Has anyone ever bothered with getting permits for there documentary/ film?
If so what Do I have to ask when applying for one at the city hall?

I just don't want to get arrested for vandalism.. (blood covered streets and cars..)

I plan to shoot a scene that takes place in a back road near my house. I am going to have a mini traffic jam and basically have blood everywhere with actors running and a few guns here and there.

Any permit ideas?

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Depending on where you live. A lot of cities have Film offices. If you live in PA and what to shoot in Philadelphia look up www.film.org.
Cool, I used to live in New Jersey, about 30 minutes from Phili, I will use this link as a reference if I decide to shoot there when I move back. Unfortunately I live in a smaller community. I highly doubt the have an office. I'll swing by city hall and see if it's worth getting a permit versus just shooting anyway.

Thanks for the help.
No problem at all. Just remember anything that is going to have fake firearms or other weapons you might want to let the local Police know even if a permit is not needed. Saves you the trouble later.
yah like wolfe said, let them know ahead of time, but i would say call them or visit a few days ahead and ask if you need a permit, how you can do the traffic jam legally, and remind them the day of the shoot what time and where its going to be.
Well this shall be fun. First, inform local law enforcement, Then go door to door and tell the residents to stay indoors for that time. Hope this works. I don't want to change locations..
Forgot to ask what type of guns are you using? Also it will help if you write the scene up and have it ready to hand over to the township so they can look it over. Also be very polite when letting the neighborhood know what is going on.
well, a hand gun, m4, and maybe a shotgun. They are going to be cheap airsoft guns, from walmart, but painted for realism. I have my script finished and filming dates set.
Make sure you stress that to the Township and the Police that the weapons are Airsofts and not firing modified firearms or blank firing weapons so there won't be issues with noise of gunfire. I am fairly sure that in PA for blank firing or modified firearms you need someone with a FFL to sign off on paperwork before each scene that the they verified the weapons are correctly loaded with blank rounds.
Wolf and Neos bring up excellent points- don't be so quick to discount the activity of notifying the locals about your film shoot- surprisingly, I asked the local gendarmes [police] about shooting in an abandoned parking lot and they went one step better- the let me shoot in the alley right next to their station!

Also- how best to brook the issue of "guns-n-roses" in a neighborhood takes a mature approach and even a willingness to "sell a role" to some that look like they'd be a problem...

Can't tell you how many times I got a local Kooter-type to shut his pie-hole when I offered up a "special kill" part to him in a war picture we were making. All he had to do was "die" after a series of cork stuffed popper cups exploded- didn't even have to "wire him up" with squibs.

Having invited him to be a part of the action for a few hours, dress him up- let him nosh off the Craft Services table and what was originally going to be a call to the county sheriff [too late there were extras FROM the sheriff's office anyway...] turned into one of our biggest advocates when we had a release preview of the finished work!

What you do in leg work not only builds your credibility but proves to the people around you that you have some professionalism to what is already perceived by many to be a "frolicsome lifestyle of debauchery & hedonism"!

Cleric
What you do in leg work not only builds your credibility but proves to the people around you that you have some professionalism to what is already perceived by many to be a "frolicsome lifestyle of debauchery & hedonism"!

What there is no debauchery and hedonism! Why I am trying to get into the film industry then? ;) BTW Cleric, I decided to skip the entire blank firing issue and go with Airsofts. Watched Doomsday and learned they used them for the film and they worked fairly well.
Sounds good- certainly sounds "Soft"!

As to the whole "frolicsome/debauchery" claim- well, let's just say I should make it my moniker if not from hearing it first from one of my mentors...

"Yah see here, son- Being from the [80s] Sex, Drugs & Rock-n-Roll were actually VERY good to me!"

Oh yeah- all that and the t-shirt!

Cleric
I looked at it from the legal and insurance standpoint that using the Airsofts as opposed to the modified real firearms will be a lot cheaper for our initial films. Once we get established I will contact the ATF for the proper licensing for actual firearms. Right now don't need those headaches when I am trying to start out. :)

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