Visible crew/equipment: During the structure fire, when Roy, Johnny and the security guard are in the upstairs room and Roy closes the doors, just as they start to walk toward the window, the moving shadow of the cameraman and camera are visible on the wall. The shadow is not moving in sync with the guys so we know it's not theirs.
Visible crew/equipment: When Roy and John are in The Boat with the victim of the explosion, the ambulance arrives and just as it passes by we are able to see a nice reflection of crew members, location set's 9-bank array lighting, reflector screens, a ladder and other equipment.
Visible crew/equipment: After Squad 51 is dispatched to the 'heart attack' at Compu-Data, when Johnny and Roy walk in and then approach the victim in the office, the reflection of the moving camera dolly is visible on the office's large panes of glass. The camera equipment also casts a shadow on the three men as they walk toward the office, then on the glass as it moves back and forth.
Visible crew/equipment: At the gravel pit, when Roy jumps onto the conveyor belt to reach for the trapped little boy, the outline of the bulging mic transmitter is visible on the back of Roy's shirt.
Visible crew/equipment: After Johnny and Roy arrive on scene with the man trapped behind the semi, when they both put down the splints and drug boxes, the bulging outlines of the mic transmitters are visible on the back of their shirts as they bend over. Then, when Roy leans over to check on the victim, the outlines of the mic transmitter and wire are visible on the back of his shirt.
Visible crew/equipment: After Roy and Johnny pick up supplies at the nurses' station, they walk down the hallway and stop midway to talk about Johnny's insomnia. After speaking a few moments, Johnny and Roy head for the exit, so the camera follows them without cutting away, and when a father and son enter the hospital the camera turns, without cutting away, and follows them up the hallway. Just before the father and son reach the nurses' station, the actors' two black tape mark are visible on the floor behind them, precisely where Roy and Johnny had been speaking.
Visible crew/equipment: When Roy and Johnny are at the nurses' station talking about Johnny's insomnia, after Johnny signs for the supplies, as they walk away the actor's black tape mark is visible on the floor, where Roy had just been standing.
Visible crew/equipment: When the man from The Boat explosion is loaded into the ambulance, the outlines of the mic transmitter and wire are visible on the back of Roy's shirt, as he climbs in after the gurney.
Other mistake: At The Boat explosion incident, when Roy and Johnny climb aboard The Boat Johnny says, "We'll set up the Biophone here," but subtitles read "We'll set up the platform here." Subtitles from Universal Studios 2010 DVD.
Continuity mistake: When Engine 51 gets the run in the middle of the night, the engine company rushes to the rig including Johnny, which leaves Roy standing in the dorm alone. After he shouts out to Johnny from the doorway, when Roy turns to go back into the dorm, some changes have occurred - the locker room door is now closed, there are clothes lying on Cap's bed where none were a moment ago, etc.
Other mistake: After Roy and Johnny get back to the station, when Johnny takes the container of milk out of the fridge, we can see the black tape around it covering the brand name. There's another container in the fridge with red tape covering its brand name as well.
Visible crew/equipment: When Station 51 is dispatched to The Boat explosion, just after Captain Stanley responds, "KMG365," as he walks past the camera to the engine, we can see the open top of the set at the rear corner of the apparatus bay.
Continuity mistake: When Engine 51 gets the run in the middle of the night, Johnny's so tired that he stands on Engine 51's tailboard half asleep, and as it rolls out of the bay and makes a right turn, Roy shouts out to him that the run is not for them. There are two problems with this. The entire back of Engine 51 is different between the closeup and wide shot - the surface, the lights, the license plate area, etc. Also, the engine makes a right turn out of the bay, but Roy's looking out towards the left while he's shouting, as if the engine's turning left.
Visible crew/equipment: Just before dispatch drops tones for Squad 51 to respond to a heart attack, Johnny's walking past the rear bay door, and we can see the top of the set over the bay door.
Visible crew/equipment: When the two ambulance attendants remove and roll the stretcher away from the ambulance, towards the stockbroker with chest pains, just as the words "Directed by Dennis Donnelly" appear onscreen, the moving shadow of the cameraman holding a handheld camera is visible on the ground.
Visible crew/equipment: At Rampart, Johnny and Roy step out of the elevator and walk down the hallway discussing the inheritance, and when Roy bends down at the water fountain the outlines of the lav mic transmitter, wire and even the dark strap (that holds the transmitter) around his waist are visible on the back of his shirt.
Other mistake: During the paint factory fire incident, when the Battalion Chief (Battalion 14) contacts LA dispatch over the HT he says, "LA, Battalion 14, this fire is contained," but the bizarre subtitles read "Calling Battalion 14..." Subtitles from Universal Studios 2010 DVD.
Visible crew/equipment: When Engine 51 rolls up on scene at the paint factory structure fire, Captain Stanley heads towards the street corner, and we can see the actor's white T-mark on the ground before he gets on the HT.
Visible crew/equipment: When Roy tells Billy not to get out of the car because of the downed electrical wires, the outlines of the mic transmitter and wire are visible on the back of Roy's shirt.
Visible crew/equipment: When Brackett tells the orderlies to take the stock broker to the CCU and they tend to him, an actor's T-mark is visible under the gurney while it's still propped up, just before Dixie stands on that spot.
Answer: It is standard practice to wet down driveways so that they stand out in a long shot.
stiiggy