Police camera? Action?

[Austin Prefect]

A couple of weeks ago I came across a 'situation', police, ambulance, flashing lights ETC. Plus a bloke in civilian clothing crouching on the pavement holding a professional looking video camera. IE a huge thing with a sock over the microphone. Thought it was probably filming for one of the fly on the wall police shows but I always assumed there would more of a crew.

Then yesterday in Green park there was a cluster of coppers and a police van, no ambulance or flashing lights this time, and again one bloke, apparently civilian with a serious looking camera.

On reflection a police TV show only really needs one person and a camera, after all the 'PC Jones is beginning to realise this yob is even more stupid than he looks' narration is presumably added on afterwards. But is this how they do it?

Or could it have been a member of the public with unusually good equipment? Or police themselves filming what was going on for training purposes?

[Simpo Two]

You'd normally have at least a sound man too, but in this case if it was real there'd be no space in the back for one nor time to set up.

Narration will be written and added in the edit.

[808 Estate]

I have seen shows, where the camera guy is chasing the copper, chasing the scrote. A separate sound recordist wouldn't work in this scenario. Probably just a fit cameraman with a "run & gun" rig.

[sospan]

Before retirement I worked in our Police Ops room. We had filming for the tv for a series. Fly on the wall type. There was a solo cameraman with a camera that also recorded sound. Sound was turned off unless @ specific recording was needed. I did a short intro they used as part of the opening credits of the episodes. Basically looking at the camera and saying...
Heddlu Dyfed Powys Police, how can I help you?
This was our standard opening comment to non 999 calls.
There was quite a bit of post filming editing to get the final scenes as the no sound rule was there to restrict details going on air. Same happens today by the final structure of the programs. Interviews would be done at convenient times.
One evening the cameraman stayed on into the evening to get some "stock footage". It was quiet and he looked bored! I did a fake non contentious call for him so he could go. Not used in any programs but it filled his quota.
If we dealt with a serioys incident then the helicopter could be used to get an aerial view that post incident investigators would use ( accident investigation usually). I think drones are now used as MUCH cheaper!

[Austin Prefect]

Thanks for all the info. I've never had a job interesting enough for anyone to want to film it, not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

[Mr Miata]

They could have used footage from a YouTube auditor

[KTMsm]

When you look at how professional many youtubers footage is - that they film themselves - you wonder why the TV cos. seem to need 20 people to do the same

IE Itchyboots, Adam Riemann etc

[LesXRN]

My mate and I had Police Camera Action with us one night on traffic duty. It was just a lone cameraman back then.

One incident he filmed involved us stopping a car because the exhaust was hanging so low it was causing sparks. When we stopped the car and opened the drivers door, the driver, a lady, literally fell out sideways. She was totally ratted and blew nearly 4 times the limit at the nick.

[OutInTheShed]

Could also have been a drama being filmed, actors not real plod?

[Austin Prefect]

OutInTheShed said:

Could also have been a drama being filmed, actors not real plod?

The first case certainly not.

The second possibly, but nobody standing around other than those in police uniform and the camera guy.