The Canusdirus Alias is currently being used as the name of a Rock band in the fiction i write for fun.

Tonight! We dine! In he- heck!

Movie Prop Master is an actual job title on the set of a film. I use that when I interact with jittery anti gun folks, like city officials, insurance folks, 'some' police, and the ignorant lay-public. Using the more accurate term Gun Wrangler or Armorer has actually made people freak out, even though many times I am NOT the actual propmaster for the entire film (only the weapons related portions).

The real propmaster is in charge of everything like chairs, plates, plants, rugs, sheets, pens, pencils, etc. etc. etc. I don't ever do anything like that, however, I do cover everything related to the weapons as well, holsters, rigs, body armor, tactical gear, web gear, accessories, etc. which a regular propmaster wouldn't have the slightest idea about.

It doesn't mean that I am a 'master' of anything. It is a Politically correct 'alternate name' I sometimes 'adopt' to keep anti gunners from flipping out. When I say "prop" they relax, somehow assuming that all the guns are now 'safe', even though they are real and can be re-converted to live ammo fire eventually, (or immediately if they are manually operated guns).

On the master note, I tend to have an immediate bias against anyone who self proclaims themselves a 'master' of something. "I am stealth master" "I am combat master" To my ears it sounds obnoxious (sorry guys) and makes me think of an angry 13 yr old Call of Duty fanboy. In the real world, you self proclaim yourself a 'master' of anything, you'll get a real world smack down faster than lightning. ;)

Edit:
On a lighter note, the traditional name for a woman in that role was "Prop Mistress", but apparently I'm the only one left who uses that antiquated term. Mike Papac once laughingly warned me NEVER to utter that phrase on a set with a FEMALE Propmaster. Her inner angry feminist will kick my ass! ;) Which is why we see more and more female actresses proclaiming themselves to be 'actors' (which is MALE in gender).

Fixed that for you

Funny thing is that traditionally "Mistress" indicates that the woman is the head of whatever area she controled. Thus unless you are talking about someones lover then it is a trem of respect.


PS: scratch that theory about who MPM really is. Yeah I'm trying to whittle down who MPM really is as a way to pass the time and test my information gathering and analysing skills. Then again I really don't know much more than the major names in the film armorer buisiness.

So, MPM, do people call you "Hey Prop Master!" And you like it when ppl call you that?

Actually on set I hear the sweet sweet sound of the Director and then the Asst. Director screaming my name from a distance or I hear the sound of the walkie Talkies of all the assistant squawking whether or not they have the '20' on my position. ;)
Other than on a set, why would anyone address me other than my name? And on the set, everyone usually KNOWS your name. I have never heard a director yell to his Chief camera operator "Hey Camera guy!" ;) LOL

He'll be the most ass hole ish director "Hey you, yeah you camera guy."

Hey YOU! Producer dude! Where are my circus elephants?

Hey you! Wardrobe chick! I want spandex EVERYTHING!

Hey you! Crafts Services girl! Where's my Peruvian coffee

Hey I want a crane shot - old cinematographer fart!

:D

Hmmmm, but then what about the term "weapons master"? I know I've seen at least a few armorers who got credited that way.

I've also seen the term "master armorer" on at least one movie, though I think it's meant to distinguish the "lead" armorer from the "assistants".

EDIT: Did a quick IMDB search of those phrases. Simon Atherton is credited as "Master Armorer" on Black Hawk Down, and Mike Papac was "Master Armorer" on S.W.A.T. and XXX 2. It looks like Harry Lu was credited as "weapons master" on a bunch of movies.