I am writing this to inform you about entering and wandering around buildings, no matter if you are filming the elevators there or not.
On the afternoon of May 12, I was walking around a hotel and was recognized by some security guards. I was then told not to ever, ever visit that hotel again unless I have a legitimate reason to be there, such as visiting someone, or else I will get arrested for trespassing. Due to that, I deleted my elevator videos filmed there[1] and at some places, because I think that keeping them may cause me to get arrested and/or sued.
Due to this, here are some advices that you should follow when you are entering a building:
- Do not visit any buildings that is not a shopping center for 2 consecutive days or more. You might be recognized, especially if there are security cameras.
- Do not use a random building as a throughfare unless you are visiting anyone there. It's better to walk through a mall/department store or simply walk along the street.
- Do not make yourself look similarly every time you visit any buildings, because you can be identified easily.
- Do not take a bag with you if you don't need to carry many things, to avoid getting accused of stealing things inside the building. Try finding a locker to store your items.[2]
- Do not wander around any building or a service area without a permission or a legitimate reason to be there.
If you want to film an elevator at any building, do not wander around a building without a prior permission, unless:
- The building is a hotel you are staying at. Make sure to bring your room key/keycard with you.
- The building is a residential building or an office building where you live in or work at. Make sure to bring your access card with you.
- You are going to a hospital to get a treatment or visit someone. In this case, you can walk around the hospital[3], but don't film the elevators there without a permission, as photography is usually disallowed.
- You are visiting people at that building, such as your teachers at your school, or you are meeting someone for a job interview. Ensure that you can visit them on the same day as your visit to the building, and they are still working/living there when you visit.
I am not making up the story. This is what actually happened to me on that day. Please do not ask me the place where the incident happened, because publicizing the location may cause me to get in trouble further.
To sum up, if you are going to a building to film the elevators:
- Go straight to the elevators and film them.
- Leave the building immediately, unless in one of the 5 conditions mentioned above.
- If you loiter in the building without visiting anyone, you might be recognized and get questioned, or be asked to leave.
Lastly, I cannot film any more elevators due to this[4]. Thank you.
Notes and references[]
- ↑ I wonder why I filmed the elevators in 2011, I did not have any problems. But on that day, I got detained for simply just walking around the area without a permission and/or visiting anyone.
- ↑ I got accused of stealing other guests' belongings while I was on a guestroom level. Due to that, I had to open my bag. They read one of my books, and wondered if it was owned by me or not.
- ↑ Note that most large hospitals typically don't care about random people walking around the hospital or going up to patient room levels. Still safe, don't visit a hospital for 2 consecutive days or more unless you are actually getting a treatment or visiting someone.
- ↑ For some reason, I was feared that my information might be sent to other places, so now I am feared to enter most places unless I have a legitimate reason to be there.