Several industries require displaying money for a photo shoot, video, scene, or gaming.
These industries can’t use real cash! So, what is the next best alternative? The simple solution is prop or replica money, fake money that looks real on your screen.
Of course, each industry has its unique requirement for the quality, denomination, and quantity of money required.
Let’s take a closer look at eight industries that use prop money and see how they use it.
1. Movies
Many movies use prop currency for the SHOCK FACTOR.
One of the most iconic movies that used replica money is “The Dark Night”. The scene where the Joker burned more than five billion dollars of fake bills remains etched in our memory.
The scene was insane and shocked the audience. In this scene, the money was being burned, and so there was no chance for the producers to use real money.
For the movie, the producers used full print front and back prop money for the cinematic effect of the Joker sliding over the pyramid of money.
Movies that deliver such impactful scenes require loads of prop bills that look realistic on camera.
Another famous movie that used prop cash was “Rush Hour 2”. This movie required prop money that was even closer to the real thing than what was used in “The Dark Night”!
The producers placed an order of 1 trillion dollars of fake bills, which cost them around $100,000. Unfortunately, this fake money was TOO realistic.
It was so realistic that people stole some bills from the set and attempted to use it for their purchases. After this scandal, the authorities confiscated the money and destroyed it.
Of course, this was a lesson for the prop money industry. Nowadays, prop bills have visible and identifiable differences. Find out more about Strobeprops Replica Money!
2. TV Shows
Just like movies that use counterfeit money, many TV shows also use it. A few examples of TV shows that use fake money include “Breaking Bad”, “Money Heist”, “Prison Break”, and many more.
SPOILER ALERT! The iconic scene in Prison Break where Michael and the others find Westmoreland’s 5 million dollars, was shot with prop bills.
Most likely the producers chose to use full print front and back prop money since the scene required the actors to check if the money was real.
Another TV show that revolves around fake money is “La Casa De Papel”, also known as “Money Heist”! This TV show involves an unusual group of robbers attempting to steal 2.4 billion euros.
Of course, such a large sum of money being used in the film industry must be fake. Fake currency is crucial in the production of movies and TV shows as it makes the storyline more realistic at a lower cost and risk than using real money.
3. Music Industry
How many music videos have you seen that involved the display of cash? Many singers including rappers produce creative music videos that show stacks of cash.
Rappers flaunting stacks of money or other singers filming scenes of briefcases filled with cash in their music video are a common theme today. Rest assured, all those scenes are filmed using prop money, and in some cases it’s Strobeprops prop money.
Since music videos don’t generally destroy money, the production team can choose to use real money by simply including it in their budget.
Some of them use fans and other props to make it look like money is raining down on you. Artists like Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and many more create extreme and shocking music videos thanks to the prop money industry.
4. YouTube
YouTube is a great platform to see Strobeprops Replica Money in action. YouTube videos ranging from pranks to social experiments use and showcase prop money.
There are countless pranks on YouTube that use blank filler prop money in large sums. Blank fillers are stacks where the top and bottom bills are printed on both sides while the rest is blank paper cut to size. Shot from a distance, it looks real.
The pranks tend to involve an actor dropping the money in the streets and watching people’s reactions.
Surprisingly, many people choose to steal a band of cash. If only they knew it was all fake and that they’re on camera! Other pranks include people being offered the money.
One of the more famous pranks involved people being offered 100,000 dollars for their dogs! Thankfully, none of them accepted the offer.
Yet another prank required an actor to play a hitman who was exchanging a bag full of fake money stacks as his contract payment to eliminate people.
Even videos of social experiments use prop money. Money is dropped on the ground in public to record peoples reactions.
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Unfortunately, many people choose to keep the money. But, then again, if only they knew it was actually fake money! Read our blog about the most famous prop money pranks!
5. Magic Tricks
Another forgotten part of the entertainment industry that requires fake currency is magic! In magic tricks, many magicians use money that they rip in half, burn, or throw away just for their show.
The magicians can’t simply throw away their own money, and so they use high quality prop money. Each magic trick is different and would require a different type of prop cash.
If the trick requires a closeup shot, then the magician would need to use high-quality full print, front and back prop money. However, for simpler tricks, the magician can use bills that are one side printed.
Magic tricks on a larger scale, that doesn’t require a close up shot, can be done with blank filler prop money as it’s cheaper.
6. Fashion Industry
Prop currency is also used in the fashion industry! During creative photoshoots, photographers may use fake money to convey a certain message or advertise a certain product.
Famous modeling shows like “America’s Next Top Model” used it in many photoshoots.
There’s a specific episode in the show where the theme focused on the seven deadly sins. One of the sins, greed, was showcased through the model being showered with money in a grave!
Of course, considering the amount of money used in the photo and not to mention again that it was in a grave… it must have been fake money.
Another part of the fashion industry that uses fake currency is the clothes-designing process.
Creative impulses often drives designers to make dresses were actually made of counterfeit money! These dresses must have an underlying fabric that the money is later attached to.
Such outfits definitely WOW the audience and add an interesting spin to the fashion show. These designers would use full print front and back prop money to create a gorgeous and realistic “money” dress.
7. Tabletop Game Industry
Another industry that uses prop currency is the tabletop game industry. Or simply, board games.
Of course, the first board game involving money that comes to mind is Monopoly.
A board game that uses counterfeit money that looks similar to real money is “The Allowance Game”. This board game is heavily used for skill-building.
Another board game that uses relatively realistic fake money is “Money Bags”. The prop bills used in board games are likely cheap because there wasn’t much effort put into the art of making them look realistic.
8. Education Industry
In the education industry, fake money is used and it’s called play money. Play money is used to teach children above the age of 3 about the different notes and bills.
Sets of play money can also include coins to educate children about both counting and showing different types of money.
Play money also aids with skill development in children, more specifically money skills. It teaches young kids about money identification, counting, fine motor, and self-help skills.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is a WIDE range of industries that use prop bills. The biggest industry being the entertainment industry since it involves all the media production.
The use of fake bills in movies, videos, and TV shows was a necessary step for the growth of the entertainment industry. Not only does it make the production realistic, but it also gets the SHOCK value from the audience.
The music and fashion industries were both rather forgotten when it came to the use of prop money.
As for the tabletop game industry, of which most people have come across when they were younger, the use of prop bills was an essential part of many of the games.
Although each industry requires a different quality of counterfeit money, all its types are still easily recognized as fake. Here at Strobeprops, we give you high-quality prop money at affordable prices. A two-fold benefit for you regardless of how you plan to use it.