Hollywood training

[twoblink]

Don't most hollywood movies hire someone to train the people on how to at least HOLD a gun? I'm just wondering how much it would cost, because I'm so sick and tired of watching movies where the alleged "pro assassins" can't hold a gun...

 

[Erebus]

I think they all have a weapons master but I think they are just there to keep track of the weapons and make sure they are properly prepared for a scene. I don't know if they train people on how to hold them but I doubt as I have seen some really poor weapons handling in even recent movies.

 

[JKimball]

I recently saw a story about Mark Wahlberg training at Front Sight to prepare for "Shooter"

http://www.visualhollywood.com/movies/shooter/about4.php

Every now and again I am impressed with an actor's gun handling skills. I saw a made for TV movie with Tom Selleck and it was evident that he was pretty comfortable and familiar with his 1911. I think it was "Jesse Stone: Night Passage."

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Remember the opening credit sequence of The A-Team, where Dwight Schultz (Murdock) bursts out of the back of a truck and starts spraying bullets with a Mini-14? He nearly dropped it.

On the other hand, Matt Damon (Bourne) spent quite a bit of time on firearms training, on his own time. I'll have to commend his professionalism, at least.

 

[benEzra]

Some do, some don't.

IIRC, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got a good bit of training for Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and she also trained with a former SAS guy for the first Tomb Raider movie. I think The Matrix also had a firearms trainer.

I can pretty much guarantee that nobody got any training for the Charlie's Angels movie a few years ago...cheesiest gun handling I've ever seen onscreen, IIRC...

 

[El Tejon]

Selleck is a Gunsite graduate.

Depends on the movie and its budget.

 

[Joe Demko]

The "weapons master" on most sets is there primarily to prevent off-screen stupidity with the guns. Especially after the deaths of John-Eric Hexum and Brandon Lee, it became an insurance issue as well as a safety issue. The "weapons master" keeps track of all the guns, makes sure nobody is handling one unless required for the scene, loads/unloads blanks or dummy ammo, etc. Any training in how to realistically handle the weapons on-screen_if any_ would likely come from somebody else. The "weapons master" is primarily part of the film crew; though in lower budget pieces he may instruct the actors. I have an acquaintance at another board who works in the film industry and is also a gun enthusiast; I got this from him.