Our Mission
The American Entertainment Armories Association was founded by a group of companies that share the common goal of being able to compete in business with our foreign counterparts. U.S. companies find it nearly impossible to compete on a global scale in the area of theatrical weapons. The United States federal government, and the various state and local governments have made it exceedingly difficult to acquire sufficient inventories for theatrical use. The legislative scheme regulating the import and export of weapons places U.S. companies at a huge disadvantage. This prohibits many U.S. theatrical armorers from being able to supply weapons for a modern war picture or television series. Our association is committed to improving conditions for domestic companies working in the area of theatrical weapons.
Foreign competitors are licensed in nations that generally have strict gun control laws, yet those same nations provide their theatrical armorers with special exemptions that give them wide latitude to properly assemble equipment and firearms needed for film productions. These nations have provisions for, and an understanding of, the difference in gun control and making movies. The laws of foreign nations frequently enable their local companies to acquire and supply weapons at market price. This is at a level that is often one twentieth of the cost of what U.S. companies must pay for the weapons, assuming sufficient weapons can even be located, due to serious impediments in U.S. laws.
At this time, seven companies, over 100 individual armorers and other industry professionals comprise the AEAA. We have hired Washington, D.C. counsel to lobby on our behalf, which also benefits the entire United States film, television, and firearms industries. Through our counsel, we will work hard to enact changes in legislation to improve our ability to compete globally. We are also working with the MPAA, AMPTP, ATF, DOJ and local authorities to keep the use of weapons in films safe and legal. To succeed in our goals we will need the help of organized labor, state and local governments, and other companies and industry professionals to make these changes become a reality. We urge others to join us in the fight to keep the United States a competitive and viable location for theatrical productions.
- Gregg Bilson Jr.
President of AEAA
