Armorer Services, Weapons Safety and Education Training for Film and Television Productions
Our years of service in military special operations, private security contracting, tactical law enforcement and training help us make your production look, sound, and feel authentic while remaining safe and efficient.
01 / Services
Armorer Services
We are not hardcore “gun nuts.” We are professional armorers, weapons masters, trainers, and instructors with years of experience in the field and in film. Safety on set is our primary mission. We are skilled, discreet, and professional, and operate seamlessly within the unique environment of an active film set.
Read More / Professional Armorer Services
Motion Picture and Television Firearm and Weapons Training
Visual authenticity in firearm and weapons tactics is a critical part of capturing today’s savvy viewing audience. Our staff has an extensive background in private military and tactical law enforcement services, which gives us an edge in training actors, stuntmen, and extras in the safe, tactical use of any weapon on set. We also understand the mindset, personality, and behavior of characters playing various law enforcement and official military roles. We are not hardcore “gun nuts”. We are professional armorers, weapons masters, trainers, and instructors with years of experience in the field and in film. Safety on set is our primary mission. We are skilled, discreet, and professional, and we operate seamlessly within the unique environment of an active film set.
Technical Advisor and Script Review
Dark Thirty Film Services provides on-set consulting, script review, and technical advice to ensure accuracy and authenticity in film and television productions. Our team has served with various law enforcement, military, and private military agencies, which gives us a unique skill-set and in-depth knowledge of the inner workings and processes of characters in these roles.
Professional Weapons Training
For pre-qualified clients, we also offer training programs in submachine guns, vehicle assault maneuvers, dynamic entry, and other professional security tactics and weapons instruction.
02 / Services
Safety Training
This is a sore subject for us. We have pushed for years to include adequate safety training for anyone handling or being in the presence of live (capable of firing a projectile) weapons on set. In the real world it’s a no-brainer, it just is. Hollywood requires some convincing. In light of recent tragedies, it is our hope people are ready to listen.
Dark Thirty provides a soft approach to weapons familiarization and safety with streamlined effective classes tailor fit to your organization and needs. Give us a try and we’ll show you how it’s supposed to be done and at the same time make your production a safe place to work for everyone.
03 / Services
Technical Advisor and Script Review
Dark Thirty Film Services provides on-set consulting, script review, and technical advice to ensure accuracy and authenticity in film and television productions. Our team has served with various military, law enforcement and private military agencies, which gives us a unique skill-set and in-depth knowledge of the inner workings and processes of characters in these roles.
04 / Services
Weapons & Equipment Rental
The staff of Dark Thirty Film has worn many hats and formed key strategic relationships over the years. We are connected to global resources and specialists capable of delivering one-of-a-kind weapons and skills not available to the average weapons master or prop house.
To put it simply: as professional armorers, there is no firearm or weapon we can’t provide and no real-world military professional we can’t source. From antique flintlock guns to the most modern tactical equipment currently in use in the Tier 1 special operations community, we have a vast, unparalleled arsenal of weapons and military or law enforcement Resources.
Read More / Weapons Rental
Motion Picture and Television Prop Guns and Weapons
The staff of Dark Thirty Film has worn many hats and formed key strategic relationships over the years. We are connected to global resources and specialists capable of delivering one-of-a-kind weapons and skills not available to the average weapons master or prop house. To put it simply: as professional armorers, there is no firearm or weapon we can’t provide and no real-world military professional we can’t source. From antique flintlock guns to the most modern tactical equipment currently in use in the Tier 1 special operations community, we have a vast, unparalleled arsenal of weapons and military or law enforcement Resources.
Our Trusted Vendors
Our network of trusted vendors range from obscure specialty shops to major weapons manufacturers to operational team outfitters. Each of these vendors has an international reputation for high-quality firearms, skilled craftsmanship, and collateral equipment.
05 / Services · Full-Service Custom Fabrication Studio
Fabrication
If we can’t find the item you need for a film or television production, it doesn’t exist. But, we can make it. Dark Thirty Film operates a custom fabrication and firearm finishing studio. This specialty service is a rare and sought-after craft in our industry. From period pieces to modern tactical weaponry, we create prop or functioning firearms and weapons for rental or sale.
06 / Services · Skills and Capabilities
Professional Talent Services
With our network developed through more years than we care to count working real world operations, Dark Thirty Film, can tap into that network of special operation professionals. These colleges can act as technical advisors on set, and if necessary deliver precision performances. Well versed in the atmosphere and etiquette of working on set, they are experts at being experts.
Read More / Professional Talent Services
Our services go beyond weapons training and prop rentals. As professional, on-screen talent, the team at Dark Thirty Film, Sierra 6, has appeared in numerous film and television productions. We can also tap into our network of veteran military and law enforcement professionals. Our team and our colleagues deliver precision performances and we are well versed in the atmosphere and etiquette of working on set.
07 / Assets · Simply the Best
Assets
After years of working in high-risk, high-stress environments as operators, handlers, and instructors, the team at Dark Thirty Film has taken their comprehensive backgrounds and applied it to work that’s a bit more… well, laidback. Our philosophy is defined by honor, dignity, character and respect. We are highly skilled and knowledgeable in what we do. We take this and apply to each and every job addressing them with the highest level of care and professionalism.
