Anyone know - able to take DSLR in to West End Show?

[NewNameNeeded]

Quick bit of PH advice needed please.

Am off to see Phantom of the Opera later today at Her Majesty's Theatre. Wondered if there will be issues in trying to take in a DSLR? Have no desire to take shots during the performance, but wondered if I am going to be turned away for even trying to get in with a camera???

Anyone been to any of the big West End shows recently and had problems / not had problems?

thanks
Matt

[anonymous-user]

Been to see Hairspray, Chicago and Spike Milligan in the last few months, all say no photos, but no actual searches that I saw, I think you would be ok as long as you dont break it out mid performance

If they do kick up a stink perhaps offer to let it be locked in the managers office until the end of the performance or the like?

[sday12]

The DLR ends at Bank, take the Central line to the West End


HTH.

[anonymous-user]

sday12 said:

The DLR ends at Bank, take the Central line to the West End


HTH.

[Fastra]

As mentioned already if you don't make a big thing of it and can perhaps not use the flash (probably best not to anyway depending on where you're sitting) I'm sure there won't be a problem.
Could you not use a smaller compact digital and perhaps attract less attention than using a bigger DSLR?

My daughter's mental over bloody musical's and has over 160gb's worth for Musical Show videos that have been obtained in scurrilous ways (by other people I might add and some are bloody good actually) and I always wonder how they've just not been seen!!!

[MitchT]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

+1

[Loaded1me]

Fastra said:

As mentioned already if you don't make a big thing of it and can perhaps not use the flash (probably best not to anyway depending on where you're sitting) I'm sure there won't be a problem.
Could you not use a smaller compact digital and perhaps attract less attention than using a bigger DSLR?

My daughter's mental over bloody musical's and has over 160gb's worth for Musical Show videos that have been obtained in scurrilous ways (by other people I might add and some are bloody good actually) and I always wonder how they've just not been seen!!!

Please don't take this advice. I work in the industry as a production manager, and spend to much bloody time explaining this to audience members. If you're found taking photographs, or video recordings during performances it is possible that you could be prosecuted. This comes under copyright infringement. In the Westend they take this quite seriously.

If you're simply carrying the camera in with you as a piece of baggage then there shouldn't be a problem. If the Duty Manager has a problem with it, they will simply ask that you leave it with them and collect it again at the end of the show.

[Fastra]

Loaded1me said:

Fastra said:

As mentioned already if you don't make a big thing of it and can perhaps not use the flash (probably best not to anyway depending on where you're sitting) I'm sure there won't be a problem.
Could you not use a smaller compact digital and perhaps attract less attention than using a bigger DSLR?

My daughter's mental over bloody musical's and has over 160gb's worth for Musical Show videos that have been obtained in scurrilous ways (by other people I might add and some are bloody good actually) and I always wonder how they've just not been seen!!!

Please don't take this advice. I work in the industry as a production manager, and spend to much bloody time explaining this to audience members. If you're found taking photographs, or video recordings during performances it is possible that you could be prosecuted. This comes under copyright infringement. In the Westend they take this quite seriously.

If you're simply carrying the camera in with you as a piece of baggage then there shouldn't be a problem. If the Duty Manager has a problem with it, they will simply ask that you leave it with them and collect it again at the end of the show.

The only advice I gave him was to perhaps a take smaller camera, meaning to take a few after the performance - perhaps during curtain call NOT during the performance as he'd already said!

I mentioned the videos in a way to illustrate how much of a fanatic my daughter is and TBH her collection has in no way affecting ANY Westend takings. Shes seen Wicked 8 times already and its cost an absolute fortune!!!! You know how rabid some of these fans get and these videos are more a way of furthering their fascination rather than doing anything to harm the industry they love!

[Loaded1me]

Fastra said:

Loaded1me said:

Fastra said:

As mentioned already if you don't make a big thing of it and can perhaps not use the flash (probably best not to anyway depending on where you're sitting) I'm sure there won't be a problem.
Could you not use a smaller compact digital and perhaps attract less attention than using a bigger DSLR?

My daughter's mental over bloody musical's and has over 160gb's worth for Musical Show videos that have been obtained in scurrilous ways (by other people I might add and some are bloody good actually) and I always wonder how they've just not been seen!!!

