WEAPONRY

Weapon Loss or Theft

In the event of a weapon of any kind being lost or stolen; it must be reported in the first instance to the Fight Director and the Production Manager. The Fight Director shall then coordinate with the Weapon Handler and/or Stage Manager to ensure that the said item is missing. The Fight Director will then contact the relevant authorities, Police, ETF etc.

Weapons

Any weapon used for theatrical purposes must be acquired through a reputable rental or purchase company. The said weapons must be constructed for stage or film use only. Any weapon requiring licensing, legality within Canadian Law, should be obtained for the production by the Fight Director.

Under no circumstances should a performer, director, member of the stage management team, technical team or artistic team supply, rent, purchase, loan or donate any form of weaponry for a rehearsal, performance or production.

Rental Company Licensing requires that an individual should hold non restricted, restricted or prohibited status to cover items in their inventory for hire. N.B. Prohibited items that can be rented will require that an employee of the hire company must be present throughout its usage.

Firearms

Until further notice in writing, the use of blank firing devices is prohibited at the School. The following is for information purposes with regard to any other production outside this venue.

All firearm, antique, replica, blank firing devices must be delivered to and picked up from the stated address on file with the rental company, by a member of the rental company. Members of the acting company cannot pick up and return to the rental company.

Antique

Firearms manufactured before 1898 that were not designed or re-designed to discharge rim- fire or centre-fire ammunition.

Blanks

Short for blank cartridges used to simulate the sound of a gunshot. They have all the elements of live ammunition except for the projectile.

N.B. – Blank ammunition containers should be clearly marked as such. Containers and contents should be inspected before use.

Dummy round

A non-firing cartridge used to simulate a live cartridge.

N.B. – Dummy round containers should be clearly marked as such. Containers and contents should be inspected before use.

Live Rounds

Ammunition capable of firing a projectile.

N.B. – Live ammunition should never be supplied, bought, used in any theatrical production.

Vent

The direction of the hot gas that is produced when a blank is fired. A firearm may vent down the barrel, out the top, or the sides.

Front vent firearms, capable of firing live or blank ammunition under The Canadian Firearms Act governs the possession, transportation, use and storage of firearms.

Hang fire

A delayed fire in which the firing pin strikes the primer but it does not create enough flame to ignite the powder instantly.

Possession and Acquisition License (PAL)

The license issued under the Firearms Act, authorizing the possession and registration of a firearm. Replaced the Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC).

Prohibited weapon

A weapon prohibited by the Criminal Code and/or the Firearms Act.

Replica firearm

A device designed to look like a real firearm, but incapable of firing a projectile or a blank. According to the RCMP:

A replica is considered a prohibited weapon, unless it resembles an antique firearm as defined by the Criminal Code and Criminal Code Regulations;

You cannot sell or give a replica firearm to an individual or to an unlicensed business; however you may lend a replica firearm to anyone who borrows it specifically to fulfill their duties or employment in a motion picture, television, video, or live performance.

Blank Firing Device

A theatrical representation of a firearm. It is incapable of firing a projectile.

Storage

Replica, reproduction, constructed, antique, modern, deactivated, military, civilian, theatrical, film, blank firing, non-firing representation of a firearm. These items must be stored an unmovable metal container. This container must lockable and not accessible by the public.

Only designated individuals may have key access to perform their duties.

Blank and dummy ammunition must be stored in a separate lockable metal container. Only designated individuals may have key access to perform their duties.

Access to company members is restricted to only those who use or handle representations of a firearm.

Usage

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must comply with all legal requirements for the possession and use of firearms, replica firearms and blank firing devices.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware of any licensing requirements under the Canadian Firearms Act. Information can be gained from the Canadian Firearms Program website.

All stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must adhere to any protocols

established for inspection, maintenance, handling, storage and transportation of blank firing devices.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must treat any blank firing device, replica or firearm as loaded. These items can be extremely dangerous or deadly if mishandled.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware of protocol in the event of a miss or hang fire, use of offstage sound effects and the subsequent unloading of said miss fired blank firing device.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be advised that the said blank firing device will be loaded as close to the required gunshot effect on stage.

Once loaded the blank firing device must be kept in constant observation by the designated weapons handler or fight captain.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware that the vent of any weapon must not be directed ay any performer. Safe direction of fire must be established during rehearsal and never deviated from without supervision and adequate rehearsal.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware of any rehearsal using blank ammunition.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware of the safety parameters before loading and then unloading and storage

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware of any weapon that is covered under the prohibited category of Canadian weapons laws.

These weapons cannot be used, rented by a company without legal licensing and a weapons handler present.

PROVE

Ensuring that a firearm that has been unloaded or is about to be loaded is free of blank ammunition and any debris that may inadvertently become a projectile.

PROVE

A mnemonic for proofing:

• P – Point the firearm in a safe direction.
• R – Remove all ammunition.
• O – Observe that the chamber is empty.
• V – Verify that the feeding path (magazine) is clear.
• E – Examine the bore to ensure it is free of obstruction and debris.

Edged, Found, Bludgeoning weapons

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware of the legality and usage of edged weapons.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware of any weapon that is covered under the prohibited category of Canadian weapons laws.

These weapons cannot be used, rented by a company without legal licensing and a weapons handler present.

All stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must adhere to any protocols established for inspection, maintenance, handling, storage and transportation of edged weapons.

All performers, stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware of the rehearsal protocol after the replacement of any edged weapon. No new weapon can be introduced to a production without the approval of the Fight Director and adequate rehearsal time.