Photographers Rights?

[thrumyeyes]

I went to the Crescent Hotel in Dallas today on my lunch break to get some architectural photos for my portfollio. While walking from my car I noticed that they appeared to be filming a movie at a little Bed & Breakfast across the street. I took out my dslr and took a few photos like any good GWC would do. As soon as they saw my lens they were on me like white on rice and demanded that I stop taking pictures and basically physically forced me to the next street and threatened to have me arrested if I tried to come back.

My question is: What rights do you have as a photographer to shoot in public?

They said that it was a closed set and I was breaking the law. I would assume that a sidewalk is about as public as property can possibly get. There were no barricades to cross or fences to climb. I did not sneak past any guards or anything like that.
I was indignant about it because I felt like I was giving up freedom and liberty be moving along. I wasn’t indignant enough to test the situation… *tucks tail and moves along…*

Btw, they were shooting an episode of Prison Break and I will look tonight and see if I got anything worth posting before the camera crew mafia stopped me…

[jeffkohn]

If you were on public property, they had absolutely no right to restrict your shooting.

There are no laws regarding 'closed sets', gimme a break. And a truly closed set wouldn't be visible from public property.

[gardener]

Out of curiousity, who is "they"? The police? Members of this alleged "closed set" business?

[thrumyeyes]

Originally Posted by gardener

Out of curiousity, who is "they"? The police? Members of this alleged "closed set" business?

Two members of the production crew, not sure what their rolls were, but they had walkie talkies so I got all intimidated and confused...
No badges or anything that said security/police...

[johnastovall]

Get and read this and carry a copies of this.

And we have a thread on this at TPF.

[thrumyeyes]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

Get and read this and carry a copies of this.

And we have a thread on this at TPF.

Thanks johnastovall! That PDF is handy and informative! I will read the other thread also.

I didn't think I was doing anything wrong, but I didnt want to get my new dslr smashed or end up in jail. I think my boss would have missed me not coming back from lunch and my wife says I have already spent too much money on this hoby of mine...and that is before ever having to bail me out of jail....

Thanks all!

[suzyjazz]

What a load of garbage. They're probably just trying to prevent info about the show from leaking. Sorry they ruined your day. If that was "24" filming, they couldn't have gotten rid of me like that. I'd make them call the cops on me to prove their point. All they can do is tell you to go away. They have no grounds to do so if you're standing there quietly, not in their way. But this is the way things have started to turn...

Ask them to tell you exactly which law you are breaking and see if they stutter.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by suzyjazz

What a load of garbage. They're probably just trying to prevent info about the show from leaking. Sorry they ruined your day. If that was "24" filming, they couldn't have gotten rid of me like that. I'd make them call the cops. They have no grounds to do so if you're standing there quietly, not in their way. But this is the way things have started to turn...

Ask them to tell you exactly which law you are breaking and see if they stutter.

You should call the cops. They would have been harassing you. Call 911 and scream public harassment.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Yeah they can get real Naziesque if they think you are trying to find out info on a show being shot and posting it to the net. If you were not on the property of the actual shoot they don't have anything to say or can legally do to you other than intimidate you.

They are shooting a lot in Dallas right now and if I knew where they were shooting tommorrow I would just happen to stroll on by their shoot and snap a few pics.

Just got my SLRN in the mail and I need to see what this baby can do with it's 13+megs and full frame sensor! Toss my 500 mirrored F8 and a 2x tele and I bet I can do head shots at 100 ft!

[JPalmer]

Suzy...if that was "24" filming...Jack Bauer would have just killed you.

I can't wait until Sunday.

[PeteQ]

Time to break out my 400mm and do some street shooting.....

[markperez]

If I wasn't so lazy I would offer to go down there with you tomorrow and start shooting. If they threaten to call the cops then I would say go ahead. If the cops say I need to leave then I will leave

[Angelo]

You pros are giving us amateurs a bad name...

[Duffy Pratt]

If it was Prison Break, it was definitely a union shoot. That means the guys driving the trucks are Teamsters, and I wouldn't be surprised if they also have instructions to keep a lid on outside photography. In the past, the Teamster's interpretations of the law have been a bit less than reliable. But they aren't a group I would want to confront too vocally.

Duffy

[Charles Putnam]

I was born/raised in SoCal and worked in downtown LA, where there's always a lot of filming going on (btw, CSI NY is primarily filmed in downtown LA).

Legally, the only way they can prevent you from taking pics is if they have a permit to shut down the entire street. If the goons saw you with a camera, they would always claim that it was a "closed set" of which we'd remind them we were across the street, which is public access.

Interestingly, most of the performers were actually very nice. If you nicely asked if you could take their pic, they'd ablige.