Hello fellow film-makers ! I have a question. I am making a film involving guns. Which is the best way to make it look as real as possible. I was thinking along the lines of "pretending" to fire and insert the gunshot sound but I think that may be a bit to "fake".

What about using blanks? Has anyone done that before? What about airsoft pistols, do they look real enough? I need some input please Thanks

"Live Fast, Die Fun." ~ Travis Barker

Justin Oswald
!Revolution Productions!

blanks will scare the crap out of anyone around you when you are making your film and you could get the cops pulled on you a couple of times. I would use gas blowback airsoft guns. as long as you dont have any close-ups on the guns with a bit of gaffers tape they can look real. or you can get the expensive 100$+ ones that are almost all metal.
good luck
Fab 4 Films

Ok...

Blank firing guns (atleast the ones you can get your hands on) do little more than make noise and in the case of semi automatics discharge a shell as the barrels are blocked for safety.

The kind that arent (Real firearms utilizing special blanks) are not avaliable to the general public and require several licenses.

Next best in the "LOw/No" budget world is airsoft. The gas guns have blow back and look very good infront of the camera. Ad in muzzle flashes and your golden.(Most of the gunshots in Once Upon A Time In Mexico were rubber guns with flashes drawn in post)

Programs like AlamDV can make it simple but it is pretty easy to accomplish in Photoshop as well. A muzzle flash usually only lasts for one frame so take a still image and draw it in.

There are several shorts on here (I believe) with muzzle flashes done in post. Just look around.
R. Michael

"Luck, is when opportunity, meets preperation." "There are 3 sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth, and none of us are lying" -Robert Evans
Tizzy Entertainment "Redemption" Hi-Def trailer

thank you guys for the advice

"Live Fast, Die Fun." ~ Travis Barker

Justin Oswald
!Revolution Productions!