Shooting with airsoft guns without orange tips

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Boxing Fanatix

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It's complete illegal to paint the orange tip of any airsoft guns black so I stashed all the guns I painted away and bought some new ones, I am making a movie soon and I need to use some guns.

How do you film a scene with orange tip guns and make it seem real? Basically, what I am asking is is there anyway to use airsoft guns painted on black legally for a movie?

Thanks.
 
Talk to your local city film agency or liason unit, whoever it is who organises filming permits etc, they're likely to know the specific rules re fake guns during film shoots, and who to talk to at your local police re the same.

The orange tip is only there to help avoid idiots getting shot by people presuming the guns are real. If your film is properly organised, with a closed set and pre-warning the appropriate people (police, neighbours etc), then it should be fine to temporarily paint those tips black.
 
I shot a movie with painted airsoft guns, we notified the police we were shooting a movie that morning and that we had prop guns, no problems at all. A cop showed up once and parked for a bit, didn't even talk to us, then left.

I did find that my experience was different in different cities. In Greensboro the cops and the city in general are just cool like that. In Winston Salem we called, but they said "if we get a call we have to send somebody anyway!" 'cause my hometown is full of little bitches. Luckily it was a photo shoot and not a scene we had to shoot so we just did it super guerrilla style and cleared out...of the middle of Main Street...
 
Justin Kuhn said:
I shot a movie with painted airsoft guns, we notified the police we were shooting a movie that morning and that we had prop guns, no problems at all. A cop showed up once and parked for a bit, didn't even talk to us, then left.

I did find that my experience was different in different cities. In Greensboro the cops and the city in general are just cool like that. In Winston Salem we called, but they said "if we get a call we have to send somebody anyway!" 'cause my hometown is full of little bitches. Luckily it was a photo shoot and not a scene we had to shoot so we just did it super guerrilla style and cleared out...of the middle of Main Street...
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i did the exact same thing. I called the pigs before i filmed and they showed up to make sure everything was cool. SHe chilled for abit then took off on another call with sirens blaring. Also depends on your local. Shooting downtown is a different story.
 
If you're not going to call the police and inform them because of permit issues and the like (understandable), at least go speak with the locals who are in the vicinity so they know what's going on. They're the ones who'd likely be calling the "pigs" anyway.

Patrick
 
Fake guns

Fake guns

First, buy the airsoft guns without the orange tips, with the blowback action.
Then, sure, call your local cops.
The problem is you always end up speaking to the lowest person on the ladder who doesn't know jack about what you're saying and then the lowest person says no, You need permits, blah blah, insurance, blah.
Then, some jack-hole 20-year-old cop manboy shows up and puts you in a cop car and says you're going to jail for impersonating a police officer. True story.
That's what happens in Austin, with the so-called "indie" film community. B.S.
By indie, they mean Robert Rodriguez and his company, not your no-budget film short bullshit.
But, I say go for it, just shoot, keep the guns outta sight and hope you don't get shot by said manboy.
 
Its always good to call the cops even if you are using fake guns outside or inside a building with windows, whether its a rehearsal or photoshoot , the cops dont care if you have a permit or not, but they do want a heads up because most likely someone is going to call it in and they have to respond.

this is what happens when you dont call...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-GHX59oozg
 
Screenforme said:
First, buy the airsoft guns without the orange tips, with the blowback action.
Then, sure, call your local cops.
The problem is you always end up speaking to the lowest person on the ladder who doesn't know jack about what you're saying and then the lowest person says no, You need permits, blah blah, insurance, blah.
Then, some jack-hole 20-year-old cop manboy shows up and puts you in a cop car and says you're going to jail for impersonating a police officer. True story.
That's what happens in Austin, with the so-called "indie" film community. B.S.
By indie, they mean Robert Rodriguez and his company, not your no-budget film short bullshit.
But, I say go for it, just shoot, keep the guns outta sight and hope you don't get shot by said manboy.
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Yep I believe you but I like your style gave me a laff.

Down here you pick up a stick on the sidewalk that resembles a gun .. you headline the 6pm news.

Cheers.
 
First, buy the airsoft guns without the orange tips, with the blowback action.
Then, sure, call your local cops.
The problem is you always end up speaking to the lowest person on the ladder who doesn't know jack about what you're saying and then the lowest person says no, You need permits, blah blah, insurance, blah.
Click to expand...

If he tells you it's okay to shoot WITHOUT permits etc, he does so under the "color of law" and is putting his butt/job on the line because he represents the government. When your indy shoot goes sideways and some member of the public raises a stink, it'd fall right in that guy's lap. How is that fair?

But, I say go for it, just shoot, keep the guns outta sight and hope you don't get shot by said manboy.
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Follow this advice at your peril and don't whine when you get proned out at gunpoint because the cops deal with way more real crimes and criminals than they do wannabe film makers. They don't know who or what they're dealing with until they get there.

Love your tone.

Patrick
 
When it comes to guns, don't screw around. Toys or not, if you haven't covered the legal bases, informed the cops and EVERYONE in the vicinity that you are making a movie, you are literally playing Russian Roulette.

