Jul 20, 2007

Batman in Chicago

The Dark Knight (follow-up to 2005′s Batman Begins) is currently filming in Chicago a few blocks from our office. Last week they set a firetruck on fire just outside our building as the sun went down. Sweet.

Co-worker Todd Prouty has snapped some pictures of the production as it unfolds. I’m waiting for the pictures of Chicago – er, Gotham – police trying to take his camera away.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toddandina/ Todd

Well, it wasn’t the GPD, but a rent-a-cop did chase me down for taking pictures. I had taken my last photo for the night and was walking home when a chubby security guard pulled up along side me and jumped out of his car. He was apparently trying to be intimidating as he started yelling at me right away. He even had a mail-order badge that said “Security Officer” hanging around his neck. He got up in my face and asked, loudly, “Were you taking pictures of my movie set?” I asked him what right he had to be talking to me this way (can security guards harass people who are a block or so away from the area they’re guarding?). He kept yelling, trying to get me to admit to taking pictures, so I asked, “What laws have I broken?” and started walking away. He got back in his car and drove alongside me a bit longer, spouting something about how I’d be “locked up” if I came near his movie set again. Yeah, right.

There were no posted signs and I was in public areas the entire time I was taking pictures. Most were taken from the Wells Street bridge, with a few (of the Joker truck and the SWAT guy) taken from a sidewalk that overlooks an alley leading to Lower Wacker. If it’s in public view (I certainly wasn’t sneaking onto any sets), I don’t see how they can prohibit photography. You know more about filmmaking than I do — have you heard otherwise?
http://www.evolvingpage.com/ Drew

Good to know the streets are safe from the dastardly likes of you…

I know less about this whole issue from filmmaking and more from our co-worker “The Nap Snapper”. Like you said, they were filming in a public location – it’s not like you snuck into a locked building. If that guy could have done something besides bark, he would have.
Kirk

same thing happened to me in L.A. this weekend. We were taking pictures of the area and noticed a film set (Sony’s Omega Man), and we took some pictures of the wrecked cars and the camera crew. We were on the sidewalk. As we started to walk away, a big man came running after us yelling obscenities and demanding to know if we were taking pictures of the movie set. We said it was none of his business and kept on walking. he followed after us for a few seconds then turned around and went back. all I have to say if they don’t want me to take a picture of it, don’t put it out on a public street in plain view.
http://www.evolvingpage.com/ Drew

Totally agree. I’m surprised you’d get that kind of reaction in L.A. – aren’t they always shooting something on a public street?