Filmmaking / Directing : Who Here Has Shot Guerrilla? by Joleene DesRosiers

Find the cinematographer for the film Adrift in Manhattan. I know some scenes were shot Guerrilla style, especially the subway scenes.

Tracy Lea Carnes Thanks, Tracy! He doesn't appear to be a member here on Stage 32. We'd like to start with our membership first.

The blogs have been incredible Joleene!

That's great to hear! Thank you.

Because of budget limitations, I’ve shot many times without a permit. But so have thousands of other filmmakers. It’s really no big deal.

I'm not monkeying around

I think this is more of an issue for those of you who reside in urban markets where paranoia and suspicion abound. Out here in weenie Tinky Town where I live, nobody needs no stinkin' permits for nothin'. We have farmlands, seashore, deserts and forests (if they haven't all burned up by now). Everything I shoot now is Gorilla Style but I do have an itty-bitty sound stage.

Joleene, most importantly - Planning. Last guerilla scene I did was in the Hollywood hills at night time. Full crew. Went great.

Hi Joleene, I'm in the early stages of planning my first short, which will be zero budget, shot guerrilla style. Aiming to shoot in October, I was given good advice to keep a diary of the process, maybe it will be useful to you when I get to that stage.

My friend Jerel Damon made this movie: "Prowler". There is nothing that isn't guerilla style in this movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0on8wU08SnA If you like it, I will ask him to tell you his story. He's one of the few people I work with at Stage32.

It’s all fun and giggles until someone on your cast & crew gets hurt. If you’re planning illegal film shoots, you are responsible for everyone’s safety.

If film making is "all fun and giggles", you should not make films. If you want to do a real guerilla style shoot, you operate as a two man team. Now your only responsible for yourself and one other person. You do not need tons of people to create interesting content.

Rutger Oosterhoff I sent him a message, but feel free to point him to this post! He can message me and I'll chat with him from there. Thank you!

Cool Joleene, I'll do.

I am planning on it, so I am interested in information.

Dan M, your urban paranoia is showing a bit but as adults in the room - we know and understand the risks and potential pitfalls. Us country kids are tough - we break a leg; we just walk it off.

Are you thinking documentary, scripted or reality? Each has it's own necessities for gorilla shooting. Most of my more enjoyable projects have been gorilla (some were not intended to be gorilla). Staying nimble is critical but the single most important aspect is to keep the camera rolling. ABR -- Always Be Rolling. Use more than one camera. Use your phone. Get as much footage as you can. Get coverage. You won't really know the true gold until you're in post. Wait...the 1A most important thing is sound! Make sure your sound person is smart, quick and enthusiastic. I'll email you more.

It depends on what you are filming, but I am with Dan MaxXx on this one. If you can't get a permit, it means you shouldn't be there in the first place. There is always an alternative, and although one of my favourite filmmakers is Werner Herzog, I get chills down my spine when I hear of accidents on set where people get killed or seriously hurt. I love filmmaking, but I could never live with the thought that someone got hurt because of my poor judgment.

Subway shooting without a permit in NYC can result in handcuffs. If you're using an obvious cinema camera. If you're just using a small DSLR that isn't tricked out with monitors and barbell weights you're probably not going to be noticed. If you look like a legit film crew, you' better have permits. Have people done it and gotten away with it, yeah. I would not shoot in a subway on a real camera without a permit unless the producer agrees to accept full liability.

Jeff DeVuono Frank Di Muccio Martina Cook M L. - Are you interested in participating in a post I am putting together? If so, can you please email me at joleene@stage32.com and I'll send you a few questions? Thanks, all.

Doug Nelson i work with professional union crews. These folks can smell shady Productions by the call sheets.

You’re a Producer. You know safety is number one priority.

Mr. MaxXx, the core of gorilla filmmaking is risk/reward. I am a professional union camera op. (IATSE Local 600) with 25 years experience. I've been untethered on the hood of a moving car (slow moving) because I was asked to do it and there wan't anyone else that could. I went into a viciously violent mosh pit with a $100K camera because I was asked to do it. Was the director there with me? No, but she recruited two huge guys to block for me. The risk...serious injury (I was a target), the reward...f'ing amazing footage. I can't even count how many times I've shot out the side of a moving van (at high speeds).

Union shoots encourage safety and it's usually enforced, but when it comes to getting the shot, if a crew member is unwilling to work because of an unsafe working environment, that person will eventually be fired (if not on the spot) and replaced by someone that will do the job. I've been on both ends. You either say "f that" and get canned, or do everything you can to protect yourself and those around you, hope no one screws up, cross your fingers and go. Personally, I would never ask anyone to do anything that I would not do myself.

Hey Dan M there are reasons some of us abandoned the the glam & glory of the uptown urban lifestyle - and unions is one of 'em. (We can change a light bulb all by ourselves.)

I would encourage anyone reading this thread to google Midnight Rider and look into what happened to the 2nd A.C. on that film when producers asked them to shoot on a "suppposedly inactive" railroad line.

I shot a documentary on the Detroit Fire Department with $0 budget. I bought a cheap video camera from Office Max on credit and taught myself how to edit. I rode with them, slept at the fire station, went on runs and fires. The doc is incredibly rough, but It currently has 525,000 views on Youtube.

Jeff DeVuono I’m sure you’ve seen Haskell Wexler’s documentary, “Who Needs Sleep?”

Real world- I guess intimidation is still common on set.

Recently Uma Thurman revealed she crashed in a car filming a dangerous vehicle shot for “Kill Bill.”

I shot Ypres - The Battlefields Tours, by turning up with the historian and setting the camera down and shooting.