The London community support officers (they're not real cops, but deputied volunteers who fancy themselves real ones) as they confront a videographer who has the temerity to take footage of a public street. It starts with a sudden gloved hand over the camera lens, then it's "give me a good reason why you're filming," then it's on to "papers please"; and when the guy behind the camera, sensibly enough, asks under which law he's not allowed to film there, the bully-boy hisses "shut up." Twice.
This isn't just in the UK, either. I have a close friend who was shooting B-roll -- that is, images that are supplemental that covers the main shot in an interview or documentary.
He was in NYC, and not long after 9/11.
He was shooting some black and white shots of NYC street life. He's on a bike.
Patrol car pulls up in front of him.
Only, the difference between his story and the story in the video is that he's picked up and thrown into a holding tank for 24 hours.
Eventually, the Secret Service looks through his books, look at the footage. They finally figure out he's not a terrorist. They figure out he's just a frustrated filmmaker. "Sorry. Off you go."
1 comment:
Somebody once asked Clint Eastwood for his papers.
Poor b*stard died strangled to death in a mens' lavatory with a toilet rol spool.
These limey goof-balls got off easy.
Of course, I doubt that our videographer could think in Russian.
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