Hi All - neded your help

K

krost-audiovisual

Well-known member
Hi All,

as it happens in this amazing year i'm about to have a shoot over the pond in Tucson, Arizona.
For this we'd need a production company/skilled freelancer to prepare shooting permits,
etc etc - a service production, plus a grip for the shoot..
anyone knows anyone good /worked with someone there?

second: as i've not flown to the US with my F3 - anything special that i need to consider
besides cabin luggage dimensions in the US?? currentyl i fly with a burton backpack
which works well in Europe...

cheers all!

stefan
 
What you need to consider is when you go BACK to Europe you'll want to ensure that they don't try to make you declare any of your equipment and pay VAT on it you've already paid.

You should be able to file out some declaration before you exit the country making return much easier. Also bring a receipt as backup.
 
krost-audiovisual said:
Hi All,

as it happens in this amazing year i'm about to have a shoot over the pond in Tucson, Arizona.
For this we'd need a production company/skilled freelancer to prepare shooting permits,
etc etc - a service production, plus a grip for the shoot..
anyone knows anyone good /worked with someone there?

second: as i've not flown to the US with my F3 - anything special that i need to consider
besides cabin luggage dimensions in the US?? currentyl i fly with a burton backpack
which works well in Europe...

cheers all!

stefan
Click to expand...


Hello Stefan, I regularly cross the "pond" with my F3 and other film equipment too. This is what I do....
You have the carnet, so that's good.

Here's what I do with my camera gear, ( this applies to British Airways as the airline as this is my "bus run" to and from Baltimore to Toulouse, change of flights at LHR).
Oh yes, I normally travel "steerage", ( Ecomony ), so no special baggage allowances.

I have a regular, ( Swiss Army brand ), backpack in which I carry the F3 with a short 50mm 1.4 Nikkor mounted with the MTF adapter. I carry one battery too in case some official wants me to turn it on, ( never happened yet, but be prepared for that ). In the same backpack I usually carry one of my Leica M9's with a lens mounted, plus a 17" MBP.

I have checked this out but not travelled it yet, but I can also get the 18-254 Sony zoom in the backpack, not mounted of course, but it fits.
Soft wrap the gear with T shirts or whatever after first plastic bagging them to keep travel crap / dust away .
So far in the past dozen or so trips I have also managed to get aboard a small Domke soft camera bag with stills gear as well as the F3 in the backpack.

Oh yes....valium's good too, especially in coach.

The rest of the gear, ( CP Primes / Red 17-50 / some Nikkors ), are packed in custom fitted Pelican lens cases, plus a second large Pelican, ( 1610 I think ), with all the camera accessories, ( PIX 240/some audio gear/mattebox & FF etc etc ), and these travel as checked baggage, ( on which BA make almost as much as the cost of the fare with the bag charges!)

Checked gear. Prior to the flight I visit and give the US Customs a list of the gear including serial numbers before I fly, they check it and stamp the list. I put a copy of that list inside each checked Pelican case plus a print of a photo I've taken of each checked case, snap of the interior obviously. Why those two steps? To discourage any light fingers in the inevitable TSA exam of the bags. Also for me this shows EU customs that I bought the gear in the US and on return to the US I can show the same thing. I also use those simple locks that only TSA / Customs are supposed to be able to open other than you.
If you really want to be paranoid you can scan all / any receipts for the gear you've bought and take the electronic files with you on your phone/computer.

It's ok to be paranoid when you travel with gear.

But also think about renting stuff in the US too, Phoenix is a good production town, but web search for Tucson too. Also Abel CineTech out of NYC and LA will rent / send gear anywhere in the US, ( to your hotel for instance ), and are the best in the business. I'd rent my batteries and a decent multi bay battery charger there too, just keep the travel one with the camera....Oh yes, rent tripod/s there too. They are a pain in the butt to travel with.


Hope this helps.......
 
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When you go through immigration never ever ever say that you are coming over to work.
You'll be taken out of line and grilled for hours to see if you are an economical refugee.
Say that you are shooting for an European broadcaster on a documentary for European Television.
Having the paperwork to prove this helps.
never ever ever say that you are coming over to work on a feature unless you have an O visum or Green Card.
When you are coming in with professional equipment you are being seen as a Media professional.
That requires an I-visa. You can apply for one at you're local American Embassy, make sure the paperwork is in order.
Take enough time to arrange this beforehand, not two day's before take-off!
If this is not in order you will be send home.
Bringing professional equipment in to the US requires a ATA Carnet, you can get one at your local Chamber of Commerce.
The Carnet is processed and stamped at your port of entry.
When you leave the country it is absolutely essential that you have the Carnet checked out again.
Otherwise you will be charged for importing the goods.
If you are leaving the US with a connection of Flights (for instance Tuscon-L.A. and then L.A.-where ever) make sure the stop over at your port of exit is long enough to be able to handle customs.
It takes time, getting the gear from the belt, going to the customs office, having it checked and the Carnet stamped, and
then checked in again on your flight out.
Beware not to check through your equipment from the first airport because you will not be able to show customs your stuff at the port of exit.
Be sure your paperwork is in order (Serial numbers, Visa etc.) because the US customs and Immigrations are strict and solid.
Keep in mind that they are just doing their job, so it is not very helpful to become angry because you might miss a flight
due to paperwork in progress.
Be nice and polite and all will be well.
Enjoy the scenery in Arizona!
 
hi all,

Thanx for all the Info and time you spent putting this together!
I was planning on going with a rudimentary kit of my f3 with 3lenses all in my backpack for i already heard that checking in might be a bit risky and a fuzz...
but i never tought on the visa to be different if i come to do a commercial comissioned by a european company... Is that so?

Cheers again for the great input!
 
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....well after going throught the visa info jt's a strange feeling that i can move everywhere here in eu without all that hassle ;-) some calls to be made tomorrow for sure...
cheers
 
If you shoot a commercial for a European company you should be alright. But be sure to carry a piece of paper (any piece) to proof it.
I always go in the cabin with the camera and my basic lenses and enough battery's to last two days.
should fit into one bag, I use a Kataband Maze with trolly.
If I miss a checked equipment case on arrival, two days is most of the times enough to get it back or to buy/organize a replacment.
The US is pretty well organized for that matter.
 
I allways bring my own cause it gives me more freedom. "Change of Schedule, we are going to move to location X" "This is great stuff let's stay another week" etc. etc.
and all the little extra's that I bring with me that make live so easy and are impossible to rent.
But the US probably has the best possible rental coverage.
So you will be OK.
Good luck!
 
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