People often say Paris is just one big film set, but authorities have been forced to limit the kinds of movies being filmed in the capital in the light of the terror attacks last month.

Police commander Sylvie Barnaud announced this week that the shootings that left 17 dead have had an unexpected impact on the film local industry.

“There’s a problem with these action-type scenes, as the actors in uniform could be targets for terrorism, Barnaud said.

“Also the actors could cause confusion for the general public during this highly sensitive period.” she said.

The police chief also said the use of fake weapons and special effects using pyrotechnics were also banned.

Barnaud said the ban, which would remain in place indefinitely, was common sense for a city still tense after the series of three shootings in three days at Charlie Hebdo offices, a Jewish store and in a street to the south of the city.

“I was shocked to hear witnesses of the Charlie Hebdo attacks say on television ‘it seemed like a movie shoot to us’,” she said.

Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed on the streets of the capital at famous monuments such as the Eiffel Tower or at shopping centres as well as outside Jewish places of worship.

Over the years Paris has proved popular as a location for movies with its historic streets and famous monuments both with French and international film-makers.

Last year alone there were 930 film shoots in the capital, 20 of which were international productions, according to the Town Hall website.

One of the most famous action scenes filmed in Paris was the car chase in the 2002 film The Bourne Identity (see video below) where Jason Bourne, played by actor Matt Damon and probably a few stuntmen sped through Paris in a red mini pursued by French police.

But local film industry chiefs played down the financial impact that any ban would have on the capital.

The head of the Ile de France Film Commission told the New York Times there was “no impact on current productions” and that the ban would be “perfectly manageable”.

READ MORE: New interactive map plots Paris film locations