Thread: SouthLAnd LAPD lightbars

I know the LAPD has used FS AeroDynics, C3 MX7000s, FS Vistas, and more recently, FS Arjets. In my expierence, i havnt seen much,( if any) whelen products used on LAPD cars. So why in TNT's show SouthLAnd, do they use Whelen Liberty bars with colored lenses? When trying to make things as realistic as possible, why would they use a lightbar in the the TV show, that they dont use on LAPD's cars? Not only that, in the show, none of the lightbars use CA Steady burn. (i know its because its a TV show, but they put a lot of emphisis on these bars during filming, and they're not accurate at all). Am i the only one whos noticed this? Or am i completely wrong and the LAPD DOES use the Liberty bar?



LAPD%20car2.jpg425_ab_McKenzie_Cudlitz_122110.jpg2218783809_836bac3944.jpg3840734165_6b50b51e78_z.jpgHelmet+Lucy+Liu+on+Set+nFBvIccoOhll.jpglapd185.jpg

Because it's a "TV Show"...

i know its a TV show. so why dont they put them in french blue uniform shirts too while theyre at it?

Originally Posted by Storm4200

LAPD%20car2.jpg

Notice the LED dash light.

Didn't they have C3 2100 bars early in the series?

Originally Posted by ryanm

Didn't they have C3 2100 bars early in the series?

i feel like they did. but now its strictly liberties

Originally Posted by ryanm

Didn't they have C3 2100 bars early in the series?

Yes on the first season they had some C3 bars.

No amber to the rear aswell. You'd think that they went through all the trouble to have everything else look identical and have fully loaded whelens they would use the right FS bars.

And no steady burn red.

Forget about the bars. I know for a FACT that LAPD runs their Crown Vics with engines in the front... not some dude wearing a helmet!

The reason why shows take some liberties is because it is still just a company doing a production. Sometimes you are at the mercy of a budget and you use whatever the prop company has, sometimes you strike a deal with a particular manufacturer, and sometimes you just don't care.

Remember, this is ultimately a show about the characters. If it were a show about the equipment, that's when I would expect them to be more authentic.

Originally Posted by Zack

Forget about the bars. I know for a FACT that LAPD runs their Crown Vics with engines in the front... not some dude wearing a helmet!

Lol! Awesome

Not sure why they use a lot of different things (brands)...there's usually transitional stuff (ie an older car will have an MX7000, newer will have a Excalibur or 2100 or whatever) but I think in a real life department, they tend to keep the same brand?
Its' TV....the only ones who notice the lights are people reading this lol.
I think I remember RX2700 bars in the earlier season(s) too...like back before it was on TNT.

Also if they're using a lot of cars, they might have slim pickings / time frames with a prop company. You might just get "black & white police car with red & blue lights".

My buddies just got me started watching Southland. I noticed the same thing about the lightbars, I even saw a scene where the lightbar cable was just run across the roof into the door. It's TV, 99.9% of the viewers don't know or care about little details like this.

Originally Posted by Zack

Forget about the bars. I know for a FACT that LAPD runs their Crown Vics with engines in the front... not some dude wearing a helmet!

The reason why shows take some liberties is because it is still just a company doing a production. Sometimes you are at the mercy of a budget and you use whatever the prop company has, sometimes you strike a deal with a particular manufacturer, and sometimes you just don't care.

Remember, this is ultimately a show about the characters. If it were a show about the equipment, that's when I would expect them to be more authentic.

That's an interesting setup. Looks like a lot of work went into making the "drunken uncle" shot from the hood looking into the character's faces.

Did anyone notice, the seal is different on the doors?

Originally Posted by 50theman

Did anyone notice, the seal is different on the doors?

Good eye! It looks like the top two sections of the seal are reversed on the prop cars.

I know if hollywood wants to use military uniforms in TV and movies they legally have to change at least one thing about the uniform. Might go the same for TV squad cars...

Does the lightbar even have steady burn?

Originally Posted by 50theman

Did anyone notice, the seal is different on the doors?

Copyright issue I'll bet. Everytime my agency is in a movie out patch is always just a bit off.

It's not cost-efficient to spend money on details that the general public wont notice enough to impact the performance of the show.

