Detroit film sets mistaken for crime locations

12/13/2009

DETROIT - Detroit police have twice mistaken film crews shooting scenes involving weapons with criminals in recent months because the crews hadn't obtained the proper permits, authorities said.

A four-person crew shooting a scene Nov. 5 for a film titled Vigilante was in court Thursday after being issued tickets for possession and brandishing of facsimile weapons, the Detroit News reported.

A hearing was set for Feb. 18.

"Regardless of the lights and cameras, the officers don't know if the guns are real or not, so they have to take appropriate action," Detroit police spokesman John Roach said. "That's where we're bumping into problems."

DeAndre King, production assistant for Detroit-based B.U.P. Films, said the crew didn't think it needed a permit to film on private property. It had submitted an application for a permit to film at another location Nov. 6.

"We didn't know what was going on," Mr. King said. "All of a sudden, the police came up on us pointing their guns and yelling at us to get down."

They were filming at the northwest side home of actor Jermaine Allen.

A similar incident happened in November on the city's northwest side, but Mr. Roach had no details.