THE BRIEF

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In 2016 Channel 4 commissioned Rogan Productions to make a one-off documentary in the USA that explored the legal purchase of firearms as a part of its Cutting Edge series. The CCC were delighted to be involved in a documentary that would grant unprecedented access, require bravery, and demand a sensitive approach. Coincidentally we had just wrapped on a huge production in the USA and were able to proceed

both logistically and economically by transporting the kit directly from one location in

North America to the other. The team explored various location options before settling on

Freedom Firearms in the small town of Battle Creek, Michigan.

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CCC Director Ben Hoffmann then joined them in order to finalise the camera positions, technical requirements and to form a rig plan. Collectively we decided that Panasonic PTZ hot-head cameras would cover the action, along with fixed minicams. Personal mics were used for the staff and customers, with atmospheric mics to cover the shooting-range and the shop floor.

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​​THE CHALLENGES

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One of the biggest hurdles to overcome was the source of power. This is always a consideration in the USA when trying to make British television shows, as power feeds operate with different voltages and frequencies. This dictates the kit that can and cannot be used and must be planned carefully prior to transit.​​

In making a show about firearms, we were dealing with a culture very different from the UK – it was important that we remained as sensitive as possible to the beliefs of the contributors we were filming so that we could inhabit their space as unobtrusively as possible, and film them being as open and genuine as they would be without us there. The brilliant production team from Rogan led the way with this,

but it was vital that The CCC followed their lead.

At times there was a lot going on in the shop – various stories needed to be followed, and the small CCC crew handled the pressure brilliantly, maximising on every filming opportunity available to us during the shoot.

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THE RESULTS

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Gun Shop was a groundbreaking, thought-provoking documentary that shocked and amazed the viewing public. It created great debate among a wide-range of audiences on the moral and legal principles of the rights to carry firearms. Seeing the diverse customer base that entered Freedom Firearms, from middle-aged men, to older women, to children… from experienced shooters to novices, highlighted the huge difference between the laws,

the politics and the beliefs of our two countries.

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CRITICAL ACCLAIM

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"The Gun Shop was terrific, a portrait in miniature of a society in which the freedom to bear arms was a given."

The Telegraph

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"In the midst of this chilling portrait of everyday gun-shopping, I thought I detected

some reasons to be faintly hopeful."

The Guardian

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"This documentary needed no voiceover. It let the people involved speak honestly, with no traps or tricks,

and left the viewers to make up their own minds."

The Daily Mail