Film shoot sparks gunfire panic in Grassy Park

Residents in Grassy Park were left shaken this week after what sounded like gunfire echoed through parts of the suburb, only for it to emerge that the shots were blanks used during a film shoot.

The incident has reignited debate about filming scenes involving gunfire in communities already grappling with real violence.

Blank gunshots mistaken for real gunfire in Grassy Park

Several residents raised the alarm after hearing what they believed were nearby shootings. The area, part of Ward 65, has in recent months seen fatal shootings linked to gang activity.

It later emerged that the noise came from a production filming scenes for a documentary series titled Rules of the Underworld at the Grassy Park Hotel.

Ward 65 councillor Donovan Nelson said the production company had followed due process.

“The production company has to get signatures from all the residents in the immediate vicinity,” Nelson explained. “It goes through an application process with our environmental department. In our opinion, it has [met the requirements].”

He said the South African Police Service (SAPS) was also consulted as part of the application.

“The station commander has to give written approval before the application is submitted,” Nelson said.

City permit and community notification process followed

According to Nelson, a noise exemption permit was granted after the required approvals were secured. He added that he notified residents via WhatsApp groups and Facebook about the shoot.

However, questions remain about whether all residents were adequately informed, especially in an area where gun violence is a lived reality.

Some residents have suggested that hearing gunshot-like sounds, even if staged, can be deeply distressing in a community frequently affected by real shootings.

Filmmaker defends use of blanks for realism

Director Deryck Broom said the series focuses on historical mobsters from the 1920s through to the 1980s, with some stories stretching into the 2010s.

“We’re doing what we call drama recreates, so we recreate drama where there’s no actual footage,” Broom said.

He acknowledged that gunfire effects can be added in post-production, but argued that blanks offer visual authenticity.

“The flare that comes out of a gun when you fire a blank cannot really be replicated,” he said. “Visually, it looks as spectacular as real gunfire.”

Broom added that the production had limited the use of blank gunshots to before 10 pm to minimise disruption.

Ethical questions in violence-affected communities

The incident has sparked broader questions about the ethics of staging gunfire scenes in neighbourhoods battling ongoing gang violence.

For residents who regularly hear real gunshots, the distinction between fiction and reality can blur in an instant.

Whether the correct procedures were followed may be one issue. Whether communities already under strain should be exposed to simulated gunfire at all is another question.

For more detailed information, listen to Nelson using the audio player below: