At least in the United States, smoking is something fewer and fewer people take up these days. This obviously wasnât the case back in the 50âs through the 80âs, where cigarettes were commonly smoked out in public.
So whenever I see a period movie or show, filmed in the 2020âs but taking place in the 60âs, thereâs 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, âare these actors all smokers? In this day and age? Or is that an unlit prop ciggy with VFX smoke done in post?â
Are fake cigarettes common in film production now, or are these still typically the real deal?
Theatre Worker Here:
Most prop masters Iâve 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 âMarlboro Redâ, 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.
Itâs usually whatâs called a âlettuce cigaretteâ. No tobacco in it.
So you still have to take smoke into your lungs, but itâs not forcing a tobacco craving to start.
You can just keep the smoke in your mouth, no need to inhale it if itâs just for show.
It looks kind of dumb though if Iâm being honest. You can easily tell if someone didnât inhale and instead just kept it in their mouth. Doesnât look as complete. For acting, Iâd consider this an issue.
Cool to know. But that website you liked to is cancer. Iâve never seen so many obnoxious ads covering up the text lol
Oh, thatâs really neat! Prop cigarettes that look and burn like the genuine article, but just have herbs stuffed in it! Thanks!
Theyâre herb cigarettes. Think about how long scenes take to shoot, it could be days for a single scene. Theyâd be smoking multiple packs in a day of nonstop smoking. Even actual smokers wouldnât enjoy it.
I dunno, if I got paid to smoke 3 packs a day I think Iâd be pretty happy. I also hate my lungs more than most people though.
Sure, if youâre an A-lister making millions. But as a day player doing background work for <$200/day? NahâŚ
I have a question of the same kind, how do they do when they clearly sniff coke ? What kind of white powder isnât harmful to the nose is used in cinema ?
As far as I know, itâs usually crushed vitamin B. Shouldnât feel like much unless you do dozens of takes.
At least thatâs what they used in Mr. Robot.
Wasnât Jonah hill hospitalized from snorting so much vitamin B in wolf of wallstreet?
Just in case someone important reads this:
I really wish movie makers would drop the âsmoking is {cool,badass,âŚwhatever} trope.â Iâm 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)
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, isnât the âsmoking is coolâ phase in movies a thing of the past already? Most movies donât show anyone smoking, and if, I would say itâs most often not the hero, but often some shady guys.
They are eating sandwiches when they are smoking weed. They are smoking actual cigarettes when they are smoking cigarettes. Tedâs kids are shocked when they learn this, I donât remember them reacting to the sandwich stories.
I know that episode. And the message, in red bold face across the screen for the entire episode is âDonât smoke.â Thatâs different from the on-screen smoking Iâm talking about.
Characters can be shady without smoking. Just because theyâre not the hero, the appeal of âbeing shadyâ and the incentive to look to them as a role model doesnât vanish.
In my experience it usually means âthis is the bad guyâ nowadays, rather than âthis guy is coolâ
Characters can be âthe bad guyâ without smoking. Associating âbeing the bad guyâ with smoking is even worse, IMHO than a smoking hero.
