If you didn't know it was a Nerf blaster, the above pic looks pretty sweet as it is, and a prop built from the ground up (which are often mods of other replica fire arms and toys anyway) wouldn't necessarily be any more realistic or impressive looking. Some of the gear that comes out of Johnson Arms, Meandmuch and Nerfenstein is so cool that they're often inundated with comments like "whoah they belong in a movie!" But then, if they ever DID make it into a movie, are we all going to laugh and go "bahahaha that's a Nerf blaster!"
Nerf make some pretty amazing looking kit; and it makes prop designer's jobs all that bit easier. Personally I think there were worse things to critique the show over than the guns.. like the gawd awful character development (everyone's an idiot..)
Well said!
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with you on the point you make, I think what makes the Nerf Gun props in Terra Nova more susceptible to criticism is that the budget for this series is off the wall. To see blasters that we can recognize as toys being used gives us a "B Movie" vibe to the props. The use of motocross safety pads as body armor for the marines is another point I've seen. There are some instances where the motocross logos are still on the costumes. So while Nerf Blasters look really cool and lend themselves well to being used as neat sci-fi props, I think we expected a little more from Spielberg.
ReplyDeleteGreat article. You have a good point.
ReplyDeleteBazookafied: I hear what you're saying and I admit I didn't know a whole lot about Terra Nova before it came out, didn't realise it was actually Spielberg and big budget as personally it seemed sort of B-Movie to me anyway..and that was before I spotted the Nerf blasters:)
ReplyDeleteI think people like to pick this sort of thing up as it gives them the sense of achievement and status. It's like "I'm special because I saw something before anyone else". It's very common with youTube commentors who always see things that are in the background, or on photos where people always like commenting on things that aren't the main subject of the image.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, Terra Nova is aimed at the sci fi lover who is very likely to in turn like Nerf guns. The producers should have picked that up early on IMHO.
Nerf blasters are so customize-able and easily modded... I say they make the perfect movie prop but since it is such a widely used "toy" many people see the movie or video now as childish and not well funded, or maybe just plain stupid. I see them as creative, innovative, and very smart ideas... in fact criticizing Terra Nova because of its creativity is also criticizing the black eyed peas for their own use as sound blasters and so many more great films and videos!
ReplyDeletenerf basters work well in terra nova because they have customised and edited them to give an appearance of weight and rigidity reminiscant of a real firearm, which works well. what doesnt work well is when someone just paints a recon black and it still looks like it's made from plastic and weights only half a kg
ReplyDeleteI think the Nerf guns as props are perfectly acceptable. To people who know Nerf, it may seem ridiculous. The honest truth is, most gun props are just that: props. Even when you see "real" guns used on TV and in movies, unless they are firing, the actor is usually carrying a piece of molded rubber. To a "gun person" these rubber guns are blatantly obvious. To the other 99% it matters not at all. I say just relax and if the show is good, enjoy it. :)
ReplyDeleteI watched the first episode when it aired and didn't even notice the Nerf guns till someone sent me some pics from the show. Unfortunately I've lost interest in the show and stopped watching.
ReplyDeleteSince Terra Nova is filmed in Australia (the Gold Coast hinterland in Queensland to be precise) and Australia's gun laws are pretty draconian, using modified Nerf guns is understandable as they are cheaper to store on set than hiring a film armourer to handle and store live-firing guns on set.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, live-firing guns have been used on numerous occasions on Terra Nova. I know that the production crew has used CAR-15 rifles fitted inside a futuristic shell in a few episodes of the series.
I saw in a music video , they actually used Nerf guns
ReplyDeleteOne dude had a firefly
Another person had a maverick
Another person had a longshot
And some girl had a longshot front gun
The basic blasters are in fact really modified 'nite-finders'
ReplyDelete