Post
by Pqtrick » Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:51 am
It is refreshing to see a statement like this from the UK’s Metropolitan Police and their interpretation of the rights of those filming in public place. For those who are sane, it suggests just common sense. If anyone was a terrorist, or the like, they would not exactly have a flashing beacon on their head advertising themselves.
Happily, I never experienced that side of the boys in blue other than a couple of gendarmes stopping the traffic for me, while I was filming an event in the town of Roanne a few years ago.
It is the lesser mortals who enrage us, as Mike Shaw states:
‘I rarely get angry - but this really winds me up every time’.
It has happened many of us, when trying to film at some events. Even the most sober souls within our ranks become enraged at some of the illogical reasons put forward to ban filming. Perhaps, just turning up at an organised event ‘off road’ may be asking for trouble. Sometimes the taking of pictures at a school concert by et al, can be a distraction and should be banned on its nuisance value. (Now follows your outrage!)
You can’t film here because of copyright! My retort has been ‘Are you the copyright holder and are you an expert on the subject - because I am’. Then comes the Health and Safety excuse, I add ‘Which aspect of the Health and Safety Legislation 1982 are you concerned about?’ Then insurance and you know the answer to that one.
The filming of children is perceived to be taboo. I did in a recent documentary to highlight a particular cause. Parental consent was pre-requisite and the organisers made the proviso that if anyone objected, not to turn up with their charge when the shooting was taking place.
Agreed, you don’t always get this degree of co-operation!
However, it really is folly to just turn up at an event and expect to film. Do you homework first. In a public place yes, you have to chance your arm and do it. If you are filming an event, it is well advised to get an advantage by talking to the organisers first.
The scenario of school sports days, perhaps it needs an assertive reaction to a head’s dictum of banning video cameras. It is brave to say, but they need challenging, they may consider themselves to be in charge of their roost but under English law, their decision can be tested.
Tell them that you’ll sue, take them to the court of human rights, the council of Europe or the back room of the local boozer if necessary. It is nonsense perhaps, but needs a ‘bit of tongue in cheek’, to meet buffoonery with buffoonery. Take it to the local authority, your MP, the local newspaper, local radio. The head may just back off because they may not want to be proved wrong.
After all, if a group of kids are not secure under the eye of parents and teachers, they are not safe anywhere. Banning video and photography anywhere is nonsense anyway, with the universal use of mobile phones and today’s micro technology.
In these days with everyone knowing their rights, if you are going to film anywhere, you should be more positive and challenge these people and kick up a fuss about it. After all, you have the strength of the Film and Video Institute behind you and how many members’ wives could bake a cake with a space in the middle!
So far, where are I am now living, these impediments to filming do not seem to arise. The members of the club I now belong to, appear to happily film at places in a manner where logic and more commonsense prevails. Bonne chance!
