Alcohol in Movies

According to findings presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in San Francisco, CA, alcohol marketing in popular films has doubled in the past two decades. Considering there are no film restrictions placed on the alcohol industry (there are for tobacco companies seeking product placement in film), the findings may not be too surprising as alcohol is often used as a prop that incites dramatic or comedic situations in film. In looking further at the top 100 movies each year from 1996 to 2015 (movies with the highest U.S. box-office gross revenues), alcohol use was portrayed in 87 percent of all movies overall — more than 1,700 total films.

The consumption of alcohol and other drugs on set rarely occurs, though. While some stories may float around here and there about an actor drinking before or during their takes, actually drinking while on the job is not encouraged for obvious reasons, such as the health and safety of the actor, insurance and liability concerns, and being able to perform at an optimal level so that the production can move forward smoothly. Acting in even just one scene will often require more than one take, and having to drink a lot of alcohol in a short period of time will impair the actor’s ability to deliver a superb performance.

What Do Movies Use In Place of Alcohol?

So if alcohol is not present on set, then what do movies use in place of alcohol? Well, there are a variety of “fake drink” options available, depending on the type of alcohol the beverage needs to mimic. Some examples of alcohol replacements include:

• Color dyes in flat or sparkling water for mixed drinks and cocktails
• Juice (cranberry, apple, pomegranate, blueberry, grape, blackcurrent) for wine
• Ginger ale or a mixture of sodas for champagne
• Unsweetened tea is steeped for various times or watered down to get the right color for whiskey and other brown liquor
• Regular water for vodka and other clear spirits
• Non-alcoholic beer for regular beer, and froth for the top of beer can be made using powdered egg whites and an acid like lemon juice

The props department is responsible for purchasing non-alcoholic beverages or creating a liquid that looks close enough to the real thing and is safe for the actor to consume. There are also certain ingredients that are avoided when creating non-alcoholic beverages as they can cause problems with the actor’s speaking voice. For example, sweet or syrupy drinks and milk or chocolate-based drinks cause phlegm and make it harder for the actor to speak clearly.

Additionally, prop makers must also consider lighting for the scene and if it will impact the way the drink looks. At times, the prop maker may also have to create a drink that doesn’t need to be consumed but rather is intended to last through a long day of filming.

If you are looking for fake alcohol to use for your next production, check out our online Nevada Production Directory to find prop masters and prop assistants in Nevada or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you are a prop master or prop assistant in Nevada and are not yet listed in our Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

Sources:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/budweiser-heineken-alcohol-brands-are-now-rampant-hollywood-films-180963207/
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/aaop-ami042617.php

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