Curious on a lower budget project how directors reassure talent firearms are not loaded/unsafe, etc. If, for example, for a pistol to head scene the director puts the gun to their own head first, etc. Pulls trigger into air, etc. Basically how to reassure cast/crew hyperrealistic firearms are safe.
Firearm safety without armorer
- Thread starter Kingda Ka
- Start date
I know an AD whose last gig was on a micro budget where she was working with children, guns and animals. The previous AD ran off the set screaming.
She checked every weapon herself and laid them all down on the floor when they weren't being used.
She is an outstanding AD and I'd trust her with anything and everything.
Clear the weapon and make sure it is cleared each time it is used. No live ammunition on set, shoot those scenes separate if need be. Weapons should be controlled by one person, and never left unattended. Air-soft is a good substitute for a real firearm.
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Assign ONE crew member as armorer, and NOBODY ELSE touches the weapons. The armorer will retrieve the weapon from it's storage (usually the trunk of a car), clear and dry fire, shake it (if it's plastic/pellet/airsoft) to make sure nothing's logged inside, slide a straw or a pencil up the barrel to make sure nothing's stuck in it (I one time found dried dog food shoved in an old Japanese sniper rifle). When the armorer is satisfied with the weapon, HE/SHE will hand it to the actor. When the actor is finish, it will be handed back ONLY to the armorer. And if anyone else touches it, the're fired. period. Toy or prop, derelict or functional, it doesn't matter. I have numerous weapons (real and props), and most people couldn't tell the difference between a Sheriff's issue S&W .357, Glock 20, and a blank firing 9mm Aras Magnum, but that's because props are SUPPOSED to look and feel real. Treat them like they're ALL real and they're ALL loaded. And if you or anyone else thinks a blank firing weapon is safe, look up Jon-Erik Hexum on the net.
Really? According to the limited info you provided, she is an outstandingly incompetent AD, who broke at least two criminal laws, various H&S regulations and the law of common sense and I wouldn't even allow her anywhere near a film set, let alone trust her with anything!!
I'd much rather hire the AD who ran away, although my first choice would be an AD who could actually fulfil his/her responsibilities (in this case, convince/force the producer to do what was legally required in the first place and hire a certified armourer)!
G
They only lost two actors. It was fine, they were replaceable.
I used air soft pistols that we repainted and polished with graphite powder. They looked real, and we treated them as such. In fact, I never even touched the pistols on set, it was entirely between the Actors & Prop Master. As soon as I called 'cut' the Prop Master stepped in, and immediately placed the guns in a box.
Be careful.
Thomas.
Be careful.
Thomas.
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I like to use both realistic airsoft weapons and the real thing and then mix them up before handing them out to the cast, throw some live ammunition in there as well- totally fucks with their heads. Only one actor received a gunshot to the thigh on a set of mine last year but that was with my personal weapon- he wouldn't take direction!