Prop cigarettes

I'm not quite sure where this would belong, but I was wondering where I would be able to find prop cigarettes. I'm shooting a short film and my lead actor doesn't smoke, but the character does. I havn't been able to find anything on the net except herbal cigarettes, which still contain tar. I figured BTS would be a good spot for info.

If anyone has any info please let me know.

Thanks!

[edit on 11/16/2006 by mamoocando]

Well, I am not sure about the tar content, but when I was a kid a friend and I thought we were cool to pretend smoke a rolled cigarette made of corn silk. You can buy pre-rolled tubes and a cheap roller for $5. Just buy a few fresh corn cobs that havent been molested for the corn silk (those stringy things surrounding the cob).

Like I said, I am not sure about tar. Breathing any smoke is really not good for you, but I am sure corn silk is not addictive and as harmful as processed and treated tobacco.

PS-always was a fan of videography and independent films. Let me know how it goes.


[edit on 16-11-2006 by ben91069]

This is a pretty obvious suggestion, so I'm sure you've already thrown it out for some reason or other, but you could always use just a regular cigarette without inhaling. And it's also possible to "partially inhale," where you don't breathe the smoke in all the way to your lungs but you can still blow it out your nose--disgusting, yes, but it adds to the realism.

Like I said, I'm sure you've already thrown this idea out, but regular cigarettes are more readily available than prop smokes I'm sure.

Edit to add: I don't want to sound like I'm trying to advocate smoking in any way, shape, or form, just a suggestion.

Also, you may want to consider rewriting the script to eliminate the smoking if possible--sometimes it's necessary, sometimes it's superfluous--or possibly play with different camera angles to just make it look like the actor is smoking, even though they aren't. Maybe have shots that just show them about to take a drag, or ashing their cigarette--things that imply smoking but not actually doing it.

Good luck though, regardless.

[edit on 11/16/2006 by MCory1]

i wish i could rewrite the script but the smoking part is kind of a big thing, its what keeps the story going.
I'm not a fan of smoking either but i kind of need it for this story.

I don't know the script, but could he be written as someone trying to quit?
I remember the actior Robert Blake showing up everywhere with an unlit cigarette.
He used it just like a lit one, as a personal prop..

in the scene the main character is having a conversation with his friend in a car and hes having a smoke, and when he throws the cigarette out the window something grabs his finger.
i was thinking about replacing it with a sucker or something but it just doesnt fit. its a scary movie, and having the main character sucking on a sucker just doesnt quite fit. thanks for the suggestion though.

How about a chewing gum wrapper instead?

Jus tryin to help!

I'd just tell the lead actor that he better fake it. Isn't that an actor's job? To act like something they're not? If they plan on being an actor, they should get used acting like a smoker, a heroin addict, whatever.

It's your art, don't change it for someone else's preference.

Originally posted by mamoocando
I'm not quite sure where this would belong, but I was wondering where I would be able to find prop cigarettes.
[edit on 11/16/2006 by mamoocando]

Many nutrition/health shops sell herbal cigarettes. They look exactly like a regular cigarette, but without all the addictiveness/harmful chemicals in it. The taste like tree bark, but may do the trick

i think im going to try herbal cigarettes and if i cant get a hold of those then i guess its real cigs. i wish i could change it from cigarettes but they have to be there for the story.

i hope it works, thanks for all the sugestions.

And I'm looking for anyone with musical talent to maybe do the score. If anyone is interested please U2U me. Its a short student film, with the possibility of hitting some film fests. Thanks

Just get him to suck not inhale the ciggeratte, thats what some of my friends do :shk: