From here to Moorpark: Former Marine drills Hollywood in weapons & tactics

Actress Shannon Lucio has just overpowered two rogue cops using everything from a pants belt to a shard of glass. She applied the “one-mind-many-weapons” technique taught to her by former Marine sergeant Jon Barton, who was watching the action unfold as the cameras rolled inside a former shoe warehouse in North Hollywood late Sunday night.

Barton trained Lucio, who plays a CIA-trained assassin in an indie action feature called “Insert,” in various combat techniques and the proper way to fire hand guns. Lucio wasn't playing with toy replicas but instead using a real Glock and Beretta that Barton had designed to fire by compressed gas rather than with blanks, which can be hazardous when fired at close distances.

It’s all part of a day’s (or night’s work) for Barton, 33, whose Hollywood company Tactical Media Group, provides military training and equipment to film and TV producers looking to inject some violent authenticity into their movies and shows. 

The proliferation of action-packed crime dramas such as “NCIS” and the upcoming "Hawaii Five-O” and  movies with elaborate stunts and gun scenes, has created cottage industry for ex-soldiers like Barton who can use their real-world combat experience to train actors in the proper use of firearms and stage fights that resemble the real thing.

Indeed, although Hollywood has always attracted entreprenurial veterans looking to trade on their technical expertise gained in the services, seven years of the country fighting two wars has produced a cadre of former soldiers seeking to become military advisers for film and TV.

“Since we’ve been at war so long, there are so many people out there and now there’s competition on every corner," said Barton, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps. for 10 years, including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. “Watching movies and TV shows, I just felt there was nothing cutting edge and there were no new weapons handling, no new tactics. I thought I could put a shot of adrenalin into working with actors and creating these military characters for the screen.”

The burly 6 foot 1” former infantry sergeant launched his incursion into Hollywood by working as an extra in the 2002 World War II film “Windtalkers,” and later landed assignments as a military consultant on various TV series, including  “Criminal Minds.”

He recalled once getting an urgent call from a line producer on the show when he was at Disneyland, saying actors needed instruction on how properly to kick down a door while carrying guns. A few hours later, Barton was on the set giving a demonstration so convincing he almost "took out" a cameraman. The secret: “you have to commit violence in your action.”

Simon Mirren, an executive producer of “Criminal Minds,” first met Barton on the set of the 2002 TV series “Without a Trace” and later hired him on "Criminal Minds" to train actors on how to use weapons.  “He brought a real authenticity to how people use guns because many of our actors hadn’t fired weapons before,’’ Mirren said.

Founded in 2008,  Barton’s company has an office in Hollywood but uses 20-acre ranch its leases in Moorpark for weapons training. The ranch includes a warehouse with $2 million worth of props, including military uniforms and an arsenal of machine guns, (pre-ban) assault rifles, military uniforms, all manner of knives, scopes  and lasers.

Purveying an arsenal for Hollywood can be almost as lucrative as winning a military contract. Barton says Tactical Media, which he financed through VA loans, privated investors and internal revenue, generated sales last year of about $3 million.

The company has 12 full-time employs, veterans with training in marksmanship, combat maneuvering and other areas. They include former U.S. Army Rangers, Navy Seal and an ex-Special Forces guy who works as the company’s stunt coordinator.

Tactical Media provided four weeks of training to actor Aaron Eckhart, star of the upcoming Sci-Fi film “Battle: Los Angeles,” and similar training to Chris Hemsworth star of the upcoming remake of the 1984 film “Red Dawn”  “The production was adamant that if Chris was going to be a Marine, he needed to be a good Marine,’’ Barton said.

-- Richard Verrier

Photo: Jon Barton of Tactical Media Group training actor Jorge Pallo in the proper use of a military weapon: Lawrence K. Ho / LAT

Comments

[Pizzedoff]

Uhhhh... just FYI; pre-ban post-ban who cares. If you qualify with the feds for the proper license you can own whatever your little bank account desires. :-)... even in Commiefornia.

[pasquino]

Point of order. There are no EX Marines. Only, Marines, Former Marines or Retired Marines.

You only 'earn' the EX title if you got kicked out.

[Richard Wylie]

They're "former", not "ex" Marines.

Marines are not "soldiers". Maybe "former-military" is more accurate.

[Eugenio]

Too many of these guys change their story about how much they support the war, so they can fit in better in hollywood. For example, Rudy Reyes, one of the most charismatic guys alive, a former recon marine, seems to have softened his position on the war. My heroes are the guys who are courageous enough to not flip positions like a fish flopping on the dock, and who continue to see the war as the just cause it is. But they won't have as many opportunities to survive in Hollywood.

[Jb]

To Richard's comment I say this: You are CORRECT. There ARE only Former Marines unless you got the size 12 brown boot in your a** right after a Big Chicken Dinner (Bad Conduct Discharge). Most civilians don't know the difference, but they mean well non-the-less.

In reply to Eugenio:Hollywood is no different than any other industry, to include the armed services, in that there is a level of adaptation necessary to survive in the trenches. I have amazing friends on both the left and the right here in town, and respect both their opinions even when they differ from my own.

Having said that, I've created plenty of enemies and I HAVE lost jobs in this town based on the fact that I WONT roll over and play dead on my views on the American War-fighter or the principles that make our Nation great and worth fighting for.

I'm just trying to make Hollywood understand that the American in uniform fighting our wars overseas doesn't stand for a left or right opinion, he merely stands facing the enemy, ready to fight so that we can have ours.

Thanks for reading about me and what we do! We are a 100% veteran owned and operated company.

Semper fi,

[Bluto]

Good on ya Jon for trying to bring a bit more authenticity to the movie industry when it comes to proper firearms use, because god knows they need it.

Whenever I see an actor empty his Glock at a bad guy and when he pulls the trigger on the EMPTY mag I hear the repeated "click", "click","click" I almost break a molar in my jaw because I clench down so I don't yell at the TV.

My wife just stares at me. Gun folks will understand. Details matter.

Making sure that the Aimpoint Comp M2 red-dot sight isn't on the weapon BACKWARDS like it was in one episode of CBS's The Unit is important because gun folks pay attention to things like that.

And while I still have at least one molar left in my jaw, thank you for your service Jon... you did us and your country proud by it. Good luck to you.

[USMC-AG94]

Since the "ex" comment has been beaten to death, I am a little surprised that no one (i.e. Marines or former Marines) noticed the "U.S. Marine Corp." faux pas. Last time I checked, it was the U.S. Marine Corps (with an "s" and no period) as the Corps is not a corporation.

Semper Fi
Oscar Mike

[director10]

Apparently the editor who titled this article doesn't know that there's no such thing as an "ex-Marine." The preferred terms are "retired" or "former," but basically, once a Marine, always a Marine.

[Cormac Vaughn]

No such animal as an "Ex-Marine."

[Fairportfan]

About the "ex-Marine" question:

As a former (Viet Nam era) sailor, i know all bout that stuff.

Billy Badass said it best.

[J]

He's a Marine, NOT a soldier.Get it right L.A. Times

[CRR]

I have been in the Marines for 8 years, female and I have seen everything from the Battle of Falujah, to the Marines Security Guard where I am now. I still see Marines portrayed wrong, for instance, Borne and those movies. He beat up a Marine "Standing post" in less than 30 seconds. Come on! I can do a better job than that!

[Lorelei Ashley]

Uuuuuugh.... Finally something good about these brave men and women! The Marine corps really needs some slack to be lifted from the normal routine of people calling them bullies and mentally insane....

I think is a good and thing and while you guys get your breeches in a huuuuge ol' knot about ' former marine' and 'ex-marine' Im just going to say that this article is a good piece of work, not great but goood......
Which is funny that girl like me would type that... But I Really Do want to thank you guys for at least making some good but insignificant points though on the other hand they seemed to make quite the conversation, eh?
Oh, yeah who thinks that Marines teaching actors and stuntman how properly shoot and use a gun is cool.... I mean at least Charleston Heston isn't teaching with right ..... As a 17 year old who watches now a days TV I think that ,though not a very good influence may come from this, that having Marines step in line here and helping the action in TV shows and movies is FANTASTIC!!!!! Makes me blush a little ..... So as a future journalist and Marine I am just saying this pretty damn cool... OORAH

[Ron Davis]

Richard Verrier, For your information, there is no such thing a "former Marine"! Once a Marine, always a Marine. Thank you