Why do movies never have realistic-sounding gunshots?

[TinCup]

The audio you hear on a movie is highly "compressed" in order to capture the sound at it's peak quality. At the same time, loud sounds such as gunshots are also "limited" to a peak decible level. The combined compression and limiting colors the sound and is why gunshots do not sound "true to life".

The actual recording process used will also have an effect on the way a particular sound "sounds", as will the quality of the equipment you hear it on. A movie recorded in THx will sound different than a movie recorded in 5.1 stereo.

Then accoustics come into play. The sound in a large modern movie theatre will sound way better than your home theatre system, the same way your home theatre system will sound way better than the 13" TV in your bedroom.

 

[nomadboi]

Yeah, one thing I really liked about Black Hawk Down was their bit where one soldier basically goes deaf from his buddy shooting off a half a clip right next to his head... and as I recall, they did muffle out all sounds there for a bit. No fake tinnitis, though.

 

[MLH]

Big Inch

Be sure to get the "Heat" starring Robert D. and not the one starring Burt R.

 

[BerettaNut92]

What's annoying is the laser sounding sound effect for machine guns.

 

[jwoods]

You're right about Open Range Daniel. Kevin Costner even had RELOADING in the script! Imagine that, a gun you have to reload.

SEAN

 

[Gordon Fink]

Funny. I never saw him reload his 27-shot revolver …

~G. Fink

 

[.45TCB]

In Michael Mann's commentary on the Heat DVD, he describes how they originally replaced all the gunfire in the bank robbery scene in post-production as is the ususal practice. When they viewed the scene, though, Mann was not at all satisfied with the sound effects. Due to the canyon-like atmosphere (i.e. surrounded by tall buildings) where they filmed in downtown LA, the gunshot sounds would hang in the air for a few moments and Mann replaced the post-production sound effects with the audio that was recorded on location as the scene was shot.

 

[iapetus]

Skunkabilly

What's annoying is the laser sounding sound effect for machine guns.

What about the laser sounding effect for laser guns?

 

[nomadboi]

...or being able to see the beam instead of just the effect?

Ya know, sometimes you just have to make concessions to reality because it's more fun that way. Maybe I like my spaceships to make noise, my lasers to glow colors in space, and my laser blasters to go 'peeeeeew ppeeeeww!'

 

[Texian Pistolero]

Back in the early spagetti westerns, they had a patented "realistic" sound for revolver fire. It had at least three syllables, ending in a whistle, lasting about THREE seconds!

IMAGINE my disappointnent when i finall fired a cap n, ball, and just got a BANG!

 

[pezo]

never mind someone beat me to this joke.

 

[TamThompson]

Gunshots, hell, how about just realistic sounding DRAWS? I was watching "Alias" last night (TV show), and every single time those women drew their semi-autos there was a "click-clack" sound, sort of like a very diminutive mini-shotgun racking sound. Folks, I have NEVER heard a safety on a semi-auto make two noises--it's either a soft "click" or "clack." And most LEOs are carrying Glocks these days, anyway...no sound whatsoever on a draw. I guess the directors think it sounds cool.

 

[jason10mm]

Yeah, that is the excuse Stephen Sommers used on "The Mummy". Reference the scene with Brendan Fraser sqauring off with the American tomb raiders next to the sarcophagous. Everytime they liftered their pistols, there was a clackety-clack sound. The director was well aware that firearms don't normally rattle like that, but he though it heightened the tension and was necessary to focus the audience.