As I'm getting out of the car I turn to Bertil saying "wonder how long it will take for security to get here?" I get the tripod out of the trunk, set it up on the sidewalk across from the oil refinery. Wideshot, closeup of smokestack, closeup of flag, closeup of pipes. As I am getting this last shot a car pulls up 3 feet infront on my tripod. A guard jumps out... It took 45 sec from the time the tripod touched the ground!!
I politely explain to him that I am a journalist and show him my badge. He politely asks me to remove it from around my neck and get a second piece of ID. At this time Bertil is getting out of the car walking over to hand over his IDs...
During this time another 2 security cars and 1 local police officer has reached "the scene". They proceed to ask us what we're doing, for whom, for what purpose, etc etc etc. We explain that we are doing a story on global warming and need various pictures. They triple check all our IDs, write down every single piece of information on them. They explain to us that they need to do a background check and file a report on all of us citing "Homeland Security" as the reason. (today we also had a family friend of Bertil's with us, "interning" who happens to be from France)
They explain further that they have the right to check out and question any person in the vicinity of certain "installations". If someone is taking notes outside the factory, be it a grocery list, they can be detained and questioned and have a background check run on them... Bertil asks why there are no signs stating it is forbidden to film. They said they aren't allowed to put up those sort of signs. I ask about me standing of a public sidewalk "filming" something in plain view. According to the police officer that's obstructing the sidewalk and not allowed...
After they've established our identities they "ask" to view the footage. We have a feeling they are crossing a line without proper cause, but we don't feel like spending another hour with this... So I let the guy fastforward through the entire tape until he's happy... something I was less than...
More police cars have arrived and when we finally get to leave, there are a total of 3 police cars and 3 security cars present. One officer calls off the other units who are on their way.
A lot has changed in this country since Sep. 11 2001...
p.s. A good thing to think about is you never "shoot" anything you always "film" or "videotape" something like this... same reason you never carry a "shotgun microphone" through airport security but sometimes a "highly directional microphone".... :) d.s.