5 Creative Ways to use Blank Filler Prop Money in Music Videos
Immerse your Audience
What do Lil Pump, The Fast and The Furious franchise & Cardi B have in common? Based on this blog post's title, you probably already guessed it: Blank Filler Prop Money.
Before we get to the five creative ways to use Blank Filler prop money in music videos, it's crucial to understand how great scenes are made. The most memorable movie scenes always know how to grab your attention and make you feel like you are in the middle of the action as it unfolds. The same can also be said about scenes in TV Shows & Music Videos. As filmmakers & content creators, it is our responsibility to produce scenes that feel as real and authentic as possible to the viewer. Immersing the viewer into our cinematic vision is part of the “movie magic” we strive to create.
From acting to lighting to set design, many facets make a scene memorable. For this blog, we're focusing on props. Realistic movie props play a significant role in conveying your production's tone & mood to your audience. They help an audience connect with our work, which is why it is essential to pay attention to the kinds of props you use, as they can either support your story or distract from it. Imagine you are challenged with shooting a realistic scene with stacks of money. What do you do? Do you go down to the bank, withdraw hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe millions, and use them as a prop? Of course not. That's neither realistic nor financially advisable. The answer for scenes like this is realistic prop money.
Realistic Prop Money
The balance between props that look “real enough” and “too real” can be a delicate one if you aren’t careful. Money that seems too real can get prop masters & filmmakers in serious trouble with the US government. There have been a few unfortunate instances where sets have been raided & shut down by Secret Service due to having bills that would classify as counterfeit. The most famous example of this happened on the set of Rush Hour 2.
To fight counterfeits and online sellers who promote counterfeits, Prop Movie Money has designed all its props with the guidance of film industry professionals & law enforcement to guarantee safety and peace of mind. Your prop money must abide by all federal regulations, so you don't put your crew and your production at risk. To read more about the legalities of movie money, we highly recommend reading our posts “How to Spot a Prop Bill when You see One?” and “Is Prop Money Illegal?”
Blank Filler Prop Money
The Blank Filler prop money stack is one of our main types of prop movie money. The Blank Filler prop money stack comes with 98 blank sheets between two Full Print bills, all held together with a bank strap. This type of stack requires less printing and can be more affordable than getting Full Print prop money stacks. If you want to learn about the difference between our two main types of stacks, check out the video we made on Full Prints vs Blank Fillers here:
Blank Filler Prop Money (cont'd)
Blank Filler prop money makes more sense when the money is only shown in stacks, and the individual bills don’t need to be on camera. They do an incredible job maintaining the illusion of a whole stack and are a budget-friendly option for depicting millions on scene. When deciding on Blank Filler stacks, it’s important to know they are available in two main styles: Clean stacks or Aged stacks.
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Clean Blank Filler Prop Money
Clean Blank Filler prop money stacks look like they are fresh off the press. These prop money stacks have no stains or signs of wear and tear and are ideal when you want that perfectly crisp prop money for your production.
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Aged Blank Filler Prop Money
5 Creative ways to use Blank Filler Prop Movie Money
Many scenes that make use of prop movie money tend to be related to banks and crime. It makes sense; most people don’t have stacks of money just lying around like it's no big deal. But this is entertainment, and that means it’s OK to get a little creative or dramatic! Here are some ideas for using blank filler prop money stacks in your next music video or other production.
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Armored Truck
For scenes that involve a bank, or robbing a bank, one way to display prop money stacks is in an armored truck. This type of scene is one of the only times that stacks of money are out in the regular world, which is why robbing an armored truck is such a popular part of many movie plots.
A great example of blank filler prop money in an armored truck is Lil Pump's official music video "ESSKEETIT."
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Bank Vault
Of course, bank vaults are going to need more stacks of money than we've ever seen in our lives. This scene works well for crime and action movies and works for movies about banks, wealth, or finances.
The ending of "Fast Five" from "The Fast and The Furious" franchise shows just how much prop money can be locked away in a vault.
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Briefcase Full of Prop Money
Does a character in your movie need to make a large purchase? A briefcase or duffel bag full of money is a popular way for people to pay when they’re the type of character to stray away from banks. Some characters prefer to have a stash of money, whether for illegal reasons or just a quirky personal preference.
Producer & YouTuber Big Daws has done multiple prank videos with our blank filler prop money stacks. This Tony Montana inspired rendition is one of our favorites, and it involves "accidentally" dropping mad stacks out of a briefcase.
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Prop Cash Stash
Are you creating a film about a wealthy individual or family? Showing stacks of money stored in a character’s closet or home vault as if it’s no big deal and just a stash of their spending money can portray how wealthy they are.
The amount of prop movie money in Triple Frontier" is pretty astounding. The entire movie has been leading to this moment where five former special operatives reunite to pull the heist of a lifetime.
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Prop Money on Fire
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. Setting up for this scene requires serious safety & legal considerations and should not be attempted without a fire marshal on set. Setting prop money stacks on fire can make for an exciting action scene; however, many cities like Los Angeles require permits to be in place before this is even allowed, so make sure you do your due diligence before attempting this. As part of a house fire in a drug dealer's house or even a fire inside a bank, many scenarios could play out and make for a dramatic scene.
As the Joker in the Dark Knight says, "It's not about the money. It's about sending a message." Setting money on fire definitely sends a clear message. Check out G-Eazy's official music video for "No Limit" featuring Cardi B, Asap Rocky, French Montana, Juicy J & Belly. This music video used both Blank Fillers & Full Prints in very distinct ways, including lighting a large pile of Blank Fillers on fire.
Final thoughts
Showing, rather than saying, how much money is involved in a scene can create a much more significant impact. Whether it's a music video, feature film, short film, photoshoot, or commercial, there are so many different ways to utilize Blank Filler prop money that far exceed these 5. With the right creative idea and the right props to complement that idea, "movie magic" is only a scene away.
Hopefully, we've provided you with some useful ideas of how and when you can use Blank Filler stacks. How will you use them in your next production?