Companies engaged in location filming shall comply with the Laws of Hong Kong, and in particular the following Ordinances:-
(a) Summary Offences Ordinance, Cap 228
(i) Obstruction in Public Places - Section 4A
It is an offence if any person who without lawful authority or excuse sets out or leaves, or causes to be set out or left, any matter or thing which obstructs, inconveniences or endangers, or may obstruct, inconvenience or endanger, any person or vehicle in a public place.
Penalty : A fine of $5,000 or to imprisonment for 3 months.
(ii) Unlawful Wearing of Uniform - Section 21
It is an offence if any person who wears a uniform which he is not entitled to wear or any dress so closely resembling the same as to be calculated to deceive shall be liable to a fine of $1,000 or to imprisonment for 6 months.
Provided that the wearing of any uniform or dress by a performer in any public entertainment with the consent of the Commissioner of Police shall not constitute an offence against this section.
"Uniform" means any apparel from time to time constituting the proper apparel whilst on duty for members of Her Majesty's Forces (Hong Kong Garrison) or the Government Flying Service or for members of the Hong Kong Police or Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force or for any force raised under the authority of any enactment in force in Hong Kong and the apparel includes accoutrements.
Penalty : A fine of $1,000 or to imprisonment for 6 months.
(iii) Littering - Section 4(1)
It is an offence if any person who without lawful authority or excuse throws or lays, any carrion, dirt, soil, straw or dung, or any other filth, rubbish or noisome or offensive matter whatsoever, on any public place, or on any Government property unless with the consent of a public officer, or on any private property unless with the consent of the owner and of the occupier.
Penalty : A fine of $500 or to imprisonment for 3 months.
(b) Firearms and Ammunition Ordinance Cap 238
Possession by exempted person Section 4(3)
The Commissioner may in writing exempt any person from the prohibition in section 13 in respect of the possession of specified arms and any specified quantity of ammunition therefore, or in respect of specified ammunition, or in respect of specified arms and ammunition;
Carrying arms or ammunition or imitation firearm with Criminal intent Section 18(1)
A person commits an offence who has with him any arms or ammunition or imitation firearm with intent to commit an arrestable offence, or to resist arrest or prevent the arrest of another, in either case while he has the arms and ammunition or imitation firearm with him.
(c) Road Traffic Ordinance Cap 374
Unlawful wearing of Traffic Warden Uniform - Section 59 (4)
It is an offence for any person who is not a traffic warden wears without the permission of the Commissioner of Police, the uniform or resembled uniform of a traffic warden.
Penalty : A fine $10,000 and 6 months imprisonment.
(d) Noise Control Ordinance Cap 400
Noise from Domestic Premises and Public Places 4(1)
Any person who between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., or at any time on a general holiday in any domestic premises or public place makes or causes to be made any noise which is a source of annoyance to any person commits an offence.
Noise from Domestic Premises and Public Places 4(2)
Any person being the owner, tenant, occupier or person in charge of any domestic premises who between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., or at any time on a general holiday knowingly permits or suffers noise which is a source of annoyance to any person to emanate from those domestic premises commits an offence.
Penalty : A fine of $10,000
(e) Entertainment Special Effects Ordinance Cap 560
Special Effects Operators to be licensed Section 5
No person shall use or cause or permit to be used any special effects material without a special effects operator licence.
Penalty :
- On a first conviction to a fine at level 6 and to imprisonment for 6 months
- On a second or subsequent conviction to a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for 12 months.
Restriction on discharge of Special Effects Materials Section 10
No person shall discharge or cause or permit to be discharged any special effects materials except under and in accordance with a discharge permit.
Pyrotechnic Special effects materials to be registered Section 14(1)Subject to section 15 and unless otherwise approved by the Authority in writing, no person shall supply, convey, store, or use any pyrotechnic special effects material in Hong Kong unless that material has been registered and included in the register under section 16(2) or 17(2).
Penalty :
- On a first conviction to a fine at level 6 and to imprisonment for 6 months
- On a second or subsequent conviction to a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for 12 months.
What you Should Do In Case of Extortion
If you are approached by any criminals for payment to allow filming to proceed unimpeded, you should do the following:-