Think of it this way - most films/television productions have a list of errors that go unnoticed by the general public, hence they are simply not worth correcting. For instance, let's say a certain species of ragweed that is only native to northern California shows up on a show supposedly based in Los Angeles. To the general public (including most of the board members here), this error would go unnoticed, while to a small handfull of flora enthusiasts, it would translate as a significant, avoidable error.

As much as we wish they were, warning lights are not a dominant interest in today's society.

Originally Posted by Storm4200

i know its a TV show. so why dont they put them in french blue uniform shirts too while theyre at it?

Because there is a decent chance most people will know just how wrong that is. To 98% of the US Red/Blue = police cars, even in stats with a solid car bar, they know red/blue = police/fire/ems.

Originally Posted by I 26

It's not cost-efficient to spend money on details that the general public wont notice enough to impact the performance of the show.

Think of it this way - most films/television productions have a list of errors that go unnoticed by the general public, hence they are simply not worth correcting. For instance, let's say a certain species of ragweed that is only native to northern California shows up on a show supposedly based in Los Angeles. To the general public (including most of the board members here), this error would go unnoticed, while to a small handfull of flora enthusiasts, it would translate as a significant, avoidable error.

As much as we wish they were, warning lights are not a dominant interest in today's society.

Reminds me of the time an avid bird watcher uncovered the PGA's conspiracy to use fake bird noises during their golf coverage.

(The viewer in question recognized the bird song to belong to a species not native to the golf course.)

Why does CBS use fake birdsong for TV Golf?

Originally Posted by DMCGONAGIL

I know if hollywood wants to use military uniforms in TV and movies they legally have to change at least one thing about the uniform. Might go the same for TV squad cars...

Weren't the uniforms on The Shield reversed? (Badge and name tag flipped)

Originally Posted by kadetklapp

That's an interesting setup. Looks like a lot of work went into making the "drunken uncle" shot from the hood looking into the character's faces.

Yeah, although these types of setups aren't that unusual.

That said, my experience is more with these types of rigs:



Of course, back in the day they would just chop off the front of the car, which is why in old movies it looks weird when actors are driving around and it seems like they have so much interior room. The camera is sitting right where the dash and windshield should be.

i agree with what you're all saying about props and how most of the audience isnt going to notice. but this is a cop show. to me, that means cops, and people who are interested in law enforcement, are the target audience. WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL NOTICE!! if this was a soap opera, or a hospital show, a genaric R/B bar would work just fine. but this is a cop show!!! they show the lightbars A LOT during the episode, youd think if their attention to detail is on point everywhere else, why skimp out, or turn a blind shoulder to the lightbars.

it just upsets me!! lol

Originally Posted by Storm4200

i agree with what you're all saying about props and how most of the audience isnt going to notice. but this is a cop show. to me, that means cops, and people who are interested in law enforcement, are the target audience. WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL NOTICE!! if this was a soap opera, or a hospital show, a genaric R/B bar would work just fine. but this is a cop show!!! they show the lightbars A LOT during the episode, youd think if their attention to detail is on point everywhere else, why skimp out, or turn a blind shoulder to the lightbars.

it just upsets me!! lol

Firstly, I disagree with you that the target audience of police-oriented television shows involves only those who are police officers themselves, or those who are "interested in law enforcement". Since nearly the beginning of televised entertainment, police shows have garnished some of the highest ratings (Dragnet, Adam 12, etc...even reality programming: COPS, to name one). The general public is attracted to the lack of predictablilty that accompanies the profession - in fact very little have a basic understanding of the profession beyond what their television set tells them.

Secondly, why would a production company spend MORE on accurate lightbars when the lightbars they are provided with WILL NOT AFFECT PROFIT AT ALL??? You have to remember, the core, CORE principle of ANY business (other than non-profits) is not to simply please the consumer, but rather to generate as much profit as possible - and how do you achieve that profit? By setting budgets, and not spending additional money where it is not due. Believe me, the entertainment industry is NO exception to this.

Originally Posted by Zack

Weren't the uniforms on The Shield reversed? (Badge and name tag flipped)

Yes. Interesting fact, it was switched after the first few episodes/season, because the fictional Farmington district was so "rough", the real LAPD commissioners and brass wanted to make sure people could see the difference in the uniforms.

I want to know what siren is used by their cars (in theory, I know it's a dub).

I spot a few errors...

It's just like any other show. They are trying to get a general point across.... they are going to take some "liberties" with some details.

well, as a lightbar enthusiast, it just upsets me. haha. I'm venting!