Aloha all!

i've always kind of wondered about this. There are no shortage of tiny indie films featuring guns. I know this crowd, and I know the budgets involved, and I don't believe they're buying realistic props. I believe they're using actual firearms. Which, ok, with accommodation for state laws (handgun owner on set, for example) and safety training, why not?

Now I find myself running sound in one of those films. I volunteered to conduct some basic training, even to take members of the cast shooting, if anyone was unfamiliar with firearms. So far, so good.

They've put out a call in the community, looking to borrow guns for the film. Aha! Belief confirmed! They're looking for a couple of Glocks, a matched set of rifles (which aren't specified, but should be contemporary military-style), a couple of grenades, and some affiliated tac gear.

Here we finally come to the question: how comfortable would you be letting someone use your guns to make a film? What would be your requirements, were you to agree?

give them a HI Point
I'm not giving them any of my grenades 

Certainly there are some legal considerations. I don't think you can lend someone a handgun. There is also liability. On another note, the film industry in general hasn't been supportive of the 2a community.

Certainly there are some legal considerations. I don't think you can lend someone a handgun. There is also liability. On another note, the film industry in general hasn't been supportive of the 2a community.

They only came to testify when it affected them. But common with gun owners too.

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Airsoft guns are very realistic. Just black out the orange titty.
I got one if you need. ---Beretta 92

Also got a bug blaster if doing an alien movie.

Legally, u cannot lend someone else a handgun in HI. Rifle or shotty can be lent for 15 (?) days.

My concern would be who will be using the guns since they are real. Does the actor have any felonies or other disqualifing factors?

Then theres the if they break it, will they replace it. And due to covid, certain parts are harder to come by (lowers) and will take u multiple trips to hpd, so time is money.


So to answer, i would not lend my firearms.

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[§134-2.5 Permits for motion picture films or television program production.] (a) Upon a finding that public safety is not endangered, the chief of police of the appropriate county may issue permits, initially valid for a period of one year and renewable annually thereafter, for the possession, transportation, or use, with blank cartridges, of firearms or explosives solely as props for motion picture films or television program production upon a showing that good cause exists for the issuance of a permit to the applicant and upon sufficient proof of a federal firearms license and a state film permit required under section 201-3

Why don't they ask HPD to lend them guns.  HPD got all the good toys that people like to see in movies.  Plus tactical gear.  Not sure if their stun grenades are similar looking to real grenades. 

Who knows, I wouldn't be surprised they got real ones too. 

Guns are one thing.  But a real grenade being lent out?  I don't think so.

There's "lending", and then there's "renting". 

I'd consider renting a few guns to them.  Long guns are no problem, but I'd need to see a letter signed by the Chief of Police saying it's okay to allow the props department to possess and control the handguns.

Short of that letter, they'd need to pay me to be present on set to maintain control over the guns during use and take them home when shooting that day is done.  I'm sure they can accommodate that by scheduling as many scenes with my handguns in them close together to limit the number of days they need me.

So, yes, I'd be okay with having them use my firearms as long as the legalities and logistics meet my approval.  What I worry about is an actor fumbling and dropping a nice piece and damaging it.  There would have to be a clause stating "we'll be responsible for repairing any damage."

 

Remember one of the first season Magnum P.I. where Rick lights up some bad guy's car with a Mac 10 or Uzi.

Even back in the 80's, I thought "No way" they could get hands on a SMG like that.

Remember one of the first season Magnum P.I. where Rick lights up some bad guy's car with a Mac 10 or Uzi.

Even back in the 80's, I thought "No way" they could get hands on a SMG like that.

Rick could’ve. He was the shady underworld connected character.
For sure not registered.

They make exact (pretty much ) replica pellet/bb guns with blow back and every thing for little over hundred bucks. No orange tips.
Glock,Beretta, M&P, 1911....

I had met and became friends with a couple of folks whose job it was to arrange for firearm props for the various film crew/projects locally.  They surprisingly knew very little about the actual firearms.  It was just a job for them to get what the production crew was in need for.  I think it's easier nowadays with availability of pretty accurate airsoft guns that no need to "mess with" real firearms. 

I had met and became friends with a couple of folks whose job it was to arrange for firearm props for the various film crew/projects locally.  They surprisingly knew very little about the actual firearms.  It was just a job for them to get what the production crew was in need for.  I think it's easier nowadays with availability of pretty accurate airsoft guns that no need to "mess with" real firearms.

Most of these shows -- the good ones, anyway -- have technical consultants on set they pay to make sure they aren't doing silly things like calling the wrong prop an Uzi or having the optics installed backwards (Yes, EOTECH, we saw that!). 

If the props people don't know a Glock from an AR-15, they at least know who the consultant is.  Usually it's someone with military or LE experience, depending on the nature of the show.

I've known one FBI guy I worked with who was a consultant for 5-0, then landed a leading bad guy role.

Anyway, that's how I've heard it's supposed to work.

