Hong Kong film industry’s fake money fears eased as monetary authority pledges to streamline application process on prop use
Six industry groups met Hong Kong Monetary Authority, which also promised to provide clearer guidelines for filmmakers to navigate red tape
Hong Kong banking authorities on Tuesday promised to streamline application procedures for the movie industry to use fake banknotes in films, industry representatives said, after anger over the recent conviction of two prop men for possession of counterfeit cash.
Speaking after the meeting, Felix Chong Man-keung, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Film Directors’ Guild, said the monetary authority promised to release a “menu-like” application form with instructions in two weeks to speed up the process.
The authority also said that a set of samples would be attached to the guidelines to demonstrate the required size of the props and the distinguishing designs and features required to set them apart from genuine banknotes.
A company producing fake banknotes is required by law to get approval from the authority and the props must either be at least 20 per cent smaller or larger than real ones.