Crew plans to document lawbreaking

Urban legend would have you believe that it was once illegal to wash farm animals in the middle of some small towns.

A production crew plans to test that law in Culpeper by washing a miniature donkey on Saturday in the green space near the Depot for a pilot Web series called “Breaking the Law.”

Third Floor Productions President John Roberts, 23, said a local farm would provide the farm animal.

TFP is a Story House Production company based in Washington, D.C.

A Raleigh, N.C. native, Roberts hopes to produce 10 episodes for the Web series that will feature quirky laws that may still be on the books in town across the country.

“It’s all in good fun,” Roberts said. “We’re going to be breaking laws in several different towns.”

A number of wacky laws may or may not remain on the books, but according to snopes.com:

* It’s illegal for unmarried women to parachute on Sundays in Florida.
* Women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth in Vermont.
* In Richmond, it’s illegal to flip a coin in any restaurant to determine who buys a cup of coffee.
* If a child burps during a church service in Omaha, Neb., his or her parents may be arrested.
* In Arkansas, a man can legally beat his wife, but no more than once a month.

Roberts earned a film degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts

He encourages the public to come out and watch the production.

“We love to see people’s reactions,” he said.

Culpeper Tourism Director Beth Burns likened production crews to “super tourists” that benefit small town like Culpeper in many ways.

“First, the direct impact of anything they purchase while they are here,” she said. “Secondly, we will benefit from the positive exposure of Culpeper in their production. Third, we will benefit by giving them the best possible experience as they do their job.”

“If Culpeper gains a reputation as a friendly place for film production, hopefully we will have additional and even larger productions do business here,” Burns added.

Rhonda Simmons can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 125 or .