There are no apologies or regrets that van turn back time if something goes wrong because of your laziness and willful negligence.
Even a 1% chance of a misunderstanding is too much.

Put up signs everywhere while you're at it.



As for calling cops 'Pigs':

Way out of line man, those are men and women who are there for your safety.
If you cannot respect the person, respect the function!
 
Many people have been shot and killed by police over realistic looking toy gun incidents--most recently a boy in California.
If you can't at least have the little bit of effort and respect for your cast and crew it takes to help insure their safety, IMO you have NO place producing/directing them or anyone. And when something bad does happen and you're being served with a wrongful death lawsuit, you'll have deserved it.
 
We don´t have this orange tip thing here in Germany, so most prop guns look dammed real.

Here is what I do:

1. Let folks know that this is a film set. When they http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-GHX59oozg would have some lightstands, camera cases, spare tripod, cases and a few guys with "film crew" t-shirts in front of that shop, nobody would have called the police. Some barrier tape also helps a lot.

Everyone knows, that villains don't have barrier tape, equipment and a catering table outside of the shop they want to rob.
I don´t use flyers, leaflets or posters because they attract idiots.

2. Also let the neighbors know what you do.

3. Get a permit from the city. Even if you have informed the police, not every officer that is cruising by, might know.
Cops are always impressed by official papers.

4. When it comes to violent scenes in public (guns or not), don´t go run and gun gorilla style.
You might get away with it, but chances are you end up with having a cop, unloading his clip in your body - not good.

Frank
 
Isn't it a shame that common sense isn't more common? Think about what you are doing. With guns (even fake ones) there can be very permanent consequences. Weigh the risks. Act accordingly.

When the cops show up, do exactly what they say. You may end up with a matching set of linked bracelets sitting in the back seat of a chauffeured car with blinking lights, but at least you won't be dead. If you are calm, honest, and respectful -and play the "student film" card- you may not even go to jail. But then again you may. Is getting that shot worth the risk?

...Sometimes :)
 
I can only offer our experience as we shoot in Greensboro, Cary and Raleigh, NC. We DO NOT shoot on public or private property without permission with our airsoft rifles. If we were to shoot on public property we'd talk with local law enforcement first and go through the proper channels. For now, we just avoid public altogether as the average person would not know our guns from a real one.

As for private property, we get permission from the owner and typically pay to use the premises. We make sure that they know exactly what we are filming and what equipment we will be using as to avoid any miscommunication. We pay attention to any people that may come on to the private property and have a big enough crew that it is quite clear what is going on. Most of the locations we have shot on are remote, but if we were on private property that had the potential for accidental mistaken identity for what was going on, we call the local police to let them know. We have a friend on the force.

As majikfraug said, common sense is at play here. Just put yourself in the shoes of someone who doesn't know what is going on and had no clue something was being filmed and act accordingly. It's better to be safe.
 
Postmaster said:
We don´t have this orange tip thing here in Germany, so most prop guns look dammed real.

Here is what I do:

1. Let folks know that this is a film set. When they http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-GHX59oozg would have some lightstands, camera cases, spare tripod, cases and a few guys with "film crew" t-shirts in front of that shop, nobody would have called the police. Some barrier tape also helps a lot.

Everyone knows, that villains don't have barrier tape, equipment and a catering table outside of the shop they want to rob.
I don´t use flyers, leaflets or posters because they attract idiots.

Frank
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In a weird sort of synchronicity... I just read that Baby Face Nelson and his gang use to pose as either 'movie scouts', or 'movie production' crew, shooting a 'bank robbery' to... well... rob the bank...

They also posed as alarm company people to gain access to the bank as well...

Well, it did work in 1934...
 
Living in Germany, I'm always stunned by the huge differences in different states in the US.
In one state you have to have orange tips on harmless plastic toys, in the next state, you are allowed to wear a loaded machine gun on your back, while shopping.

I wonder if someone ever had the idea to color the tip of a real weapon orange.

Just saying.

Frank
 
Postmaster said:
Living in Germany, I'm always stunned by the huge differences in different states in the US.
In one state you have to have orange tips on harmless plastic toys, in the next state, you are allowed to wear a loaded machine gun on your back, while shopping.

I wonder if someone ever had the idea to color the tip of a real weapon orange.

Just saying.

Frank
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First of all, that's hilarious, and might make good material for a film.

Secondly, it's funny that several people mentioned Greensboro NC because when I lived in Winston Salem I used to do the 48 hour project there and they sent out a warning about using guns- regardless of how fake looking, because a 48 hour team the year before ended up surrounded by police- guns drawn. I am generally on the reckless side and love to flout authority, but this could be serious. An accident could easily happen with police (especially in a low crime area where they aren't used to responding to these types of calls) or an armed and unstable neighbor and someone could lose their life.

That being said- as long as the police are notified I'd go with a cheap handheld BB gun. I have one that looks and feels extremely realistic except for the CO2 screw at the bottom where the clip would go in and that comes off or is easily covered by an actor's hand. Granted it doesn't have blowback, but that can be done in post.
 
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