A relatively recent development in movies and TV shows that still use blank adapted real weapons (versus airsofts that have their 'muzzle flashes digitally put in') is that many professional productions that have live 'blank' fire are still digitally 'enhancing' their flashes in post production.
I've heard from several on set prop masters that most of the blank firing guns they use on TV shows and movie sets (apart from the high action 'Expendables' type of movie) are now (quarter) 1/4th power load blanks.
I'm running into more and more productions that ask for '1/4' load. These are hella wimpy blanks.... As you well know this cycles the action, provides a teeny little kick, but has virtually no muzzle flash.
They're doing this because of
noise issues. They can film past
noise ordinance curfews in many locations because the sound is so much quieter. Then they add in Post production 'flash' to enhance the blank firing. Also the actors and crew seem to like the fact that the blasts aren't as loud.
But they're still 'firing' so the brass being ejected, smoke, slide movement and actor response is still better looking than having an actor 'mime' fire with a fake airsoft gun.
This has been the case for a while, but I didn't realize how prevalent it was in the industry. An on set armorer who recently rented 50 guns from ISS commented that he believed that most of their guns were already adjusted for 'quarter loads' from the get go. Interesting...
This doesn't affect any of our IMFDB pages, but as you know, our members have access to insider working knowledge of weapons in films that the vast majority of the planet does not.
