When you make a movie with actors wielding firearms in a public place, say, a brewery pub like the one above, you need to tell the police that you’re doing so. In fact, it’s a good idea . . .
to cordon off the area and hire people at your location to make sure neither the general public nor the local constabulary conclude that your actors aren’t bad actors. I mean, criminals. Otherwise, as abc7chicago.com reports, bad things can happen . . .
Montgomery County Movies was filming a robbery scene at the Backstep Brewing Company on North Green Street in Crawfordsville, Indiana (above), just before 7 p.m., according to Indiana State Police.
It must have been realistic, because someone called 911 to report a possible armed robbery, and when Crawfordsville police arrived, “a subject came out with a ski mask on carrying a handgun, and a shot was fired by police,” a statement from ISP said.
The subject, actually actor Jim Duff, was “backing out of the door with the mask on and still holding the gun,” which was actually a movie prop, ISP said.
Then things got dicey.
The officers told him to drop the gun, but the surprised actor just turned towards the officers, ISP said.
“The officers felt their lives were in danger and fired at the suspect. The subject dropped the gun and pulled off the mask while telling the officers this is a movie set.”
Fortunately, no one was injured, though a bullet ricocheted off the building, chipping the facade.
The film crew and other actors, all inside at the time of the confrontation, were unaware of what was going on.
Another thing we can learn from this: if you’re holding a gun after a defensive gun use when the cops show up and order you to DROP YOUR WEAPON, in the immortal words of Ace of Base, don’t turn around. Do the Snoop Dog thing instead.
Just for fun, here’s the police-related post from Montgomery County Movies’ Facebook Page:
Montgomery County Movies would first of all like to thank the Crawfordsville Police Department for their hasty response to what they thought was a crime being committed. Had it been a real robbery, the police were quick to the scene, and the situation would have been diffused promptly.
Movie officials did not physically see what transpired outside the location, except for what was visible through the glass doors entering the establishment.
During the scene, a masked robber was suppose to flee the place after being intimidated by the patrons inside. Once outside, from what witnesses could hear and see, the actor complied with the police, removed his mask, and a gunshot was fired.
Montgomery County Movies is currently working with local law enforcement to put a plan in place so this doesn’t happen again. Safety should be of the highest priority, and communication could have spared all of us from the incident, not just for MCM, but for anyone out there looking to make films.
No one was hurt in the incident.
Thank God for lousy marksmanship! But counting on a cop’s bad aim to save your beer bacon is the height of irresponsibility. At least in this case.