So, the good news is I'm not in jail...

[przed]

The bad news is I got detained at the border on my way to MediaWest. For an hour and a half.

It all started when the officer at U.S. customs asked me to pop my trunk. Since I was carrying 20 copies of my vids, I knew I was in trouble. When she asked me to pull over to the side, I knew I was in big trouble.

Customs Dude: So, what's on the disks?
Me: Music videos I've made.
Customs Dude: Is this copyrighted material?
Me: Uhhhh.

Needless to say, this did not go well. Just try and explain song vids and fandom to a nice, clean-cut, young customs dude. While your adrenal glands are going into overdrive.

Customs Dude: Why do you make these videos?
Me: Ummm...
Customs Dude: How did you start doing this?
Me: I honestly have no idea how to answer that. Have you got 3 hours?

Then they stuck me in a little plastic chair in the lobby while they thoroughly searched my car.

Customs Dude: Is there anything I should know about in the car? Any weapons, explosives drugs?
Me: Um, no.

Then left me waiting longer while they watched the vids.

Customs Dude: We're going to have to refer this to a senior officer.

Customs dudes and dudettes file in and out of the office where they've taken the disk. At one point, three older customs dudes, complete with typical cop moustaches, stand at the back of the office and stare at me for ten minutes. All the while, I'm playing nightmare scenarios in my head. What if they confiscate the vids? What if they confiscate my car? What if they arrest me and THROW ME IN JAIL?

At one point, I start cycling through what's on the disks. I don't think there's anything too bad, until I realize the new vid is on the disk. The one called Pop A Boner. The one will lots and lots of male nudity and several shots of boys kissing boys. The adrenaline in my system hits record levels.

Finally, after an hour and a half, the nice, clean-cut, young customs dude comes back with the duffel containing my vids. And gives it back to me.

Customs Dude: We're going to give them back to you but...
Me: Don't do it again.
Customs Dude: Yeah. Basically. And if you want to do it again, mail the disks ahead.
Me: Um, okay.

So, I get in my car, drive to the first rest stop, leave a hysterical message on my sweetie's voicemail and do the rest of the drive to Lansing.

Fortunately, the rest of the con was fabulous and amazing, but I really could have done with a better start.

And at least I'm not in jail.

Comments

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

I always have this answer ready: I just started my own video editing business. I am flying to a trade show and I made demo copies of short films/projects to showcase my editing skills. one of the job skill sets is that we be able to work with existing footage (as opposed to shooting our footage ourselves) set to a specific pre-selected soundtrack. These are not intended for sale and will be handed out to people who (hopefully) will like my work enough to hire me.

And the irony - some of this is true. I did start a video editing business. I did make a demo reel to those same specs and I did send it in. But I did not get hired.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Of course, the problem with me using your cover story is that as a Canadian entering your country the one thing they're usually grilling me about is if I'm trying to get a job in the U.S. They even ventured briefly down that route this time.

I was going with these are videos I make as a hobby and have brought to give out to my friends--mostly true--but it was the copyright question that discombobulated me.