entertainment

Film crew voiced complaints before fatal on-set shooting

33 Comments
By MORGAN LEE, CEDAR ATTANASIO and MICHELLE L. PRICE

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


33 Comments
Login to comment

How can a prop gun be loaded with real ammunition on a movie set?

really, how is that possible? Why would there ever be real ammunition on a movie set, ever?

6 ( +13 / -7 )

Weird that people asking basic questions about the safety protocol are getting voted down.

Would be interested to know why.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The film crew revealed they walked off set hours before the fatal accident over safety fears after firearms were accidentally discharged three times – including once by Baldwin’s stunt double who had been told the gun was not loaded, and twice in a closed cabin.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Legrande, I was wondering the same.

Baldwin carries a ton of the blame here. Tom Cruise, eg, would have been all over this horrendous on set situation at the first hint of lack of firearms safety. Guns going off and live ammunition flying in the days previous to this killing, and no steps taken. It’s simply appalling.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Baldwin, knowing there had been THREE recent accidental discharges of live rounds from supposedly “cold” guns on the set takes a gun handed to him as “cold” points it at the camera and the person standing behind it and pulls the trigger. Simply staggering.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

There were 2 live rounds accidentally fired on the set 5 days before the fatal shooting. Something is seriously off about this.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The more facts that comes out, the more apparent corners were cut and this could have been prevented. Alec is likely responsible in his capacity as one of the producer given there were already 3 prior accidental discharges, and it doesn't appear anything was done after.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

after looking into prop guns and guns that fire blanks, I just learned that they can be just as deadly as real guns, especially at close range.

I also learned that movie production companies have a very strict protocols when dealing with prop guns because of this. Protocols that obviously were not followed in this case

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Whaaat? How can actors be held responsible for props? It has nothing to do with their jobs.

Shallots, it’s a firearm, not a whoopee cushion.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It doesn’t matter if you’re an actor, a pizza chef, or the queen of England. You are responsible for the gun in your hand.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There is absolutely zero reason for there to be live ammunition on a movie set. It is just a recipe for disaster, especially when you have several people not checking what ammunition is loaded into a prop gun. This mainly falls under the Armorer's duty. They're the ones in charge of weapons on-set and they're the ones who should be triple-checking everything. The fact that there was no formal orientation on the weapons prior to filming is troubling enough as it is, but if the claim that there had been two previous discharges of live rounds turns out to be true, then that's even more shocking, and shows a failure by the directors and producers. Live ammo has no place being on a movie set, and now an innocent woman is dead and the director was injured as well.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

When Baldwin pulled the trigger, he unwittingly killed 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza

A charge of manslaughter against Alec Baldwin should be forthcoming. He was negligent in his use of a firearm. Just because you were told a gun was safe doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe. He neglected to check out the weapon himself before firing it. He needs to spend some time in jail for killing a person and injuring another.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Why do they even have prop guns that can shoot both real bullets and blanks? Why don't they only have guns that shoot blanks on movie sets? I asked this same question when Brandon Lee got shot but JT didn't exist then.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Why on earth would there be love rounds mixed in with props?

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Yeah, I was a little perplexed at the downloads for people suggesting there shouldn’t be live ammunition on a set…

if one uses their imagination, the only reason I can think is that it was intentional and someone wanted someone to die or sabotage the movie.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Real bullets in a real gun being fired at real people not wearing protective gear its definitely stupid .

Unless ofcourse your trying to shoot them and they want to be shot fatally.

Its complete utter stupidity and negligence by all involved.

But guns don't kill people -people kill people.

The person who pulled the trigger should take responsibility for the irresponsibility.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The LA Times provided details of the incident in question, here:

The actor was preparing to film a scene in which he pulls a gun out of a holster, according to a source close to the production. Crew members had already shouted “cold gun” on the set. The filmmaking team was lining up its camera angles and had yet to retreat to the video village, an on-set area where the crew gathers to watch filming from a distance via a monitor. 

Instead, the B-camera operator was on a dolly with a monitor, checking out the potential shots. Hutchins was also looking at the monitor from over the operator’s shoulder, as was the movie’s director, Joel Souza, who was crouching just behind her. 

Baldwin removed the gun from its holster once without incident, but the second time he did so, ammunition flew toward the trio around the monitor. The projectile whizzed by the camera operator but penetrated Hutchins near her shoulder, then continued through to Souza. Hutchins immediately fell to the ground as crew members applied pressure to her wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Late Friday, the Associated Press reported that Baldwin was handed a loaded weapon by an assistant director who indicated it was safe to use in the moments before the actor fired it, according to court records. The assistant director did not know the prop gun was loaded with live rounds, according to a search warrant filed in a Santa Fe County court.” -

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-10-22/alec-baldwin-rust-camera-crew-walked-off-set

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

check, check and check again.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Only minimal COVID-19 precautions were taken even though crew and cast members often worked in small enclosed spaces on the ranch, the crew member who spoke to the AP said

Alec Baldwin is the same guy who supposedly would stay in separate houses from his wife and kids to keep them protected from COVID after he returned from New York for work. He also heavily made fun of Trump after his coronavirus diagnosis. What happened Alec?

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

SmithinJapan

There is no other explanation except maybe some moron with his "right to bear arms" 

or even more likely some moron who is “against” those rights and wanted to beat his activist drum to stir up that sediment.

that is exactly something an activist would do

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

A charge of manslaughter against Alec Baldwin should be forthcoming.

Whaaat? How can actors be held responsible for props? It has nothing to do with their jobs. If he was told it was "cold" then the firing of a projectile is not his fault. You can't expect actors to know how to ensure it's clear or "cold." A professional has to do that. Now, he is a producer and there is where he could be in for some trouble. But that's speculation at this point.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

3 D printers and gun manufacturers will be more than happy to make TOY guns for movies and other uses, SO why have a REAL gun? this really puzzles me?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Live rounds and no safety gear its basically complete stupidity.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Bad luck always seems to follow Baldwin.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Its sounding like there are several persons at fault.

Whoever put the bullet in the gun, which we don’t know yet.

The armorer who put the gun on the rack, who would have been responsible for checking it and obviously was negligent.

The assistant director who told Baldwin the gun was cold without checking it.

The producers, director and others in charge of the set for not running it in a safe manner and ensuring gun safety protocols were maintained.

I don’t think that Baldwin is blameworthy for failing to check before firing because it makes more sense to have a system where the armorer guarantees the gun is safe and the actor can rely on that assurance. BUT he was also one of the film’s producers and may bear some responsibility in that role.

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

“Rest In Peace” unfortunate soul. “Condolences” to her family.

The director is devastated by the loss of the cinematographer: a wife, mother and respected colleague & friend to many. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

If you use your imagination there are answers (and justifications) to all these questions, but we’ll have to see what eventually gets established as the chain of actual events.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

I cannot fathom why there would be a real bullet in a prop gun, or any real bullets at all on the set. Period. Someone put a loaded gun there, or a bullet in an unloaded gun (to load it). There is no other explanation except maybe some moron with his "right to bear arms" accidentally set his gun where the prop guns were, which should get him/her involuntary manslaughter charges at the very least, and higher murder charges perhaps. Honestly, what possible reason could there be for a loaded gun put in with prop guns that was unintentional?

And what's with the dude removing the empty casing before handing the gun to police? I sure hope he handed the casing over, too.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites