How to Employ Guns on the Set of Your Movie

Using Fake Weapons to Add Realism to the Shots in Your Film

Jun 17, 2009

Using guns on your set doesn't have to be dangerous or expensive. Here are some alternatives that will give you the shots you need, without compromising actor safety.

If your film requires the handling of guns but your budget is low, here are some alternatives that can look just as good as the 'real thing.'

Toy Guns

Your local toy store can be a great source for cheap weapons as long as you are willing to modify them to suit your needs. Most toy store guns and water pistols these days are brightly colored and all plastic, but a can of matte black spray paint can make them look surprisingly real- especially if you won't be shooting any close-ups of the gun. Don't use gloss or semi-gloss spray paint, though; guns don't 'gleam' in the light and they'll be a dead giveaway as fake on screen. Another simple trick is to take the gun apart and fill any airspace in it with modeling clay, and then put it back together. This can give a cheap plastic gun a realistic 'heft' which will translate on the screen.

Airsoft Guns

If you need something more realistic looking for close-ups or for shots where you need the gun to function in a similar manner to the real deal, a good alternative may be Airsoft guns. Airsoft gun manufacturers tend to strive for realism in the making of their weapons, up to and including the logos and markings that their real counterparts have. The main difference is that Airsoft guns shoot plastic pellets the size of BBs. Airsoft guns often cost nearly as much as a real gun however, so don't spend the money if the realism that they afford isn't going to show up on the screen. On many movie sets toy guns are given to background characters and Airsoft guns to anyone who is prominent in a shot. This will help keep costs down and your audience won't notice the difference.

Safety

It should go without saying that safety needs to be your first concern when it comes to weapons on-set. Whenever you will be filming in an outdoor space you must follow proper procedures as set out by the government and police department before you even shoot your first frame. It is likely that you will need to hire off-duty police officers to be on set with you and have the area you will be filming in cordoned off and well marked. You may even be asked to station Production Assistants around your set to warn passersby.

Do not skimp on this. Just because you know that they are fake guns does not mean that bystanders or police officers will. The last thing you need is a S.W.A.T. team showing up on your set; your movie is not worth someone getting shot over. Again, do not attempt to film 'guerilla style' with fake guns in a public space. Ever. If you can't afford to do these things then you need to rethink your scenes to better fit into your budget.

Even if you will be filming on a closed, private indoor set, another thing to be aware of is that even fake guns have the potential to injure. Cap guns discharged close to the ear can cause hearing loss, Airsoft guns can blind if the projectile gets lodged in an eye, and BB and pellet guns can pierce the skin. Real weapons loaded with blanks can, and have, caused deaths on movie sets! The easiest way to ensure the safety of your cast is to employ an armorer whose job is to handle any weapons on your set. In addition to giving instruction on the use of weapons (even fake ones), they typically are in charge of any weapon being used in a scene... While you are watching the actors, they are watching the guns and gun safety..

Conclusion

Guns may be a necessary 'cast member' for your movie. As long as safety and security are your top priorities there is no reason they can't be used safely in getting the shots you need to make your scenes feel real to an audience.

The copyright of the article How to Employ Guns on the Set of Your Movie in Filmmaking 101 is owned by Jeff Lanctot. Permission to republish How to Employ Guns on the Set of Your Movie in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.