Bryan W. Carpenter
Armorer, Weapons Master, Trainer
Bryan is an accomplished private military contractor currently working in the film industry as an armorer, trainer, stunt performer and producer. If you can’t find him rescuing a stray cat, drinking a fine cup of coffee on Magazine st., or enjoying 80’s night in the French Quarter, he’s probably at the range or off the grid. A Mississippi native, Bryan spent 20+ years immersed in strategic operations and has undergone extensive training during his time there.
Bryan holds instructor level certifications in numerous special operations and tactical fields and logged thousands of hours training military, federal/state agencies, private military contract firms and corporations in ‘unique’ courses of study.
Nigel Thomas
Armorer, Weapons Master, Trainer
All attempts to find any picture of Nigel where he actually looks intimidating were a failure. That loveable smile keeps getting in the way.
But don’t let the smile fool you. Nigel served with the Royal Marines, Special Reconnaissance Regiment, and 22 SAS. Impressive. Since then he has established Blue Mountain Group a company led using his own personal values and ethos, which are reflected in everything that Blue Mountain achieves. Nigel has operated internationally for high net worth clients, celebrities, royalty, corporations, and governments providing Specialist Security and Professional Training.
Dawn Carpenter
Managing Partner, Training Coordinator
We’re ignoring Dawn’s “don’t list me anywhere” directive. We can’t help ourselves; she’s just too awesome – a cool chick with great taste in T-shirts and wine. Dawn has worked in the private contracting community for more than 10 years as an administrative coordinator, senior executive department lead, and project manager. She is calm, cool, and can work out the differences when no one else can. (In other words, she excels where others in our field fail!) Dawn is trained in tactical shotgun, handgun, rifle and unarmed combat. She also serves as a close protection agent in the film industry, specializing in keeping the ladies safe. Dawn has earned respect on both sides of the game.
Dawn currently works as a managing partner of Dark Thirty Film Services and as training coordinator for Sphere Logistic Solutions.
08 / Sierra Six 1 · A Seasoned Team of Professionals
Sierra Six One
During our training of actors and stunt performers we have come across some exceptional students. Those students were invited to join our internal operations group, Sierra Six 1. Sierra Six 1 is a stunt performer crew, highly trained in every skillset an action movie might need. This allows the Director to save time on set and the production to save time on training, both for realism and most importantly safety, giving everyone, including the audience, the effect they desire, authenticity.
Read More / Sierra Six One
As we've trained actors, actresses, stuntmen, and women we’ve come across many exceptional students. In that, we have been very fortunate. Of those exceptional students, several decided to further their training with extensive, technical, and sometimes grueling courses. Witnessing the evolution of these men and women into true tacticians and shooters we decided to create Sierra Six 1 to collectively have them in an internal operations group. A "by-invitation-only" team, they are the best of the best and we would proudly put them against anyone. We always say that the ability to look good on screen is a side effect of being trained with real word tactics and techniques. Sierra Six 1 has that training and then some.
Aaron Mathews
Who says unicorns don’t exist? Aaron has been doing stunts since his mother was two months pregnant! All joking aside it’s a family affair.
Who says unicorns don’t exist? Aaron Matthews has been doing stunts since his mother was 2 months pregnant! Okay, okay… all joking aside, this is a family affair for Aaron. As a second generation stuntman, he’s been learning the trade since before he could earn a paycheck. With GQ looks and an awesome sense of humor, we refer you back to line one.
Angel Spitale
Weighing in at 91lbs of solid muscle and sheer determination, Angel puts all the boys to shame. Not a lady you want to get in a gun fight with.
Weighing in at 91lbs of solid muscle and sheer determination, Angel puts all the boys to shame. Look, we’ve seen her in action guys and trust us when we say, this is one lady you don’t want to get in a gunfight with.
Ken Barefield
Damn, we don’t have room to list everything he’s got going on. Our very own renaissance man.
Damn. We may not have enough room on this page to list everything Ken has going on in his life. Professional stuntman and actor, Under Armor hunt athlete, producer at The Resistance TV, just to name a few. Not sure how he finds the time to be such a nice guy. In any event, he’s our very own Renaissance Man… cool.
Chris Bryant
The shirt says it all. A dangerous man with nothing to lose. This guy is our resident outlaw. That’s why we love him.
The shirt says it all. A dangerous man with nothing to lose. Well maybe we’re exaggerating a bit, but Chris is our resident outlaw. A trait he shares in common with upper management of Dark Thirty. Maybe we shouldn’t consider this a positive, but we do anyway.
09 / Credits
Credits
- The Daily Wire
- The Hollywood Reporter
- Access Hollywood
- Clarian Ledger
- Carthaginian
- New York Post
- Featured by: Bridget Biass / Novelist of: “The Crow: The Story Behind the Film”
- Law and Order
- Business Insider
- Vanity Fair
- LePoint (France)
10 / Contact
SKIF
OP-C
Mississippi
NOPC Carthage, MS
COPC Lena, MS
Louisiana
SOPC New Orleans, LA
© 2026 Dark Thirty Film
Dark Thirty Film is the original company of the Twin City Gang, where 13 South began.
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