shooting in USA > legal shooting in N.Y., LA... local laws?

[Martin von Kuttenberg]

hello is there any url or website describing what is problematic and what is fine while shooting documentary or commercial spot in US with run&gun setup (one reflector or battery powered led panel) ?

basicly what i am interested:

1) shooting in public parks, parking lots, streets
2) shooting in local transport (metro, subway, trains...)
3) shooting random people for establish shots (not identified, out of focus)
4) shooting random people for establish shots (identified)
5) shooting police officers, firemens etc...
6) shooting privat property from street (houses, shops)

is there some difference in shooting with DSLR which looks like photo camera and RED?

 

[Akin A]

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/mome/permits/when-permit-required.page

 

[Demetri Zuev]

Check my Vimeo, directed spots shot in both NY and LA this way.

Long story short - in NY no one cares unless you get really bold and start crossing boundaries you shouldn't normally cross. It's legal to shoot in NY subway without a tripod and lights, so even a handheld Dragon is ok.

LA is a whole different story, people pay closer attention and it's easier to attract bystanders which exposes your shoot to the police and film la patrols (yes, they do have special patrol going around the city). In LA you need a permit to shoot almost everywhere, so if you don't have one it may cause you problems, the least of which is your production may be shut down and you may be asked to leave.

In both cases use common sense, ask people if they're ok with being filmed (especially police officers), comply with people if they ask you to leave their private property, don't attract too much attention, be quick and quiet. If there's is a problem, tell people you're a film student shooting an exercise for your film class, be nice. If you want to use an indoor location, just walk inside and politely ask the manager if you can do this for your "student" project, don't be discouraged if you hear a "no" right away, continue with $10 offer and increase depending on how much you want the location, I bargained many locations right on the spot this way just walking in and asking politely.

This style of shooting is certainly possible in NY and LA, you just have to execute it wisely.

 

[Jaime Vallés]

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/mome/permits/when-permit-required.page

Thanks for that link! Very helpful.

 

[Marcel M]

To add to what's already been stated above LA can be tricky because it's so big, you can cross many different cities & ordinaces. The city of LA is different from the County of LA and can get quite confusing. Pm me and I can help with some specific details if you have your potential shot locations.