Reporter wants to shoot meth production

phatwilson

phatwilson

Member
The reporter I primarily work with wants to do a behind the scenes type story with folks who do meth. He wants to shoot them actually making the product in their homes and smoking it. He has meth users lined up who have agreed to this and our management is just about on board to let us do this.

Naturally, I have concerns mainly for my health (meth fumes), my safety (don't know these people, place could explode...etc) and the legality of knowingly observing a crime and not telling police.

I'm kind of on the fence about doing it and I don't believe my bosses would have any problem with me opting out of this one. Just curious if any of you have done something similar and how the experience went and any advice you have to give.

Thanks
 
svp

svp

Well-known member
Hand the reporter a small camera and say "have fun". No way I'd do it. By being there and knowing a crime is taking place and not immediately reporting it to police, you can be charged as well. There's a reason why things like this are staged on reality shows.
 
cyndygreen1

cyndygreen1

Well-known member
SVP you beat me too it. My thoughts exactly. Had a reporter once who wanted me to do something I felt was not safe. I gave him a small camera and sent him on his way. And it isn't just the physical danger...the legal danger. If you see/observe a crime the general take is you have to report it.
 
svp

svp

Well-known member
I do think it would be funny if said reporter was there shooting it with a small camera and the cops raided the place and arrested everybody, reporter included. Assuming the reporter didn't get shot, that would be some amazing shaky a$$ video.
 
Shootblue

Shootblue

Well-known member
I think what you meant to title this is "Reporter wants to shoot for resume tape"....you can smell these things from a mile away after awhile. That being said, faking it is probably good enough for local news.

Source: I have a 417 area code number. (Look it up)
 
L

LongTimePhotog

Well-known member
I think possibly a Denver station had some folks do a dog fight for them and they got in a heap of trouble...just putting it out there.
 
R

Run&Gun

Well-known member
If you have to question whether it's a good idea or not, it's probably not...

Even if it wouldn't be(or at least bordering on) illegal to be there while they are cooking this crap, I wouldn't want to put my life and health in danger like that. When they shut-down meth labs, usually the only thing they can do is bulldoze the places because they are so toxic.
 
B

Ben Longden

Well-known member
Im with the rest of the team here. Dont do it.

You have a legal responsibility to report crime.... and an ethical one not to be part of one.
 
svp

svp

Well-known member
Something else to keep in mind. Even if your ND and GM approve of you doing this, that doesn't mean they won't throw you under the bus and can your ass the moment corporate and the lawyers find out you did this. They are going to save their own asses and say you went rogue and did this on your own. IF you decide to take part in this, get approval IN WRITING from both the ND and GM. Oral approval doesn't cut it.
 
Shootblue

Shootblue

Well-known member
Maybe you could give them a gopro and some rudimentary lessons? Surely the station keeps a lawyer on retainer for these issues. Nothing says it has to be meth they are cooking, make it colored water and some powder/crystals. Stylize it and maybe add a small "dramatization" font in the corner.
 
2 Hungry Dogs

2 Hungry Dogs

Well-known member
I am going to be the standout here. Nothing great gets done without risk. You are the only one who can weigh the risks vs the rewards for yourself.

I agree with everyone else about the legal and health risks as well as SVP about getting it in writing. Along with the station insurance covering you for any health issues you may have 10, 20 or even 30 years from now. All great points

Ask yourself this, what is the first question the Narcotics officer will ask you once the story airs. I am guessing it will be "where is this?" Will you answer, or protect your source. What happens if the place gets raided with you in it?
 
Tv Shooter

Tv Shooter

Well-known member
I guess I'll jump in late...but keep in mind....meth labs have been known to explode. As in "we're live here where an apparent meth lab has exploded" kind of explosion.

Which would make you the last line in a story about him.
 
D

David Sussman

Member
I wouldn't touch this with a ten-foot pole as it has disaster written all over it - professional and personal. Outside of that, I can't imagine what this reporter thinks he/she will bring new to this story. Meth is not a mystery. We know a lot about it. I would respectfully decline.
 
krazycamera

krazycamera

Well-known member
A valid point, this.

2 Hungry Dogs said:
Nothing great gets done without risk.
Click to expand...
And yet I see no reason for actually doing the shoot as proposed - yes, as everyone on here has mentioned, there are significant risks, but what's to stop you doing what we always do in making television?

Artifice.

Definition? 'A skillfully contrived device' - in our context, to tell the story.

Shoot the interviews in a dilapidated location, make it look grotty and unclean, like a squat. Then work on mocking up the 'cooking' shots - close ups of utensils, cleaning product ingredients, gas burners, anything but actual meth.

As for the smoking of it, maybe lock off a couple of mini cameras, make it look like 'big brother' cctv from inside the house. Don't. Don't. Don't. Be in there.

And as for law enforcement, make no promises to the meth heads that they're immune from the thin blue line, infact you may have to legally involve them. At which stage, your lawyers will determine, but perhaps then you can negotiate some type of footage release from those cameras you placed. You may never see them again at any rate.

I'm all for pushing the boundaries, but let's not allow whimsical journo's to endanger us, any more than entirely necessary.

Good luck, do post the finished item if you ever get it commissioned or decide to take part.
 
Tv Shooter

Tv Shooter

Well-known member
krazycamera said:
A valid point, this.



And yet I see no reason for actually doing the shoot as proposed - yes, as everyone on here has mentioned, there are significant risks, but what's to stop you doing what we always do in making television?
Click to expand...
I can say without a doubt, that shooting someone making meth is not what would be considered..."great" in any form of journalism, photography, video or even on an etch-a-sketch.

Stupid. Insane. Nuts. Dumb. Dumber. Arrest record. Death. That's pretty much the words I'd say come to mind in regard to this situation. Long before the word "great". Unless used in a sentence like..."great....there's a scanner call about a meth bust and the cops say we already have a crew inside making the meth".

Keep in mind also-just being in the room makes you an accessory in most states. Yes-even with a tv camera rolling for the 6p news. You are still an accessory. A creative DA could also swing concealment of a criminal act, or some other charge.

Try explaining that one on your next job interview.

And if it goes south....which I will take the bet that it will....don't expect that promise of "we got your back" from the ND to actually mean...he has your back. He will have it only in as much as he can use it to cover his ass, and he and all the station higher ups will certainly sacrifice the lowly news photog to save their own jobs. See the previous paragraph.

Really-can you see ANY situation where this turns out good for you?
 
Tv Shooter

Tv Shooter

Well-known member
So-what's the decision? You Breaking Bad or not? Just curious if there was an outcome to doing this story.
 
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