VEGAS BABY VEGAS! Who's the big winner? MIKEY'S the big winner!

[Hank Scorpio]

I am going to Vegas this Friday to shoot for a few days (not anything news related thank God) and I am looking for some help from some Vegas B-rollers.

First of all I am coming from Minneapolis so 50 degrees is going to be a flippin heatwave. I'm assuming it's in the 50s this time of year out there. If I am wrong please correct me.

Secondly I know to go get video on the strip, but I need to know where those sweet high up shots of the strip are shot from. I'm assuming from a mountain somewhere with a public scenic overlook type joint.

Thirdly I will be spendling alot of time on Lake Mead. I am planning to shoot sunrises and sunsets over the lake against the mountainous backdrop. Again I am curious about an overlook of some type.

And last I'll be there Superbowl Sunday and in fact that will be a "day off" for me. What the heck do I do and where the heck do I go???

Thanks!

[Todio]

pm ewink, he used to live/work there

[Tallinvegas]

The weather this week is going to be around 55 might be warmer come the weekend.


There are not many high places to shoot. If you want to wait in a line you can go on top of the stratosphere and get some video ( don't go on a windy night) I have taken Owens road all the way east until it end at Frenchmen's mountain. Right before the road ends it will go up pretty quick. There you can park on the side of the road and look to the west and see all the city. Also on the street called Hollywood you can see parts of the strip and its a bit less windy. I have also used the foundation room on top of the Mandalay bay before. Its a sweet spot to get strip video, but your right on top of the strip
.
On lake mead one thing don't forget its not free you do have to pay a small fee every time you enter ( I think its 5 dollars for a car) I have shot sunsets and sunrises from both Echo Bay and overton beach. Those both face the east so its best for sunrises, but can also point west for a good sunset. You might want to also try go to the Lake Mead Marina a lot of people tie there boat there and it will be a cool sunrise shot. That is right near boulder beach. Also try and get a boat on to the lake right before sunrise that will be a good shot as long as the water is calm.


For super bowl Sunday all of the hotels will have the game on. The NFL hates Las Vegas with a passion so its hard for most of the hotels to have the big parties like they used to. I would have your crew over to my place however ill be at the super bowl all week. If you want I can PM you my number if you need more help. Have good week of shooting

[Sportsguy]

As a little aside...

Who's going to NAB?

I'll be there this year... A B-Roll gathering?

[Hank Scorpio]

Tall-
Thx for the info. Check your PM.

[ewink]

Justin pretty much answered all your questions. But a word of advise, from someone who has lived in both Minneapolis and Vegas, 35 degrees - which it may get to at night - in Vegas is NOT the same as 35 degrees in Minnesota. :) The dry air is wonderful when its 120, not so much when its 35. Damn cold!

I assume you just want shots of the strip, but tbh at night, the whole city is beautiful. When I wanted shots of it all, there are lots of places around the beltway, especially in the west and north where it's still not completly developed (although I have been gone a year and it might be by now). 215/Durango in the north has HUGE shoulders and you can see everything.

As for Superbowl Sunday... I hear the Monte Carlo is smokin'...

[MisterNiceGuy77]

I have to agree with EWink. The Durango and the 215 is nice, and very quiet.
The best spots in my opinion are the shots looking West from the Hollywood Blvd. area (East Las Vegas) near Sahara. You can get a nice high shot, over some homes. You'll be able to get the entire Strip and Downtown as well as beautiful sunsets (depending on weather).
As the others said before, the Stratosphere will always give you great night shots as well as Mandalay Bay's Foundation Room and Mix Club.

[Some Guy in LA]

Sportsguy et al...definitely hitting NAB/RTNDA. Kevin's party was a bonafide blast last year and I bet he'll do it again. Didn't make it to the Monte Carlo one but the Gordon Biersch rocked...

sgila

[Photographer]

Hank.....a word of warning when shooting in Vegas, you need permission to shoot pretty much anywhere on the strip. You can get away with shooting on the sidewalks although many are owned by the casinos themselves. And if you get hassled by casino security just tell them your moving and do it. They will just make your life difficult. Also you can't just just walk in to any casino with a fullsize camera and not be noticed. You can walk in and walk through but can't stay and shoot. Trying to get up to the top of the Stratosphere with a full size camera won't work either. And that goes for the Foundation Room as well. The Foundation Room is a great shot and I've done it but thats because I had PR with me and the client had arranged it all ahead of time. Unless you get PR to help you out your out of luck. All those great high up shots of the strip you see in the backrounds of Larry King and any other shows are from spots you can't just walk to. You need permission to get there. I don't know how much time you've spent in Vegas but once on casino property you've got a zillion cameras pointed at you (even in the parking garage) and it doesn't take long for security to come asking questions. I've been busted many times. It is there property they can kick anyone off. The walkways as well that crisscross the Blvd also are owned and watched by the casinos.

