Cut!...Run!!

[John Locke]

Here in Seoul, everywhere you try to shoot, some guy with epaulets and white gloves pops up telling you you can't film there. And if you're a foreign filmmaker, chances of getting permits are pretty slim unless you're with MGM or Discovery Channel.

So, up until now, most of the shooting I've done (except for recreational) has been studio...for corporate training videos.

Some friends of mine and I have been wanting to do a fun short feature for quite a while with the Seoul subway as the background, so we finally decided to go for the guerrilla filmmaking approach. Man! What a blast that was! We were dodging white gloved-guys all day. I highly recommend it.

I know some people say that guerrilla filmmakers make it tougher on others who follow...but when you live in a place that has restrictions for just about everything, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Anyway...that got me to thinking...some of you guys on this board have a lot of experience and probably loads of stories. Any you want to share? Mishaps? Lucky breaks? Problems with the talent? Or talent that later became famous? The kind of stories you tell at a DV conference over a few beers. Bring 'em on.

[Adrian Douglas]

So you'll be the guy with the XL1, Nikes and a balaclava, hoofing it down the platform with the guys with submachines asking for your autograph.....in blood

[Joe Redifer]

This isn't much of a story, but awhile ago we were going to shoot a couple of scenes in a car wash. On the way drving to the car wash, we noticed one of my "incredibly smart" neighboors from a few doors down riding his bike in the middle of the street. No big deal, I thought. I'll just move out of the way, go around him and hope that no one else runs him over. So we get to the car wash and start shooting the scenes. Right in the middle of it the same guy pulls up to the carwash on his bike and starts digging through a trash can. We left and came back later when he was gone, but I really wish we would have continued to shoot anyway. It would have made the video a much cooler to have some guy digging through the trash in the background looking at what the characters are doing with a "what the hell is going on?" look on his face. It would have been perfect. Oh well.

[Rob Lohman]

I'm sure you know John... but I've written two articles about
my experience. They are both up on Chris' site. Now how about
you writing down your experience? It is great to read on what
you did overthere!

Go guerrilla!

[John Locke]

Rob, I wish I had more stories! Actually I'm a newbie in video...having only taken it up last summer. And since I live in a country where they won't sell property insurance to foreigners, I'm pretty darn careful about where I take my equipment (last week was an exception). Consequently, I do 99% of my shooting in an indoor setting, making corporate training videos...all in an office environment. So, that's why I'm wanting to hear some stories from people who've been in the biz for years and who've had some experiences worth relaying.

Now if this were a still photography forum...THEN I'd have some stories to tell. I've been doing that either as a main job or side job since disco was king. But...give me another couple of years with video... ;)

[Rob Lohman]

I was hoping you had to tell (ie write) a story about your
last encounter with the white gloves.... But perhaps not :)

Good luck anyways!

[Adrian Douglas]

I've got a little customs story. John, your're not the only ones they hate. Back in October 99, I was returning from 6 months in New Zealand. I arrived at Brisbane International Airport customs with my snowboard bag, backpack and camera flight case filled with cameras, including my XL1.

I was looking a bit shaggy having not shaved for a few days as I had been on the road. A customs official came over and asked for my arrival card and what I had in my case. I gave him my card told him it was my cameras in the case. He seemed happy with the answer and left me alone.

I got my stuff togeather and headed for the clearence gate. My friend was standing there and waved me to gate with no line. I thought he was just being nice(ha, I should have know not to trust customs) and over I went. He asked when I had bough the XL1 and said he was interested in video. He asked if I had bought it duty free and how much it had cost. Well, after two days of travelling and a few beers on the plane, answers just flowed out as I just wanted to get back home. Then he started looking through my snowboard bag. He had my stuff everywhere, and didn't say anything for 25 mins.

I finally asked what he was looking for and he said something to prove how much I paid for my XL1 so he new how much to fine me for not declaring it because it was worth more than AUD$400.

WTF!!!!!!! My jaw dropped when he handed me a fine for AUD$1600 and told me I had 4 weeks to pay or my cameras would be sold. My brain was spinning, as I had no job and no money, and in 4 weeks, no XL1.

Luckly I had 3 extra snowboards, so I sold them and did a fashion shoot for my friends surf wear company. I got the money with 2 days to spare. To top it off, I got a speeding ticket on my way back to the airport to pick up my camera.