In what is believed to be a tragic incident, the actor Alec Baldwin shot dead a cinematographer on the 21st of October 2021, as he was shooting a prop gun at a film set in New Mexico.
It’s too early to know the cause of what happened during the shooting of the Western film “Rust.” However, the incident, where the director of the film was injured, highlights a basic fact: guns are used frequently in Hollywood films.
As researchers of the mass media and risk behaviors, we have looked into the increase in the number of firearms on the screen. We believe that the higher number of firearms in films the more likely that shooting will take place at some point, both in the “reel” world as well as in real-life “real” reality.
The violence of gunshots in Hollywood films has increased drastically over time, particularly for films that are accessible to teenagers. Our research has shown that the number of shootings in films for PG-13 audiences almost tripled in the 30-year period between 1985 (the year following the date that the introduction of the rating) and the year 2015. The same trend has been seen in popular TV dramas with the amount of gun violence featured in prime-time dramas increasing by a factor of doubling between 2000 and.
Of course, portrayals of violent scenes in entertainment aren’t new. The shooting of guns in Hollywood films is a long-standing tradition that dates back to gangster films from the 1930s. Guns were also prominently featured on those Western TV shows of the 1950s.
The increased use of guns in films and television shows is caused by the realization that violence attracts audiences, and guns provide a simple method of dramatizing violence. In this regard, filmmakers are an open partner in the world of guns.
Media outlets are not keen on permitting gun advertisements on television or in magazines that are distributed to a large audience. However, guns are frequently featured in the top-grossing films and TV shows that are popular.
We are aware that the gun industry is paid by production companies to feature its products in their films. They are compensated with regular appearances on the screen in such a way that in 2010, the firearms company Glock was awarded an award that reads “lifetime achievement award” for the placement of its products,” with a mention that Glock was featured in 22 of the box office’s No. 1 films the year.
The reward for gun manufacturers is often great. Prominent film placement can lead to a major rise in sales of guns.
Making guns ‘cool’
The potential harm that guns can cause in Hollywood is far more extensive than the occasional tragedy on the set. Research has shown that just seeing guns can trigger the aggression of viewers through what’s called the “weapons effect. “weapons impact.”
Television and films that are violent and that contain guns, may also create a sense of rage and make viewers feel numb to the suffering and pain of other people, numerous studies demonstrate.
Children are particularly susceptible to attack, which is why it is all the more significant that the number of guns in films rated PG-13 has grown over time.
Children are more likely to identify film characters as “cool” and try to mimic their behavior.
It was observed with smoking cigarettes on screen: Kids who watch film characters smoking cigarettes, are much more likely to take up smoking. A similar result was observed in children who saw film characters consume alcohol.
In a study carried out by us, two children aged 8-12 were randomly assigned to view a movie with a PG rating clip with guns or the exact same clip that had the guns edited out.
They were then placed in a room with numerous games and toys and were watched by cameras hidden in the room.
The cabinet included a real, but disabled handgun of 9mm that was modified using an electronic counter to count each time the children used the gun.
The majority of children (72 percent) went into the drawer to discover the gun. However, those who watched the clip that had guns were more likely to hold the gun longer, on average 53.1 seconds, compared to 11.1 seconds for those who watched the clip without guns. The trigger was also pulled more frequently and pulled the trigger more often – 2.8 times per minute, as compared to 0.01 times for those who watched the video without firearms.
Children engaged in risky behaviors using the real gun, for example pressing the trigger and shooting towards themselves or their companion. One child was able to point the gun through the lab window and pointed it at pedestrians on the street.
The type of gun violence depicted in Hollywood films tends to emphasize the legality of using these guns. When actors use weapons to protect themselves or relatives, their actions are accepted as acceptable.
The result is inducing viewers to believe that using guns for the defense of oneself or other people is good for the environment.
Are you reflecting or glamorizing violence?
The United States is the most militarily armed nation around the globe. While it is home to around 4 percent of the population of the world, U.S. citizens possess almost 50% of the guns in the world.
With the way that guns are featured so extensively, there is a risk that Hollywood isn’t just reflecting the society but is actually encouraging sales of firearms.
Although incidents of actors and film production personnel getting injured or killed by accidental shootings are extremely very rare, the probability of fatal shootings – whether accidental or otherwise, on the ground is bound to go up with each purchase of the types of firearms used in Hollywood.
