At least in the United States, smoking is something fewer and fewer people take up these days. This obviously wasnāt the case back in the 50ās through the 80ās, where cigarettes were commonly smoked out in public.
So whenever I see a period movie or show, filmed in the 2020ās but taking place in the 60ās, thereās frequent scenes where characters are smoking cigarettes in a bar or stress-smoking to the filter after a stressful conversation. And I think to myself, āare these actors all smokers? In this day and age? Or is that an unlit prop ciggy with VFX smoke done in post?ā
Are fake cigarettes common in film production now, or are these still typically the real deal?
Just in case someone important reads this:
I really wish movie makers would drop the āsmoking is {cool,badass,ā¦whatever} trope.ā Iām happy whenever I find that a whole cast never touches a cigarett on camera (think, How I Met Your Mother or The Big Bang Theory)
In my experience it usually means āthis is the bad guyā nowadays, rather than āthis guy is coolā
Characters can be āthe bad guyā without smoking. Associating ābeing the bad guyā with smoking is even worse, IMHO than a smoking hero.
How I Met Your Mother literally had an episode only about smoking, revealing that everybody in the main group has smoked at one point, and they all do in that episode.
Besides that, isnāt the āsmoking is coolā phase in movies a thing of the past already? Most movies donāt show anyone smoking, and if, I would say itās most often not the hero, but often some shady guys.
I know that episode. And the message, in red bold face across the screen for the entire episode is āDonāt smoke.ā Thatās different from the on-screen smoking Iām talking about.
Characters can be shady without smoking. Just because theyāre not the hero, the appeal of ābeing shadyā and the incentive to look to them as a role model doesnāt vanish.
They are eating sandwiches when they are smoking weed. They are smoking actual cigarettes when they are smoking cigarettes. Tedās kids are shocked when they learn this, I donāt remember them reacting to the sandwich stories.
They donāt inhale. You can usually tell the real smokers from the ones who donāt smoke if you watch the exhale.
If it all comes out in one puff, they arenāt smoking, just holding it in their mouth.
If it comes out in a long stream or through thier nose, then they are likely a real smoker.
I have a question of the same kind, how do they do when they clearly sniff coke ? What kind of white powder isnāt harmful to the nose is used in cinema ?
As far as I know, itās usually crushed vitamin B. Shouldnāt feel like much unless you do dozens of takes.
At least thatās what they used in Mr. Robot.
Wasnāt Jonah hill hospitalized from snorting so much vitamin B in wolf of wallstreet?
Theyāre herb cigarettes. Think about how long scenes take to shoot, it could be days for a single scene. Theyād be smoking multiple packs in a day of nonstop smoking. Even actual smokers wouldnāt enjoy it.
I dunno, if I got paid to smoke 3 packs a day I think Iād be pretty happy. I also hate my lungs more than most people though.
Sure, if youāre an A-lister making millions. But as a day player doing background work for <$200/day? Nahā¦
Theatre Worker Here:
Most prop masters Iāve worked with use either this brand or something very similar. From that page the ingredients listed are: Marshmallow Leaves, Red Clover Flowers, Rose Petals, Fruit Juices, Honey. You can also buy packs that are designed to look like real brands(yellow american spirits, the famous āMarlboro Redā, and white for marb lights.)
Fake cigarettes have been pretty common props for a while now. Obviously there used to be a lot more actual tobacco use on sets but nowadays, especially with a lot of municipalities outlawing tobacco smoking indoors in public spaces, its almost always all fake/herbal. There are also nicotine free vaporizers that are styled to look like real cigarettes.
I remember reading Cillian Murphy went through some silly number of those herbal cigs filming the first season of Peaky Blinders alone.