At least in the United States, smoking is something fewer and fewer people take up these days. This obviously wasn’t the case back in the 50’s through the 80’s, where cigarettes were commonly smoked out in public.
So whenever I see a period movie or show, filmed in the 2020’s but taking place in the 60’s, there’s 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, “are these actors all smokers? In this day and age? Or is that an unlit prop ciggy with VFX smoke done in post?”
Are fake cigarettes common in film production now, or are these still typically the real deal?
Theatre Worker Here:
Most prop masters I’ve 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 “Marlboro Red”, 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.
It’s usually what’s called a “lettuce cigarette”. No tobacco in it.
Cool to know. But that website you liked to is cancer. I’ve never seen so many obnoxious ads covering up the text lol
Well, if the fake cigarettes aren’t going to give you cancer, the website needs to pick up the slack!
So you still have to take smoke into your lungs, but it’s not forcing a tobacco craving to start.
You can just keep the smoke in your mouth, no need to inhale it if it’s just for show.
It looks kind of dumb though if I’m being honest. You can easily tell if someone didn’t inhale and instead just kept it in their mouth. Doesn’t look as complete. For acting, I’d consider this an issue.
Almost everything looks dumb on tv if you know what to look for. Almost everything related to guns, computers, or driving looks ridiculous and fake. It doesn’t stop them from doing it, nor does it stop people from enjoying the entertainment.
They’re herb cigarettes. Think about how long scenes take to shoot, it could be days for a single scene. They’d be smoking multiple packs in a day of nonstop smoking. Even actual smokers wouldn’t enjoy it.
Just in case someone important reads this:
I really wish movie makers would drop the ‘smoking is {cool,badass,…whatever} trope.’ I’m 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, isn’t the “smoking is cool” phase in movies a thing of the past already? Most movies don’t show anyone smoking, and if, I would say it’s most often not the hero, but often some shady guys.
I have a question of the same kind, how do they do when they clearly sniff coke ? What kind of white powder isn’t harmful to the nose is used in cinema ?
As far as I know, it’s usually crushed vitamin B. Shouldn’t feel like much unless you do dozens of takes.
At least that’s what they used in Mr. Robot.
Wasn’t Jonah hill hospitalized from snorting so much vitamin B in wolf of wallstreet?
Thank you for your answers !
