the "I have a uniform so I'm the boss here and you just shut the pwoo up kinda stupid customs guys"

US people (specially the "wearing uniform" kind) really have to learn that not everyone is a terrorist...
 
dre83 said:
will they think it's a bomb??? Wel yes of course, they're from the US... so everything is a bomb....
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dre83 said:
US people (specially the "wearing uniform" kind) really have to learn that not everyone is a terrorist...
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Can we avoid cultural/political shots in this discussion? That's completely unnecessary, and does nothing to help the conversation. This is the only warning.
 
I never said I'm not rude... There are some things I don't like... like "everyone is suspicious way of thinking", but I can not continue that....

So I'm kinda "stucked" now....
 
i hate people that make generalizations. especially that group i am making a generalization about.
 
dre83 said:
I never said I'm not rude... There are some things I don't like... like "everyone is suspicious way of thinking", but I can not continue that....

So I'm kinda "stucked" now....
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If you hadn't felt it SO necessary to insult the very people who make up the majority of this board -- the people you were asking for HELP -- then maybe you wouldn't BE "stucked" now.
 
paulears said:
It can be pretty tricky to do now - the Visa system is very clear. A tourist visa does not let you work - and a colleague tells me that work does not even have to be paid. If you go in as a tourist - then being DoP is going to be a problem IF they check. Taking pro-looking gear into the US will mean questions, and depending on your answers will be the decision. When I flew into California last year to go to a friends wedding in San Francisco as I opened my wallet, the immigration Officer saw my Press Card - I explained I was going to a wedding. I got questioned on why I'd come so far, where I was staying, what I'd be doing, and why there were two cameras in my bag. I was just there as a guest, so it was ok - but if I'd been working, and had work documents on me, I don't think it would have been a good result.

The US is NOT a friendly place to get into, and not fun - coming from Europe.
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I got this 'treatment' in going from the US to Canada, while attending a conference organized by a professional canadian photographer's association... The Kanuckistanians take a less that welcome view of those in the US going north for work...


There is a US 'visa' form for 'artists and performers' found here. But otherwise yes the US is a pain in the ass, and not just for 'foreigners' coming in... everyone gets some amount of 'treatment' depending.

The only equivalent place I've gone to, that has the near 'proctological' examine upon entry to the country is Australia. Well then there's Heathrow... but I've not flown through there in years... as I recall in the early 90's it was a pain...

Once landed in the EU member states, since there's no 'border' stations any more, movement by land and rail is pretty unexciting. Air travel is a bit different, if one uses something like Ryan Air, where even carryon bag weight limits are checked. For a photographer with equipment, that may entail extra fees. Again some time ago, but the only place I've had to hassle with 'border' issues was between Hungary and Austria... but that was 'years ago' as well...

For the US traveler with 'pro equipment' the problem tends not to be the destination countries, but coming back in. There are forms to fill out before leaving with serial numbers and other id info so that one will not be charged customs coming back in.

When the Wife was doing weddings, we did have some number of weddings outside the US, we had such forms all in order. And as I recall we were never really 'interrogated' about the equipment... even going to Australia... just had everything searched...
 
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j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
... The Kanuckistanians take a less that welcome view of those in the US going north for work...
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Really, these types of comments are not necessary or helpful. It's one thing to say something like, "Border security is pretty tight when moving from the US to Canada." But this is over the line. Please keep it on topic without insulting other nationalities.
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
I got this 'treatment' in going from the US to Canada, while attending a conference organized by a professional canadian photographer's association... The Kanuckistanians take a less that welcome view of those in the US going north for work...
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We (A Canadian Broadcaster) have had our cam ops turned away at the border despite the legit paperwork in order because the boarder agent thought 'We should be hiring US camera men to shoot our news/entertainment stories while in the US.'.

Of course all it took was a different cam op going to a different boarder agent and it was all fine (given the proper paper work was in order both times).

Boarder crossings can be really hit and miss depending on the agent you get. Most of the times I haven't had an issue when the paperwork is done. I find with some of the smaller pro-sumer gear the issue of a carnet can get cloudy so I try and get one regardless to save the discussion of particular dollar amount of the gear. etc.
 
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RE: The pervasive paranoia of the US 'security forces'. This is a true statement. The Customs and Border Protection organization is filled with paranoia. Due to the idiocy of the Drug War and the complete lack of a rational approach to 'drug use', the result has been a form of hypervigilence that results in long lines to check every single person entering the country via 'legal' pathways... yet is unable to stop illegal traffic through illegal pathways...

The events of 9/11 allowed even more paranoia to spread such that now infants endup on a 'no fly' list, and old folks from Omaha are treated as 'guilty of terrorism' until proven otherwise.

If we compare that State of Paranoia to say Europe... where long before 9/11, both domestic terrorism in the form of say The Red Army Faction that was blowing things up, assassinating, in the 70's, to 'international' or 'former colony' terrorist who were highjacking airplanes right and left since the 70's... and how 'security things' have been handled, there is a world of difference in how the US has gone off into to the weeds.

I personally would recommend that anyone consider travel to the US... 'just say no'...
 
One last reminder.

Comments are moving to political.

If you wish to participate, do not involve political commentary, which is prohibited here.
 
Guys, everything I have seen here about the thought processes of the DHS/CBP people has completely been imagined and is conjecture.

Please refer to the rules here about political discussions. I know of/worked with many foreign film crews that have shot here in the US and had NO problems being allowed in. Maybe there was an attitude issue at the entry point?

EDIT: whoops. David covered it.
 
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It's very difficult to answer this without mentioning the current status of going from Country to Country. It was mentioned above about Heathrow. I suspect that an American member could well complain about the UK border controls too - certainly I've found that when flying out, we Brits seem to get an easier time exiting the UK. A US passport holder I'd been talking to was filtered at one point because he held a US passport, and subjected to what seemed more security than I had - reaching the departure lounge ten minutes after me. We had both been through the x-ray machines and body pat down search, with shoes off - but the US people had extra on top. Of course at the other end (SFO) being a US passport holder he then got the easier treatment. Just how it is - and I don't think having a dislike for what we personally feel is intrusive behaviour is political - we all know why it's happening. We don't have to like it.

As for technical people working in the US it is very difficult, and expensive now. Almost certainly an interview at the American Embassy along with the on-line stuff. A colleague had grief because he was working on a cruise ship, and to get off in the US - just as a visitor - meant all sorts of paperwork, which he did. Ironically another guy who had boarded the ship at Southampton did not have a US entry visa, but went through with the passengers and was given one on the spot.

My own experience as a lighting person was that I could talk, but not do. Nothing to do with Visas, but union reasons. You can ask for what you want, but not touch! Oddly - this does not work like this for a US technician - they can union wise do what they want. I've not come across a union controlled workplace for years. If a production company arrive with lighting or sound people, nobody will ask for visas/work permits, they just get on with it. Something that does not work the same the other way around.
 
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