Making gun effects look real for movies?
Question by Nick: Making gun effects look real for movies?
I have adobe elements 2.0, but is there a way I can make it look like i am actually firing a gun with a bb one?
Best answer:
Answer by A A
I don’t know how much help this will be, but I’ll give it a try.
If you’re talking about how to use the software, or which effect to use to make a certain outcome, I can’t help. If you are looking for pointers on making the end effect look real, here are some points to consider:
There are several elements to consider when trying to make the firearm appear real. One would be recoil–the gun moving the shooter’s hand/arm after the trigger is pulled. Depending upon the weapon you are trying to mimic, recoil could be great, or nearly non-existant. Larger calibers tend to have more recoil. Larger guns tend to have greater recoil because they are shooting larger calibers, and they are built to withstand those greater pressures. There are exceptions, but that is a good general rule. A BB gun (unless it is designed to mimic the look of a real gun) will look like a BB gun, and therefore will probably look most like a .22 caliber rifle or pistol. Ergo, recoil will be minimal in that case.
Another factor to consider would be flash–the burning gunpowder that leaves the barrel muzzle behind the bullet. At night, the flash is especially noticeable. During the day, not as much. Day or night, from the sides (witness’s perspective) and from the front (target’s perspective), it can be seen more readily than from behind (the shooter’s perspective). Barrel length can play a major role in the amount of flash also. Shorter barrels produce more flash than longer barrels.
Another factor to consider is the ejected casing or shell, assuming the gun is a semi automatic. If the gun is a revolver, there will be no ejected shell/casing.
I wouldn’t worry too much about lesser factors, like the slide moving after the shot, or the revolving chamber turning when the trigger is pulled on a double action revolver. Unless the gun is foremost in the shot, it won’t really be noticable anyway. The semi-auto action of the slide moving in response to the bullet leaving the barrel happens so fast that the human barely notices it on film in a shot framed around the shooter and the gun. The only exceptions would be slow-motion shots and shots specifically framed around the gun.
Keep shots to a minimum, unless you know the exact number of rounds a particular weapon is designed to hold. A revolver generally holds five or six, depending upon caliber. Some hold more, but the caliber would be smaller, making recoil less noticable. You can’t fire twenty rounds from a revolver without reloading!
Go to youtube.com or some similar website and watch videos of people firing guns. You’ll see people shooting various guns and various sorts of stances (the way people stand while shooting) and grips (the way people grip the gun while shooting). If you can, go with a friend (who owns a gun) to a range and shoot one. Have them teach you how to shoot and general gun safety. This will give you an appreciation for what you are trying to accomplish. You’ll feel how much recoil a weapon can have, and see how much flash is produced under certain lighting condtions.
If you still need more help or are uncertain and need clarification, let me know with the “additional details” feature. If this was no help at all, you can let me know that too, and I’ll go quietly, I promise.
Good luck.
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