Eric Coughlin
Veteran
Where are some public outdoor places you can film interviews without a permit? Some parks are closed with COVID-19. I'm talking a basic ENG style interview, not a big setup.
Public outdoor places to film interviews
- Thread starter Eric Coughlin
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I have checked about this in NYS state land and you need a permit for anything that isn't personal. That included state owned parks. I had thought about doing a project on the fire towers in the Adirondacks and after looking into it decided I could not afford to do it on an out of pocket cost structure.
Eric Coughlin
Veteran
Some states require permits, maybe others don't, or they just don't care. I've never been stopped for not having a permit and I've filmed in public areas on many occasions. I've probably been kicked out of places at times but not by cops; I'd have to think about it. One time I was filming a movie at a neighborhood park in Florida with a decent size crew and one of the crew members lived in the neighborhood, a neighborhood Karen walking her dog called the police on us, the police officer show up, asked us what we were doing, we said filming a movie, and he said we were free to continue filming there.
I feel like I've had other interactions with cops where they didn't care we were filming but I'd have to think about it.
I've always been a believer in the saying, "Better to ask forgiveness than permission." Not a mantra for big productions but works for small ones.
I feel like I've had other interactions with cops where they didn't care we were filming but I'd have to think about it.
I've always been a believer in the saying, "Better to ask forgiveness than permission." Not a mantra for big productions but works for small ones.
Last edited:
cyclone
Well-known member
In one instance, filming a couple interacting in a park, the cops asked what I was doing. I said that they were getting married and it was a keepsake video. The police wished them many happy years together and drove away...and I've never felt so guilty in my life. Another time (many years ago), I was shooting on private property on the bluffs of Malibu overlooking the ocean. The LAPD rolled up and again asked what we were doing. Here's the catch this time: we were all loaded up with all kinds of firearms and blanks. I talked my way out of it ("a student film"), but I must have looked guilty as heck. I know my heart was beating a million times a minute and sweat was pouring down my face. I think the cops knew that something was up, but once again, they let us go.
Another time, I needed a canon going off and there happened to be an old WW2 relic in the city park, so I simply loaded a coffee can with black powder. lit the fuse and rammed the whole thing down the open barrel. It was a fantastic shot (so to speak).
All those stupid things were done when I was basically "inactionable"...I didn't even own my own car. Today, I am so cautious and worried about losing everything I own, that I am overly careful when it comes to permits...and ESPECIALLY insurance.
Another time, I needed a canon going off and there happened to be an old WW2 relic in the city park, so I simply loaded a coffee can with black powder. lit the fuse and rammed the whole thing down the open barrel. It was a fantastic shot (so to speak).
All those stupid things were done when I was basically "inactionable"...I didn't even own my own car. Today, I am so cautious and worried about losing everything I own, that I am overly careful when it comes to permits...and ESPECIALLY insurance.
JAMedia
Well-known member
For ENG you just Run and Gun. No permits needed. normally it is because you use a shoulder mounted camera. Tripods "obstruct" the public right of way etc. Though sometime time you can get away with using a tripod.
The thing for ENG is you never know where the news and interviews will be until "it" happens. So unless you report often from places like the court house, town hall, council office etc you can't get permits in advance anyway,
I have rarely had a problem. Occasionally shopping malls will stop you but they are private property even if they give the public free access (most of the time) That said I have got away with getting interviews in places like the Palace of Westminster where I should have had a permit and an expensive permit at that.
Normally being PRESS helps though of late in some parts of the world that simply gets you targeted by the police https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/dozens-of-journalists-attacked-and-arrested-at-us-george-floyd-protests/
The thing for ENG is you never know where the news and interviews will be until "it" happens. So unless you report often from places like the court house, town hall, council office etc you can't get permits in advance anyway,
I have rarely had a problem. Occasionally shopping malls will stop you but they are private property even if they give the public free access (most of the time) That said I have got away with getting interviews in places like the Palace of Westminster where I should have had a permit and an expensive permit at that.
Normally being PRESS helps though of late in some parts of the world that simply gets you targeted by the police https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/dozens-of-journalists-attacked-and-arrested-at-us-george-floyd-protests/