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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: tp4tissue on Mon, 30 September 2019, 20:42:50

Title: Whydo movies always ignore the weight of gunz
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 30 September 2019, 20:42:50

[attach=1]

[attach=2]

Dis' from the new B-movie, d00m Annihilation.

Suppose 2b this movie's iteration of the BFG 9000.

Now,  If looks the size of ~15-20 10lb dumbbells.   If it were steel, it'd be unliftable.

If it were magneseum alloy, it'd STILL be over 100lbs.

Anything that can plausibly take alot of HEAT, (it's a ray gun afterall), can't be very light..

Yet, this 90lb actress with  Girly arms like Tp4 can 1 hand it up to her chest.

(https://i.imgur.com/HmeSYmM.jpg)

Title: Re: Whydo movies always ignore the weight of gunz
Post by: fohat.digs on Mon, 30 September 2019, 20:46:29

The same reason that there is always unlimited ammunition in any gunfight. Unless somebody has to run out to advance the plot line.

Title: Re: Whydo movies always ignore the weight of gunz
Post by: noisyturtle on Mon, 30 September 2019, 20:55:32

Title: Re: Whydo movies always ignore the weight of gunz
Post by: Leslieann on Tue, 01 October 2019, 01:17:57

While it's for swords, it applies to guns as well and explains it quite well.

Title: Re: Whydo movies always ignore the weight of gunz
Post by: Findecanor on Tue, 01 October 2019, 06:38:32

Movie props is my other hobby...

Most of the time when you see a gun in a movie, it is not a real gun.
Real guns are kept under high security and safety. They are brought forward only for close-ups and for when they need to be fired, and first when they are supposed to be fired do they get loaded with blanks.
"Blanks" are not safe: The muzzle flash is very dangerous up close. You can get your fingers blown off if a gun goes off and you hold it wrong.
Some automatic guns do actually need a type of projectile to be able to cycle, and those "blanks" are made of a material that splinters easily in a special muzzle break for this purpose. Without that muzzle break, the "blank" projectile could kill someone it is shot at. And those splinters are dangerous up to a distance.

For props in general (not just guns), the fancier most recognisable props took a lot of work to make, and are often unique items. Props get dings and scratches all the time during a shoot, and you can't hold up a production for repairs of a prop.
For this reason props get moulded and cast in duplicates that then get painted to look realistic - and those are used for most shots. The material is often polyurethane resin (similar to the material used for artisan keycaps...), which of course is lighter than steel.
Props used in stunts are cast in rubber, and there, lighter weight is also for safety.

And yes, props get made lighter also to reduce wear on the actor. In LotR for instance, swords were usually aluminium and chain-mail was usually made of plastic.
... But of course there is no excuse not to direct actors to act as if an object that is supposed to be heavy is heavy.

Title: Re: Whydo movies always ignore the weight of gunz
Post by: mizzoperator on Tue, 01 October 2019, 13:22:33

They ignore the weight of guns presumably because the plot needs to happen.
That's just a guess though, but I'm willing to bet money on the reason being that most actors aren't likely to be familiar with the actual weight of a firearm,
so making them light and easy to carry around is optimal for the shot. Of course, this is just a silly game theory. I have no idea if that's actually true.
As I previously stated, the plot needs to happen SOMEHOW regardless of realism.
You could also ask a similar question of why movies also happen to ignore recoil, along with every other aspect of a firearm.

Title: Re: Whydo movies always ignore the weight of gunz
Post by: Sintpinty on Tue, 01 October 2019, 17:32:54

Quote from: tp4tissue on Mon, 30 September 2019, 20:42:50

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

Dis' from the new B-movie, d00m Annihilation.

Suppose 2b this movie's iteration of the BFG 9000.

Now,  If looks the size of ~15-20 10lb dumbbells.   If it were steel, it'd be unliftable.

If it were magneseum alloy, it'd STILL be over 100lbs.

Anything that can plausibly take alot of HEAT, (it's a ray gun afterall), can't be very light..

Yet, this 90lb actress with  Girly arms like Tp4 can 1 hand it up to her chest.

Show Image

(https://i.imgur.com/HmeSYmM.jpg)

Epic fights need to happen, not epic cramps.

They put holes in guns to make it ultralight