Office, Editorial 985-2131 BY THE BOOK Five N. Shore book stores, each with its own unique flavors. ‘* Display Advertising 980-0511 COMMON GROUND The Festival of Women in Architecture has opened new doors. Nows Photo Mike Wakelield MORE THAN a movie was almost shot last Wednesday during an amateur video prcduction involving a fake gun. Actor Steve Alderman (centre) holds a broken air pistol that was reported to the police as the reali thing. Alderman, John Cronin (left) and Robert Quinlan were titming scenes inside an abandoned house when police surrounded the place in a tense confrontation. RCMP take down amateur video buffs during filming in abandoned house AN AMATEUR video pro- duction about the police was ended abruptly on Wednesday, June 30, by the real thing. By Anna Marie D’ Angelo News Reporter Video director and producer John Cronin and two actors, Steve Alderman and Robert Quinlan, had completed filming an outdoor scene at 11 a.m. In the scene, Alderman bran- dishes an air pistol that resembles a .44-calibre automatic handgun. He breaks down the front door of an abandoned house located at mete ACHIN 247 East 18th St. While filming inside the house, Alderman thought he heard voices outside. ‘YT stepped outside holding the gun out. Their guns were more than drawn, they were pointed at me. There were cops everywhere,”’ said Alderman, 39, who has lived in the neighborhood for five years. Approximately eight North Vancouver RCMP officers, a police dog and about six police cars had responded to the scene. Alderman said the police screamed, ‘‘Drop the gun!” three times. He said he was stunned by the situation, He hestitated. He thought he wasn’t doing anything Suen wrong, and he wasn’t sure if the police response was part of the movie in some way. “T didn’t drop it fast enough for them. Then things really went off the rails,’ said Alderman. He saw one police officer drop to his knee in a shooting position while he saw fingers going for gun hammers. “TL thought it was Danny Possee all over again, 1 thought they were going to shoot me," said Alder- man, At the'time, he was wearing a black leather jacket, had long hair and was holding what looked fike a real gun. Alderman said he tossed the gun in front of him. Alderman, Cronin and Quinlan So see en aia Re RE REN POOR ON TH were then detained and searched by police. “T tried to explain that we were doing a movie. They pretty much told us to shut up,’’ said Alder- man. “They had their guns near my head somewhere,’’ said Alderman about his experience. Added Cronin, ‘“‘! never had such a fright in my life.’’ North Vancouver RCMP Staff Sgt. Bob Brown said the incident was originally reported to the police as a case of shots being fired and someone kicking down a door, “We responded as a code-three emergency response,’’ suid Brown, The police had secured the area. Neighbors were told not to go outside. The RCMP stopped traf- fic from travelling into the block. Both Alderman and Cronin praised the police following the incident. “They did a good job. No one was shot,’’ said Alderrnan. Said Cronin, ‘The young police officer, the one that did the talk- ing, was so relieved to put his gun away. “The police were extremely un- derstanding. We couldn’t believe how friendly and professional they were,”’ Cronin said. Added Brown, ‘You would be telieved too to find out the real situation.” Alderman said the police quick- See Video page S