How to Make Prop Money for Your Indie Film | Indie Film Hustle® (2024)

FAQs

How to make realistic prop money? ›

To make an almost exact copy of money, first put a piece of 75% cotton and 25% linen paper in a color printer. Put a real dollar bill in your scanner and scan it to the computer. Repeat on the other side. Print your money double-sided and cut it out as neatly as you can.

IT IS A CRIMINAL AND FEDERAL OFFENSE TO ATTEMPT TO USE ANY KIND OF MEDIA MONEY PROPS TO MAKE A PURCHASE. YOU WILL BE ARRESTED AND PROSECUTED IF MONEY PROPS ARE USED IN ANY MANNER OTHER THAN MEDIA PRODUCTION, MEDIA MARKETING, PROMOTIONS, TRAINING OR ADVERTISING.

Motion picture prop money does not have the same financial value as legal currency, but worth goes beyond face value.

If it`s intended for use in a production or as a collectible item, it`s generally considered legal. However, using prop money to deceive or defraud others is strictly prohibited and can result in severe legal consequences.

It's Illegal to Reproduce U.S. Currency

So whether your goal is to spend the fake cash or just have some cool-looking prop money, making copies of real currency goes directly against federal law.

Even a first-time counterfeiting charge can result in a misdemeanor or felony and some jail time. Prosecutors can charge individuals with forgery if they possess or use counterfeit items with the intent to defraud another person. It can be as simple as using fake money or as complex as counterfeiting an official seal.

Is Prop Money Legal? Only with original artwork. Use of real currency illustrations and images, or any part thereof, is a strictly regulated. Real size copies, replicas, reproductions, or manipulations of images and illustrations of real currency are Illegal.

It is not a crime if you do not know the money is fake. However, prop money is legal for use in marketing, movie, TV shows, promotions, training, or advertising. Most US states makes it illegal to possess fake currency based on two main conditions: The individual knows the money is fake.

Million Dollars Prop Money. Our Million Dollar prop lots are available in Full Print or Filler stacks. 100 x $10k stacks represents $1,000,000. Prop bills are the same size as real money and printed on both sides with colors and graphics designed to register well on camera.

Hold the bill up to the light and look for a watermark. Newer bills should have faces. Older bills may just have what looks like a faded spot. If there is no watermark or if the watermark “face” does not match the “face” on the bill, then it is probably counterfeit.

Can you sell just an idea for a movie? ›

You need more than just the idea to sell a movie idea successfully. This includes having the rights to a great story, some funding, the interest of a well-known actor, or a fantastic screenplay. These elements prove that you're serious and have something tangible to offer.

Both the Federal government and local State governments can impose penalties on an individual for using or attempting to use counterfeit money. Under Federal law, if a prosecutor can prove the intent to commit fraud or forgery, an individual can be sentenced up to 20 years of incarceration on top of a hefty fine.

A law permitting the filming of cash for use in motion pictures is found in the U.S. Code under the topic heading, “Printing and Filming of United States and Foreign Obligations & Securities” (18 USC 504), and it reads as follows: “Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the following are permitted: . . .

Separate the bills from the coins.

If your money is mixed together in a box or jar, dump it all out onto a table to sort it. Pick out the bills and make a stack. As you do this, let the coins sift into a pile of their own. Push the coins to one side of you and the bills to the other side.

U.S. currency paper is composed of 25% linen and 75% cotton, with red and blue fibers distributed randomly throughout to make imitation more difficult.

One of the easiest ways to age furniture and props is to use paint and stain to create layers, cracks, chips, and stains. You can use different colors and techniques to create different effects, such as dry brushing, sponging, sanding, or distressing.

The wash wash scam is a scheme commonly used by scammers who fleece victims by promising them large sums of money in exchange for literally cleaning dirty money. Victims are given fake banknotes that are passed off as being real by being dyed.