Filming In Brooklyn

I first got the idea for this blog because I love being around movie and TV sets and seeing actors doing their thing.  Then I discovered that other people like seeing pictures of actors, and my first profitable blog was born.  Of course, watching actors work and spotting celebrities are two different things, with two different methods.  Finding famous people in New York can be as easy as staking out hotels that celebrities frequent (or even the hotels that they have affairs in), but frankly I feel like that’s stalker-ish behavior.  I feel completely OK, though, watching actors shooting on location, as long as I do my best to stay out of their way and let them concentrate while they work.  Some may disagree with me, but I think that’s the price productions pay for getting to use New York City’s fabulous locations.

I was interviewed last year for a New York Daily News article about location shooting, (they even did a nice slide show of some of my best set pictures), and since then have gotten tons of emails asking about how to find actors.  There are some shows – usually shows with a big teen-aged audience – that draw the most fans trying to find the set and meet the actors, and some people even make vacation plans around when and where shows will be filming.  Every time I even mention Gossip Girl I get a flood of emails asking if so-and-so is going to be there and EXACTLY what time shooting will start.  (The answers are “I have no idea” and “Nobody has any idea.”)  And while meeting the actors on the set and posing for pictures with them isn’t my thing, it is a hobby for many of my readers, so I thought I’d post what I’ve learned over the past year-and-a-half.  Whether you want to say hi to your favorite actor or just watch the process, here are some tips:

• Be nice.  Everyone on the set is trying to get a job done, and you’ll get a lot closer to the action if you don’t keep them from doing their jobs.
• On the other hand, don’t let the production assistants push you around too much.  They’ve been told to keep the area clear, keep people from taking pictures, etc.  But while you should always be courteous, remind yourself that they are using public property and there’s only so much control they have over what you can do.
• Try to blend into the background as much as possible.  I was once able to watch the guys from Entourage film several scenes from very close by keeping still and quiet for an hour, while everyone else was held a block away.
• Bring something to read.  There’s a lot of down time where nothing will be happening.
• Keep your flash off.  Even if nothing is being filmed at the moment, you will draw a major amount of attention to yourself.  That goes double for your cell phone ringer.
• If you’re asked not to take pictures while the cameras are rolling, follow instructions.  While the actors are doing their thing, they shouldn’t be distracted.  Wait until you hear someone yell “Cut!”
• Never ever approach an actor on the set between takes, unless it’s completely obvious that he wants to chat with fans.
• If you want to meet the actors, you might have more luck hanging out by the trailers than near the set.  Sometimes the trailers can be several blocks away from the set.
• The guys who drive the trucks are some of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.  If you strike up a conversation with them, they might tell you when lunch will be called, who’s on set that day, where the star’s trailer is, etc.

This is a TravelingMom dedicated post.

Originally posted on Filming In Brooklyn. Have a location shooting tip or some on location pictures? Please email Amy, or text the pictures to Amy@FilmingInBrooklyn.com, or tweet the pictures to @FilmingBrooklyn. Amy also blogs at SelfishMom.com.

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