ALBANY, N.Y., May 1 (UPI) -- New York state's new ban on assault weapons could force police shows and violent movies to film elsewhere, producers say.
Industry experts say that switching to fake guns is not practical, The New York Times reported Wednesday. But the law, which also bans high-capacity magazines, makes no exception for studio props.
Prop guns are real ones that have been altered to shoot blanks and often have the barrels blocked.
Bohdan Bushell of J&M Special Effects in New York's Brooklyn borough said he fears the new law could be the last straw for many shows.
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"If a producer has to jump through more flaming hoops than they already do to shoot in this crazy city of ours, they're going to go: 'When is too many hoops? Is this the last one? Am I done now?' California is hungry for our work," Bushell said. "The Southern states with huge tax incentives -- Louisiana springs to mind -- have very little problem with whatever form of firearm you'd like to carry around with you."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who pushed for speedy passage of the new gun-control measures while public concern was high, has said he is open to crafting an exception for prop guns. But Republicans in the state Legislature have said they are not willing to make an exception.
An industry study found that television and movie production brought 46,000 jobs to New York in 2011. Crime shows shot in New York include "Person of Interest," "Blue Bloods" and "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit."
