Greetings prop people,
As summer approaches (or for those in the mid- to eastern US, now
that it has arrived [what happened to spring is what I want to know]),
I hope that everyone who is ending his or her season has had a
good one. For those of you heading off to summer stocks, I hope
you continue to check back and use the site during the summer.
I have lots of plans for improving and expanding the site that will
be implemented this summer, so check back often! And please
share the site with the old and new friends that you make at your
summer gigs.
And for those of you who will be staying at your home theatres
(and hopefully enjoying the brief respite that you so greatly
deserve) I look forward to hearing from more of you when you have
time to really sit down and examine what I'm trying to do with
PropPeople.com. As always, please feel free to drop me a line with
questions, suggestions, and opinions about the site.
As for the props people outside of theatre, what does the summer
hold for you? Does filming slow down, speed up, or stay the same
during the summer months? I encourage you to head over to the
discussion board and share what is going on in the film and
television industries. Let the rest of us know!

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In this issue:
1. Hedda Gabler Firearms, Part 3
2. Tip o' the Week

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>Hedda Gabler Firearms, Part 3

This article is the third in a series of articles documenting the
process that I went through as the weapons master for the current
production of Hedda Gabler at the Long Wharf Theatre. The first
two parts of the article dealt with establishing the needs of the
production and choosing and procuring the firearms.

After confirming that the guns we had chosen were safe we next
needed to establish what strength of blanks to use. The
production is in LWT's Stage II, the smaller black box space, so
sound is a real issue. We needed to choose a blank that wasn't
so strong that it hurt the ears of the audience or the actors, but
still sounded believable.

At Long Wharf we like to get our blanks from Centre Firearms in
NYC. Their blanks are very dependable (almost no misfires) and
their prices aren't too stiff. Collector's Armoury (where we got the
guns) also sells blanks, and we purchased some blanks from them
as well when we ordered the pistols. So we got some of each to test
them in the space. The CA blanks were half loads, and sound-wise
were almost too loud. So we got some quarter loads from CF,
thinking they would be quieter. But it turns out they were actually
louder, even though they were quarter loads.

It's a good thing to know that there is no actual standard when it
comes to the strength of blanks. Different companies measure the
amount of powder that goes into the shells in different ways. So in
our case, one company's 1/4 load was louder that the other's 1/2
load. We decided to use the Collector's Armoury 1/2 loads.

It's always a good idea to test the weapons to see where the danger
zones are. You want to establish where the force of the explosion is
being expelled so that you know where an actor shouldn't be
standing. Testing the weapons is a simple procedure. Hang up a
piece of newsprint from something so that it hangs free and has
nothing on either side of it. Then fire the gun while pointing it
directly at the piece of paper, first from about 4' away, and then at
point blank range. This will show you what, if any, of the force of
the blast is being expelled from the front of the gun (i.e. towards
the intended target, something you really don't want). In the case
of these guns there was almost no effect on the paper, because the
barrel is completely blocked. Next, put up a fresh piece of paper
and hold the gun parallel to the paper when firing. Follow the same
procedure as before, firing from 4', then at point blank range. Be
sure to test the blast from either side of the gun (to the left and
right of the body of the gun). You may find that more of the blast
comes from one side than the other.

These guns put a noticeable blast pattern into the paper in the
parallel position. It didn't blow a hole through the paper (which
often happens), but it showed that a substantial amount of force
and burning powder was expelled out of either side of the guns.
Knowing this, I was able to safely establish where an actor could
stand on stage and be in a minimum of danger from the blast.

This test is something that everyone should do before a gun is
used on stage. Without knowing where the danger zones are for a
weapon, you could put actors, stagehands and yourself at great
risk of injury. It can also be a good idea to do this test in front of
the actors, run crew, and anyone else who comes in contact with
the weapons. By doing the paper test in front of them, you'll give
them a graphic illustration of the dangers inherent in using the
weapons and respect for them. In this case, a little fear is healthy.
It can prevent the tendency of some actors to treat the guns as a
toy that they can goof around with. Cowboy antics with stage
firearms get people killed. Just ask Jon Erik Hexum.

Next week: Introducing the guns to the actors

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>Tip o' the Week

All prop people who have been in the business for any length of
time have developed their own little tips and tricks that make our
lives and jobs easier. I'd like to start a Tip o' the Week portion in
each issue of Prop News, but I need your help! I've got a million
different things I could include, but after a while you all are going
to get really bored hearing about yet another prop carpentry
shortcut.

This is your chance to get your name into the Prop News! Send in
your favorite tips, and I'll include them in the newsletter, along with
your name, what you do, and where you work. You can send them
to me by email (mailto:propboy@proppeople.com). So look around
your shop and office and think about those little things that you
do every day that you came up with to make the job go that much
faster, cleaner, or simpler. Send them in and share them with the
rest of the props community!

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Till next week!

Sean McArdle
Owner/Webmaster
http://PropPeople.com
propboy@proppeople.com

Copyright 2000, Propboy Enterprises
All Rights Reserved

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Prop News : The PropPeople.com Newsletter Vol. 1, Issue 10 5/9/2000
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