Every show that involves guns has an armorer and all the experienced prop guys are very familiar with the weapons. It is often the prop master himself who pulls the permits, but the prop assistants are more concerned about placement on the appropriate actors/extras so they may not know or care very much about specific weapons since they mostly handle the dummy guns and have hundreds of other props to wrangle. Magnum PI has a few handguns for the main character and one of the most interesting ones is the custom Costa 1911. Too bad I cannot find any photos.

What happened to macsak line "I own no firearms or reloading equipment!'

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Most of these shows -- the good ones, anyway -- have technical consultants on set they pay to make sure they aren't doing silly things like calling the wrong prop an Uzi or having the optics installed backwards (Yes, EOTECH, we saw that!). 

If the props people don't know a Glock from an AR-15, they at least know who the consultant is.  Usually it's someone with military or LE experience, depending on the nature of the show.

I've known one FBI guy I worked with who was a consultant for 5-0, then landed a leading bad guy role.

Anyway, that's how I've heard it's supposed to work.

True.  However, I recall some shows that had tech consultants and gun nuts on the show, like Criminal Minds, get lots wrong.  I mean nobody is perfect, but attention to detail.  Stuff like scope caps down when shooting and other stuff like that.  Probably more the film/prop folks than the consultant, but still.  That said, probably less than 5% of the audience will pick up on stuff like that.  I also met one of the tech consultants that worked on a few show produced locally and they weren't particularly into guns or interested in shooting them.  Just like not all professionals who utilize firearms in their  "day jobs" are gun people. 

It's stuff that are easy to get right that make me    Yeah, artistic license on some, but some just plain lack of attention to detail. 

True.  However, I recall some shows that had tech consultants and gun nuts on the show, like Criminal Minds, get lots wrong.  I mean nobody is perfect, but attention to detail.  Stuff like scope caps down when shooting and other stuff like that.  Probably more the film/prop folks than the consultant, but still.  That said, probably less than 5% of the audience will pick up on stuff like that.  I also met one of the tech consultants that worked on a few show produced locally and they weren't particularly into guns or interested in shooting them.  Just like not all professionals who utilize firearms in their  "day jobs" are gun people. 

It's stuff that are easy to get right that make me    Yeah, artistic license on some, but some just plain lack of attention to detail.

They also have people called "key grips" whose job it is to remember from take to take what was where in the last take.  A great example of someone not being alert was in Independence Day with Will Smith's scene in front of his girl friend's house as he was leaving.  He was wearing his Marine uniform jacket.  As the camera angle changes from shot to shot, it's obvious they were done in different takes because the epaulets on his jacket were magically changing locations!

In one shot, bot epaulets are under the lapel (as they should be).  Next shot, one is under, and one is over/on top of the lapel.  Not to be outdone, next shot BOTH epaulets are on top!  As the scene goes on, the epaulets play hide and seek, as they all move from on top to under and back.  I wonder if the video editors even caught that.  To me, it's really distracting. 

With consultants, grips and everyone else on set watching the takes, it's amazing how many gaffs make it to the final movie/TV show.

FYI: the name "Grip Boy" or "Key Grip" came from the description of their job.  When one take ends and needs to be reshot, or the next shot is a continuation of the previous one, the grip person makes sure if the actor was holding a prop in a given hand (gripping it), the object remained in that hand through all takes so it doesn't look like the prop was jumping from hand to hand.

As for proper configuration of firearms being used, it should be a team effort to set it up correctly and continue that setup through the whole scene.

So this isn't in the job description? FF to 0:48

They also have people called "key grips" whose job it is to remember from take to take what was where in the last take.  A great example of someone not being alert was in Independence Day with Will Smith's scene in front of his girl friend's house as he was leaving.  He was wearing his Marine uniform jacket.  As the camera angle changes from shot to shot, it's obvious they were done in different takes because the epaulets on his jacket were magically changing locations!

In one shot, bot epaulets are under the lapel (as they should be).  Next shot, one is under, and one is over/on top of the lapel.  Not to be outdone, next shot BOTH epaulets are on top!  As the scene goes on, the epaulets play hide and seek, as they all move from on top to under and back.  I wonder if the video editors even caught that.  To me, it's really distracting. 

With consultants, grips and everyone else on set watching the takes, it's amazing how many gaffs make it to the final movie/TV show.

FYI: the name "Grip Boy" or "Key Grip" came from the description of their job.  When one take ends and needs to be reshot, or the next shot is a continuation of the previous one, the grip person makes sure if the actor was holding a prop in a given hand (gripping it), the object remained in that hand through all takes so it doesn't look like the prop was jumping from hand to hand.

As for proper configuration of firearms being used, it should be a team effort to set it up correctly and continue that setup through the whole scene.

The take to take one is another I noticed. I think it was Criminal Minds. Picking on them because Joe Mantegna was on a shooting show on The Outdoor Channel saying how they had experts to get things more realistic. So one scene one guy was clearing a house with a Sig. Then later a Glock. Ahh, handgun, same same. To me that’s easy to get right.

The uniform one is interesting too. Or people in ranks/positions that aren’t typical.