Please don't take this advice. I work in the industry as a production manager, and spend to much bloody time explaining this to audience members. If you're found taking photographs, or video recordings during performances it is possible that you could be prosecuted. This comes under copyright infringement. In the Westend they take this quite seriously.

If you're simply carrying the camera in with you as a piece of baggage then there shouldn't be a problem. If the Duty Manager has a problem with it, they will simply ask that you leave it with them and collect it again at the end of the show.

The only advice I gave him was to perhaps a take smaller camera, meaning to take a few after the performance - perhaps during curtain call NOT during the performance as he'd already said!

I mentioned the videos in a way to illustrate how much of a fanatic my daughter is and TBH her collection has in no way affecting ANY Westend takings. Shes seen Wicked 8 times already and its cost an absolute fortune!!!! You know how rabid some of these fans get and these videos are more a way of furthering their fascination rather than doing anything to harm the industry they love!

If I've misquoted you then my apologies. However your post does read as though you where talking about taking photos during the show.Taking photos during the curtain call is still not legal, and you would still be in breach of copyright. Its not all about the acting. Set designers, costume designers and lighting designers, choreographers as well as the director all have copyright on the show. There are many reasons for not taking photos, the main reasons being copyright. It can even sometimes be dangerous too!
Anyway this is too much like work, so this will be my last post on this subject.

[Fastra]

Loaded1me said:

Fastra said:

Loaded1me said:

Fastra said:

As mentioned already if you don't make a big thing of it and can perhaps not use the flash (probably best not to anyway depending on where you're sitting) I'm sure there won't be a problem.
Could you not use a smaller compact digital and perhaps attract less attention than using a bigger DSLR?

My daughter's mental over bloody musical's and has over 160gb's worth for Musical Show videos that have been obtained in scurrilous ways (by other people I might add and some are bloody good actually) and I always wonder how they've just not been seen!!!

Please don't take this advice. I work in the industry as a production manager, and spend to much bloody time explaining this to audience members. If you're found taking photographs, or video recordings during performances it is possible that you could be prosecuted. This comes under copyright infringement. In the Westend they take this quite seriously.

If you're simply carrying the camera in with you as a piece of baggage then there shouldn't be a problem. If the Duty Manager has a problem with it, they will simply ask that you leave it with them and collect it again at the end of the show.

The only advice I gave him was to perhaps a take smaller camera, meaning to take a few after the performance - perhaps during curtain call NOT during the performance as he'd already said!

I mentioned the videos in a way to illustrate how much of a fanatic my daughter is and TBH her collection has in no way affecting ANY Westend takings. Shes seen Wicked 8 times already and its cost an absolute fortune!!!! You know how rabid some of these fans get and these videos are more a way of furthering their fascination rather than doing anything to harm the industry they love!

If I've misquoted you then my apologies. However your post does read as though you where talking about taking photos during the show.Taking photos during the curtain call is still not legal, and you would still be in breach of copyright. Its not all about the acting. Set designers, costume designers and lighting designers, choreographers as well as the director all have copyright on the show. There are many reasons for not taking photos, the main reasons being copyright. It can even sometimes be dangerous too!
Anyway this is too much like work, so this will be my last post on this subject.

No mate, its interesting to hear from people who actually do the job!

I think that most people taking photos just want a personal memento of the event rather than to sell and make profit from. But even so its still impossible to differentiate so a blanket ban must be in place.

I know in the case of my daughter (and the people she 'trades' with) that its a hobby and no money is involved! A hobby that at the moment (shes only 15) means more than life itself. What she doesn't know about the cast, and its history, of Wicked and We Will Rock You (Diane Pilkington, Idina Menzel, Kerry Ellis, Lee Mead, etc, etc...) and such like is probably not worth knowing!

Of course I agree with you about copyright infringement and its knock on effects but I'm just trying to explain that the reason these videos exist is only for the fans pleasure rather than their pocket, and in fact merely keeps the magic going until they can see it live once again - so to speak!

Very simplistic I know, but that's how it is in my daughters case anyway!

Edited by Fastra on Thursday 12th November 15:33