SQUIBS AND SPLATTER

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Permalink Reply by ClericRuss on August 26, 2008 at 3:44pm

Yup- it used CO2 cannisters that go into life jackets.

Simple tube, solenoid assembly & "Gak" [I worked on Nickelodeon's Legend of the Hidden Temple, incidentally- look for Russell Rose in the end credits]

If I could get a better look at one, you'll see that it's quite similar in parts to the cheapest paintball gun knock-off.

Exceptional eye for detail Met'!

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Permalink Reply by Metaluna Mutant on August 27, 2008 at 10:06pm

Legend of the Hidden Temple was one of the only game shows that were fun to watch. The temple was awesome, If the kids were smart, they would pick one of them went in and gave them all of the tokens.

On topic; is there a gun that you can make that shoots gore at the actor so it appears to be a shot gun wound? Or is there another, better way to accomplish this effect? I was thinking of something like a potato launcher with less force obviously.

Slightly off topic again; how do you create the illusion that a gun is being fired? I would prefer not to use a real gun. Do they use blanks in movies?

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Permalink Reply by ClericRuss on August 30, 2008 at 1:09pm

This topic actually lends itself to its own thread- that of weapons handling and armoury...

In quick terms- there are prop weapons that use flash wads [magician's flash cotton or flash paper] with igniters electrically triggered by the actual trigger of the "gun". The battery is often in the handle and all the wiring is hidden by the body of the weapon- done well enough you could build your own!

The best example of this type of "flash gun" was the "Sand-Man" guns from the film Logan's Run.

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Permalink Reply by ClericRuss on August 26, 2008 at 3:48pm

I wound up ordering my "zirc-hits" out of California by a pyro-tech I can look up the address and give you a reference if you need it...

Be advised- those things are not a "perfect" 68 calibre so they run the risk of falling straight out of a .682 or wider diameter PB barrel. Also- they're Hard Plastic- not gel- so you'd need a hard impact surface for those.

They look incredible on film though [take a look at old episodes of Air Wolf or have a look at Blackhawk Down in their demo DVD of "The Making Of..."

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Permalink Reply by Wolfe4086 on August 26, 2008 at 8:09pm

I have been looking for the zinc hits as well as the Sweeney balls but not look with google fu :(

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Permalink Reply by ClericRuss on August 30, 2008 at 1:21pm

Just be aware- Sweeney balls were actually VERY specific to the Sweeney Gun developed back in the mid to late 1980s- they're more "pill" shaped and were very specific to the Sweeney system [patent decisions most likely].

"Zinc" hits don't really exist.

Manganese Zirconium loads is the more proper term and what you'd want to look for under Google is "Zirc", "Zirconium" and "Sweeney Loads".

Since there's an interest in it, here's someone you might be able to contact- understand though that what you're looking for is very expensive [upwards of 10 to 15 dollars a shot depending on who you find!]

Because Zirc-Hits do "explode" [granted one could say "like a Snap-n-Pop" "explodes"] some businesses will not sell to the neophyte without a pyro license or at least a track record of film special effects/pyro work.

Roger George Rentals
14525 Bessemer St.
Van Nuys CA 91411

818.994.3049
rogergeorge@earthlink.net

I get my loads from elsewhere- I get a better deal [more competitive anyway...]

Hope this helps!

Cleric

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Permalink Reply by Wolfe4086 on August 31, 2008 at 11:40am

Thanks Cleric,

I think the term zinc is a typo that sorta developed a life of it's own. While the zirc hits do interest me I can do without them if I can just get the sweeney balls. :)

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Permalink Reply by Metaluna Mutant on September 24, 2008 at 6:04pm

Does anyone remember the scene in XXX (the film with vin diesel, not a porno) where his undercover partner runs out of the building. Later, he is shot in the back of the head by XXX. His gun used a bullet that looked like a pill with fake blood. I'm not sure, but I think it also knocked him out. The bullet's tip held the blood. Of coursce, no one should use something like this; but just for the sake of argument: is there something like this?

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Permalink Reply by ClericRuss on September 25, 2008 at 7:13pm

The only devise I've ever used that came anywhere close to waht you described [that's real] is "SIM"unition out of Canada.

Special Operations groups for the Canadian & US Military used it for a while [may still for all i know] and it's main components were cap-ended "blanks" with a semi-gelatinous load that superheated from the primer ignition.

For lack of a better term- it was a "paintball" that could be used in live weaponry.

The original Sim-unition loads could be fed directly from existing hardware- but in order to maintain safety the munitions and matching industry standard "blue" barrels had to be designed so that the devise would only fire the proprietary stuff and not a live round.

Seriously?

For film work- I am reeeeally [here comes a pun] "gun-shy" about the idea of projectiles coming or going towards the camera or an actor/actress...

It's one thing to want realism for your productions- but this whole thing that transpires in front of the camera is "magic"- you want people startled and aghast to what's on the screen- not real life.

Camera angles, Sweeney Loads, fake blood, compressed air, flash paper/cotton and "flour charges" should be part and parcel to your arsenal- not loads that really hit people or can screw up camera lenses.

Cleric

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Permalink Reply by Metaluna Mutant on September 26, 2008 at 6:32pm

For film work- I am reeeeally [here comes a pun] "gun-shy" about the idea of projectiles coming or going towards the camera or an actor/actress...

I agree with you entirely; but did you know that in the film "Virus," real bullets were used by the animatronic human/ machine puppets, therefore putting the actors in real danger.

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Permalink Reply by Arkter on September 26, 2008 at 9:17am

Sorry for my absence everyone i was actually involved in a film that im sure you all know about, Quarantine, i had to finish some last minute paper work.
(no i will not reveal any thing or talk about it so dont even ask)
It looks like you handled your selves pretty well.

Thanks to ClericRuss. : )

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Permalink Reply by Wolfe4086 on September 26, 2008 at 1:50pm

No worries, congrats on the Film. Looking forward to seeing it.:) Right now looking into CGI for doing some head hits. Granted not shooting till August but want to get as much info as possible. :)

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