On Alec Baldwin’s Shooting

2023-01-26 12:08

We recently learned that Alec Baldwin is being charged with involuntary manslaughter for his accidental shooting on a movie set.

I don't know the details of the case, nor the intricacies of the law, but I have a question about movie props.

Why was an actual gun used on the set? And why were actual bullets used on the set? Why wasn't it a fake gun: plastic, or metal without a working barrel? Why does it have to fire blanks? Why can't everyone just pretend, and let someone add the bang and the muzzle flash in post-production?

The light sabers in Star Wars weren't real; the lighting effects and "Wooj-wooj" noises were add afterwards.

So were a gazillion "Props" from the Harry Potter movies.

Even regular, non-SF non-magical movies have special effects.

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