Would a skinny 27 year old white guy be safe in compton or other dangerous la areas? (Darwin: apartment, crime)

[peteranderson12]

I work for a independent film company so our budget isn't gonna involve million dollar cameras.Their be no crew,its just gonna be me,my car and iphones/cameras. We are working on a documentary of neighborhoods in america from real bad to real good.We are in the westcoast and I have to take pictures and film the neighborhood in some of la's rough areas.But I admit i am scared!!Will I be able to succeed?Or maybe tell the film company im not comfortable and prefer a different project?

[Social Democrat]

Maybe pass on this. It would be difficult to engage people if you're nervous as it would probably show.
If there's no way to have someone with you I believe the better part of valor maybe to request a different assignment.
This does sound like a very interesting gig though!

[honobob]

Sure, as long as you're fly, for a white guy.

[jm1982]

Is there money in the budget for a bodyguard ?

[Mike121]

Originally Posted by peteranderson12

I work for a independent film company so our budget isn't gonna involve million dollar cameras.Their be no crew,its just gonna be me,my car and iphones/cameras. We are working on a documentary of neighborhoods in america from real bad to real good.We are in the westcoast and I have to take pictures and film the neighborhood in some of la's rough areas.But I admit i am scared!!Will I be able to succeed?Or maybe tell the film company im not comfortable and prefer a different project?

Most people are just trying to get by and live their own lives. Most people, if you catch them at a convenient time, and kind and helpful, or, if you catch them when they are busy, are polite but not interested.

Even in the "worst" neighborhoods, crime is pretty rare. So it is all about the odds. Crime is some neighborhoods are way more common, but, probably won't happen to you on any given day.

But if you are filming in bad neighborhood just so you can say "hey look at these people, their neighborhood is garbage", then *you* are the person being horrible. They have more to fear from you than you from them.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by peteranderson12

I work for a independent film company so our budget isn't gonna involve million dollar cameras.Their be no crew,its just gonna be me,my car and iphones/cameras. We are working on a documentary of neighborhoods in america from real bad to real good.We are in the westcoast and I have to take pictures and film the neighborhood in some of la's rough areas.But I admit i am scared!!Will I be able to succeed?Or maybe tell the film company im not comfortable and prefer a different project?

Peter, let's be honest you are the independent film company right?

You're a guy by yourself trying to do some filming, there is no real company?

Well even Steven Spielberg started off small.

Think about it, if some random person started filming you whether it be Encino or South Central how do you think people will react? We live in a society today where there is such a lack of privacy to begin with, you think filming people without their permission is going to fly?

The only thing you might be able to do is COMMUNICATE to people what you're doing, and don't say "Hi, I am here filming bad neighborhoods in LA(this is their home)", you could say you're a film student from out of state(clearly you are), and you're doing a documentary on LA.

But don't just start filming people ANYWHERE and not ask first.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Mike121

Most people are just trying to get by and live their own lives. Most people, if you catch them at a convenient time, and kind and helpful, or, if you catch them when they are busy, are polite but not interested.

Even in the "worst" neighborhoods, crime is pretty rare. So it is all about the odds. Crime is some neighborhoods are way more common, but, probably won't happen to you on any given day.

But if you are filming in bad neighborhood just so you can say "hey look at these people, their neighborhood is garbage", then *you* are the person being horrible. They have more to fear from you than you from them.

Well said.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by peteranderson12

I work for a independent film company so our budget isn't gonna involve million dollar cameras.Their be no crew,its just gonna be me,my car and iphones/cameras. We are working on a documentary of neighborhoods in america from real bad to real good.We are in the westcoast and I have to take pictures and film the neighborhood in some of la's rough areas.But I admit i am scared!!Will I be able to succeed?Or maybe tell the film company im not comfortable and prefer a different project?

You should be scared!! That fear is your survival instinct. Listen to your own instincts.


Do you even know "where" to go? Day vs. night? You want to film some "actions", such as deals going down?


You should consider hiring a "local", as your guide, who knows where the bad neighborhoods are. Also, you can interview him/ her on camera to give an overview of the area, what are some major issues, etc. He/she can introduce you to "friends" whom you can also interview. Heck, maybe even rival gang members asking them some insightful questions, e.g., how are your drug sales? how do you kill off the competitions?


Good luck to you but this is a part of Darwinism, those skinny white dudes gene pool shrinks in the process

[simbared]

Originally Posted by peteranderson12

I work for a independent film company so our budget isn't gonna involve million dollar cameras.Their be no crew,its just gonna be me,my car and iphones/cameras. We are working on a documentary of neighborhoods in america from real bad to real good.We are in the westcoast and I have to take pictures and film the neighborhood in some of la's rough areas.But I admit i am scared!!Will I be able to succeed?Or maybe tell the film company im not comfortable and prefer a different project?

Let me guess: A "real bad" neighborhood has older, smaller houses and apartment buildings, with predominantly black and brown people. A "real good" neighborhood has big houses and lots of white people.

I thought the neighborhood I grew up in was pretty good. Only later did I discover some people were scared to go there and thought it was a bad place to be.

[Dangerous-Boy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2EGOB9-lc