Ahahah, I've had sooo many typos lately, I blame the Insomnia sale.

Edit:
Regarding filming, I don't recall having any issue taking photos (including with a tripod) in the Imperial Gardens, Roppongi, or Kamakura, although the vast majority we took outside. However, it has been some fifteen years, so laws and/or attitudes may have changed.

What movie was it?

Can you film in Japan?

Pfttttt... Japan IS a camera.

An indy movie. It shows up on IMDB but I don't know if it ever got released.

Remembered the name?

Yes but it's a sensitive subject for me and a long story. He was a good friend of mine in high school after which we went our separate ways. Well 15 years later he gets in contact with me and we were best buddies again and I was having a blast trading story ideas and writing tips. So a few weeks later he asks me to chip in with the funding of the movie; I couldn't help him at the time and I felt like shit about it but he said he understood. Well he hasn't spoken to me since. All I can think is he dug my name up after 15 years and pulled this 'buddie buddie' act so he could get money from me and when he realized he couldn't he vanished. Kind of pissed me off.

Ouch, well its okay if you dont feel like saying it. My condolences to you.

If you may film (or take photos) or not might not be so easily found out in some places.
I remember that at one shrine, I think it was in Ise but I visited so many of them that I'm not 100% sure, there was just an old wooden sign in Japanese far up a tree telling you that it isn't allowed.
It didn't help that the guards let all the Japanese people film and take photos anyway and only stopped the Westerners from doing so.

That sounds like the main shrine of the complex, I didn't want to take any photos just sketch but they wouldn't even let me do that there. The main shrine is super holy etc but that doesn't stop all the domestic visitors with cell phone cams.
It's way too crowded inside anyway and one can get some good shots from outside as well, I got a nice view from the side path next to the shrine and was able to work in peace there because most tour groups go in and out but not around the main shrine.
In some places you can take photos but not film, in some places you can sketch but not take photos, in some places you can take photos but not sketch with water only with dry pencils and so on, it's quite random really.

Was his movie Battle Royale?

XD No.
That sounds big budget, this one was an indy job all the way.

Filming in and around most temples/shrines isn't going to be a problem (as long as you're not using a flash). The real "sensitive" areas of such places are generally not open to the public anyhow.

Filming inside stores will likely not be okay.

Of course, if in doubt, ask someone who works at the location: bideo wo totte mo ii desu ka? should be sufficient.

I hear you have to blur out all the good stuff. AVOID.