gunfire flashes

[rob spence]

Hi

Does anyone know the best way to produce a realistic gunfire flash off camera.

I need to do a shot of a soldier firing a gun in the air at night...the gun will be off camera as he raises his hand with the gun

many thanks

 

rob spence

[Michael Nash]

I'm sure we've discussed this before. Try a search, probably a couple years back. I know there's lots of info burried there somewhere..

[Chris Keth]

I'm sure we've discussed this before. Try a search, probably a couple years back. I know there's lots of info burried there somewhere..

 

I've done it with a photo flash on the highest setting gelled with 2 layers of full straw. We just did it until I, after a take, asked if the flash went off because I couldn't see it (i.e. all of the flash's light went onto film rather than the eyepiece)

 

There's probably a better way but it worked well for us students on a budget.

[David Sweetman]

You can buy blank-firing weapons that are considered non-guns because the barrels are plugged; you don't need a liscence for them or a pyro on set because they're not considered firearms. With some, the flash is expelled out the top of the gun or a hole on the top of the barrel, with others it comes straight out the barrel. The Kimar pistols are supposed to have a realistic flash. I just bought a pistol for the climactic scene of my next film so I'll let you know how it works out. Just be careful, especially with recent news.

 

-oh, just read the gun will be off-camera. Yeah in that case, any light you can flip on and off rapidly, that should be simple to set up.

Edited April 17, 2007 by David Sweetman

[Michael Nash]

You can buy blank-firing weapons that are considered non-guns because the barrels are plugged; you don't need a liscence for them or a pyro on set because they're not considered firearms.

 

For clarity -- and safety -- a "non gun" is NOT a "blank-firing" gun with a plugged barrel! A non-gun never was, never will be, and doesn't work the same as, a real firing weapon.

 

http://old.issprops.com/Weapons/nonguns.htm

 

A non-gun is essentially a "cap gun" that looks very convincing on camera. Don't make a potentially deadly mistake between a "blank firing" firearm and a "non-gun." "Blanks" are real charges, and have been deadly on movie sets (John Erik Hexum, Brandon Lee).

 

http://old.issprops.com/Weapons/weaponsfaq.htm

[rob spence]

Thanks everyone

much appreciated

rob spence

[Michael Morlan]

Coming late to this thread but I recently added gun flashes (on-screen and off) for a "Grind House" trailer competition entry. (I also did grading to create a '70's reversal stock look from the video footage.) I explain it with sample footage here:

 

http://michael-morlan.net/pages/production...d_hellhoney.htm

 

The production tried to use a photo flash for on-set gun flashes but only managed to capture one for the shotgun blast. Photo flash times are so fast that catching one in-camera is troublesome. I've used double strobes for electrocution effects by setting them at twice the speed I wanted them to appear on film later.

 

I recently used a 1.5W Luxeon LED flashlight for a nighttime gatling gun flash effect. Just positioned the flashlight out of frame and rapidly bumped the back button.

 

Enjoy,

 

Michael

[Daniel Smith]

Not all blank firing guns produce muzzle flashes. Personally, if the gun is out of the screen, I'd use a camera flash on its lowest power setting. You can always tape things to it if it is the wrong colour or strength.

 

Check the ending scene of 'Jarhead'. Those effects look asthough they were done with a camera flash. (More like strobe)

[CJ Henke III]

I do all of my flashes in after effects, my friends do theirs in photoshop (it is a single frame), but with after effects I add flashes, smoke, and a 3D bullet casing that flies out of the chamber where ever I want. It also avoids the police coming to the shoot.

 

Blanks look great, but motion pictures are avoiding using them too, Pay Back, Pan's Labyrinth, etc. It just saves money on permits and means that there is no danger involved. There are also guns that just make a flash, but no sound, or chamber blow-back.