Forgive me for punching holes in what others have said but I lived and worked in the local Vegas market for two years and after I moved away returned on a consistent basis to freelance. I had one to many out of town clients who didn't know the rules of the road when in Vegas. I've been kicked off almost all the major casino properties because of incompetent clients. Not sure who your client is or if your going with a local you work for but make sure you call ahead to the PR departments. When on casino property you will have a PR lackey with you at all times. The top of the Palms is also another good place. But again I can't stress it more that you need to call ahead. Or you will find out the hard way you can't just walk in and try to shoot.

[Hank Scorpio]

So am I to assume "the strip" is not a public street, but instead a private street owned by whichever casino sits on it at each address?

I'm not trying to shoot in or even go in any casinos to shoot, I just want some nice outdoor stuff.

Also I have not ever been to Vegas to work, I've done the whole hookers and blow thing there, but yes this is my first time working there so any more info on the town and the legalities of shooting there is greatly appreciated.

THANKS

[Photographer]

I apologize if I've made this trip to Vegas seem a little more like a pain in the ass then you thought. But yes the Vegas strip is a public street. The sidewalks are another matter. Some are are owned by the casinos thus making them private property others are not owned. And it's not posted anywhere so you never really know.

I do realize you were not planning on shooting inside the casinos my point about going inside the casino was that in order to get to the top of the Stratosphere and the into the Foundation Room you need to go into the casino which is private property and then to the top which is also private property. You can't do that as a professional crew. Take a handy cam up there and you'll be fine. Just act like a tourist. But you'll never make it with your fullsize betacam or whatever it is you shoot with. The others who responded offered up some great casino locations to get some great shots of the strip however they just neglected to inform you that you can't get there with out a PR lackey at your side. Again it's not illegal to shoot the strip in Vegas it's just you can't walk around on private property and do what you want. And ofcourse casino property is private property.

I realize I'm sorta bursting your bubble here. But it's better to give you the truth then for you to learn the hard way. The some sidewalks and all the overhead crosswalks are owned by the casinos. Your best bet is to go to the south end of the strip and take your tripod and camera and hike up the strip. I know that sounds funny but it's true. Parking is a bitch so park once and walk. Getting from any parking garage to the street is a process. You can walk through the casino with your gear but don't stop or linger because security will be on you. Cameras are a big no no on the casino floor. You can't even shoot with a PR guy with you. I would walk up and down the strip and shoot where ever you see a shot you like just be alert and realize casino security may show up and if they do just move along and don't argue you won't win. Don't stay in any one spot for more then a couple minutes. Also give yourself several hours to shoot the strip. Many out of town crews think it's an easy job but I cringe whenever I'm asked to shot the strip. And again realize all those high up great strip shots are taken from various casino locations which you can't get to with out PR.

Now I'm only talking about close up strip shots. Others have mentions locations that will get you some very far off shots of the strip. I assume you were hoping to get some of those up close and personal shots of the strip you see in various talking head backrounds from Vegas. Realize it's not going to happen because those shots were taken with a PR lackey standing next to the camera. One option would be to spend a little extra cash and get a room with a view of the strip. You can shoot all you want from your room since there are no cameras in it. Technically your not allowed to but they can't stop you from doing something they can't see. I've done that many times. My producer would make sure to get a room with a view and so I would get some great interview backrounds.

Good luck!

[ewink]

About the sidewalks. I did a big thing on my blog about this: http://otakuphotog.douglasavenue.com/2006/06/accidental-education-lv-gaming-vs.html.

True, the casinos own the sidewalks, however courts have ruled that it is considered a public throughfare (along with the Freemont Street Experience downtown - security LOVES to tell you that you need permission to shoot there and I LOVED telling them where they can find my permission) and therefore covered by the first amendment. Security guards can harrass you all you want, but with the knowledge your old buddy ewink is providing, you can defeat security!

This includes the ped bridges, since there is no other way to get from the east to the west side of the street legally. (Except via another ped bridge or X-walk up the road.)

He is right about inside the casinos. I'll rent you my Channel 8 jacket. Might help. It'll cost ya though. :)

One spot I forgot to mention, since I am replying again, is the top of the airports long term parking garage. If you are there less than 30 minutes you don't have to pay (and if you do, its like 3 bucks for an hour) and you can get some great shots. One of my favorite places to hang out.

You're probably not supposed to shoot from there, but I was never hassled and I say, as long as your paying for the parking spot, why can't you do what you want in it?

[Photographer]

I'm sure Erin is right when it comes to the sidewalks but who wants to goto Vegas and end up with no video because he spent all his time being hassled by security. I realize others will say "no you have to stand up for yourself and for the rest of us". Well sadly I just want to get my video and leave. I'll shot till they stand in front of the camera and then move on. To me it's not the end of the world.

Regardless though anyone going to Vegas just needs to know they will be hassled if they stand to long shooting. It is ofcourse a personal decision to stand your ground or just move on. Personally I have no need to waste my time.

[Tv Shooter]

Last time I needed close shots of casinos and the strip, I used a Panny HVX200 and just walked like a tourist. We also rented a convertible and did driving shots.
The client was very, very happy.