LIGHTS, CAMERA, GOTCHA! : STEALTH PHOTOGRAPHER ARRESTED AT WARNER BROS.

Byline: Mary Beth Alexander Daily News Staff Writer

When Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped onto the set as Mr. Freeze, the trap was ready. And not for Batman.

This time, Warner Bros. studio security officers were after an intruder who two weeks earlier had sneaked onto the set of Warner's ``Batman and Robin'' to record actor George Clooney as the Caped Crusader - illicit footage worth big money that aired on television's ``Inside Edition.''

It was not the first time an interloper had made his way onto a Warner Bros. set.

But studio executives were furious that security and closely guarded publicity surrounding the fourth ``Batman'' movie had been breached, and they immediately launched an investigation - a first for the company.

``These people . . . are on the sets illegally,'' said Robert Friedman, president of worldwide advertising and publicity for Warner Bros. ``It's clearly a violation of our rights and of the performers' rights.''

With Schwarzenegger due for his first day on the set, ``We assumed (the illicit cameraman) would want to come back,'' Friedman said.

So the studio set a trap.

Guards had managed to pull a photo of the suspected paparazzo from unedited studio footage. And they spotted him Oct. 19, mingling among the extras and crew members as Schwarzenegger prepared for his cue.

When the star emerged, the man, wearing a phony access badge, snapped off several photos with a tiny 35 mm camera that police say he carried onto the set in his sock.

He then headed toward a nearby parking lot, where security guards followed him and police were called.

The man, identified as Michael Carri, and two people inside the car, Kimberly Weiant and Gary DeRosa, were arrested.

All three have pleaded not guilty in Burbank Municipal Court to various charges, including trespassing, burglary and carrying false identification, including driver's licenses and Social Security cards.

Their attorneys would not comment on the case. King World Productions Inc., which produces ``Inside Edition,'' also would not comment.

Warner Bros. officials said they plan to pursue civil actions as well for copyright infringement and trade secret violations.

The studio says it is sending a message to those willing to go to any lengths to obtain ``exclusive'' shots of the hottest stars.

``The days of getting away with this, easily, are over,'' Friedman said. ``This kind of journalism has to stop.''

Industry officials say the release of pirated photos and videotapes is nothing short of sabotage that can ruin carefully planned, multimillion-dollar marketing and advertising campaigns surrounding new releases.

Actors and their representatives said the activities of these intruders fall into the category of ``video stalking,'' which is causing undue stress on performers and their families.

``What if that was your new infant that had such a high price on its head?'' said Katherine Moore, spokeswoman for the Screen Actors Guild, referring to frenetic attempts to get shots of stars and their new arrivals, including most recently, Madonna.

Most of the blame is being leveled at celebrity-driven tabloids and TV shows for fueling the frenzy of free-lance videographers by offering exorbitant sums for shots of the rich and famous.

Authorities contend that Carri, when he was arrested, had a note in his pants that read: ``Batman only - $35,000'' and a scribbled phone number.

``It's just totally out of hand,'' said actor and SAG President Richard Masur. ``It's insulting. It's a complete violation of the individual's privacy and . . . in many cases it's fraudulent entrance.

``I don't know how anyone can justify that.''

Warner Bros.' announcement of the arrests two weeks ago came in the midst of renewed outcry against video stalking - in the form of a boycott of ``Entertainment Tonight'' by several big names in the industry.

Clooney started the boycott, after ET's sister show, ``Hard Copy'', ran a story and videotape showing him and his current squeeze. He said his privacy had been invaded, and claimed Paramount Pictures, which produces both shows, violated a deal he made to grant ET interviews if ``Hard Copy'' left him alone.

Other famous faces, including Whoopi Goldberg and Tom Cruise, hopped on the bandwagon.

Paramount vowed to take measures to discourage intrusive and overly aggressive photographers. They said they would no longer use footage taken illegally, on the actors' private property or under situations where the subject was provoked into violence.

Clooney promised to videotape ``Hard Copy'' every night, to hold Paramount to its word. Moore said the boycott may extend to other shows that thrive on footage of the stars.

Meantime, Warner Bros. officials said they, too, will employ new measures to keep out set-crashers. However, they would not release any information about their plans.

Carri, DeRosa and Weiant all are accused of entering the ``Batman'' set using phony passes resembling those issued by the studio to employees, production crew members and film extras, said Burbank police Detective John Dilibert.

It is unknown, he said, how the trio obtained the passes. Dilibert said Carri claimed to have had help from a legitimate production staff member, out to profit from the deal. But, the detective said his account has not been substantiated.

All three of the accused, Dilibert said, had worked ``in the biz'' in the past.

One Warner Bros. official said the badges would be difficult to reproduce. But Dilibert said with today's computer and photocopy technologies, the production of fake IDs is rampant.

``There are places in Los Angeles alone . . . (where) for the right price you can pretty much get anything you want,'' Dilibert said. ``Where there's a will, there's a way.''