A movie prop is an important part of film or theatre as it enhances the performance and also makes the scene look more authentic. Money props should not pass as real money because its against the Counterfeit Detection Act of 1992. The Secret Service was established in 1865 to fight money counterfeiters as there was a high volume of fake money in circulation accounting for one-third of all U.S currency.
Creativity and innovation are what moves the entertainment industry. Therefore, if you are capable of coming up with astonishing props, you can be sure that your film will do well. You only have to make sure that the prop money does not go against the law and regulations.
When choosing movie props there are various things you should take into account. First, you should consider your budget and go for props that you can afford. Many movies have become great hits just because of the props they use. This article will focus on factors that you should consider when choosing the best props for your movie.
Purpose of the Movie Props
One of the most important reasons for using props in movies is conveying the place and time that the movie has been set. This is why movies go to the extra mile of choosing movie props that indicate a culture setting or an age in time such as 18th, 19th, 20th or 21st century.
For instance, if a film set is dedicated to ancient Rome; there are specific props that can be used to convey how life used to be during the time of the Roman Empire. It is also worth noting that, having such props brings the film to live and actually makes the people watching to understand what life used to be in those times.
Character
One of the main things that make characters recognizable is their props. For instance, Thor is known all over the world because of his hammer. Without the hammer, he is just another person walking down the street. The same applies to Iron Man suit.
These characters have gained their fame by making use of props. One of the most popular TV series in HBO is Game of Thrones. The dragons in the series are nothing more than movie props. The same goes for other big hits like Star Trek and Star Gate.
Atmosphere
Choosing the right movie props can help the audience to understand the narrative better than they would have done using normal roles. Props help the actors fit in their roles a lot better than they would in normal circumstances and in the process they feel good playing out their role and end up being better actors. If an actor finds himself acting as a Native American, he will act better if he is dressed as a Native American and given the weapons that were wielded by Native Americans.
Safety
When choosing movie props safety of actors should be always be assured at all times. If you are an actor, you should make sure that your safety is guaranteed and your insurance can cover any incidence. It is also worth noting that a fake knife can be as intimidating as a real knife and it is not worth to take the risk. There is no reason to put an actor’s life in a life-threatening situation just to make sure that the action looks real.
Effect on Film
Choosing movie props that are best suited for your movie ensures that the environment is completely invisible which is the main purpose of movie props. Anything that looks out of place immediately snaps the audience out of the movie. Therefore, you should know that a good prop will pull and attract your audience while a wrong prop will crash the illusion you wanted to create.