On October 22, the film RUST was filmed in New Mexico, USA, and the lead actor and producer Alec Baldwin accidentally killed cinematographer Harina Hutchins while shooting with a prop gun, and injured director Joel Suzza. Subsequently, a producer of the film said that the crew put the safety of the actors and staff first, and filming had been temporarily stopped. Investigators are still figuring out how the prop gun went off fire and what kind of bullet was fired.
Alec Baldwin answered the phone outside the local incident set
Since the silent film era, Hollywood has had strict gun safety guidelines: guns used when making movies are never allowed to carry live ammunition; live ammunition is not allowed to be brought into any studio venue or stage; all guns must be considered to have been loaded (empty bullets can also be fatal).
But after the tragic events on the set of Rust, Hollywood's questions about gun safety and who should be responsible on the set resurfaced.
Brian M Bryan W. Carpenter is a veteran Hollywood arms technician with a knack for more than 30 years of experience in the field of armor and weapons, and has participated in the production of a large number of gunfight scenes such as "Queen of the South", "Desire for Power", "Detective Jack: Never Look Back", "Naval Criminal Investigation Division: New Orleans" and so on. In addition, he worked as a professional instructor for 11 years, training institutions and stunt performers on how to use firearms.
Carpenter emphasized that when shooting movies and TV series, there are some basic safety rules that must not be violated if guns are to be used, and these guidelines are also applicable to real life: "First, always treat all weapons as loaded weapons, not as props; second, do not put your fingers on the trigger before you are ready to shoot, let alone pull the trigger; third, never point the weapon at any person or thing that may be injured or damaged; fourth, Always pay attention to the front, back, left and right of the object you are aiming at. He thinks that if the crew of Rust had followed what he called the first and third rules, no one would have been injured.
At present, the investigation records of the US police provide a rough picture of the incident of the accidental injury. According to the descriptions of the person and witnesses, the gunner placed three prop guns on a cart, and the assistant director handed one of them to Baldwin and told him it was a "cold gun", that is, a gun without live ammunition. But police records showed the gun was loaded with live ammunition, and Hutchins was shot and killed when Baldwin pulled the trigger. Director Joel Souza, who was standing behind the photographer, was also wounded by a bullet.
Carpenter was not involved in the production of Rust, but the ammunition expert repeatedly stressed in interviews that "you can never point your weapon directly at anyone, remember." ”
According to the Associated Press, The Rust crew's gunman named Hannah Gutierrez, a profile on her resume website shows that she lives in Arizona and works as a videographer by profession; but her most recent job was as a gunner at Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana, usa, from March to June, where responsibilities included "loading guns with empty bullets of appropriate size" and "ensuring gun safety on set and instructing actors on how to use firearms."
Hannah's father is Syl Reed, a veteran Hollywood gunner, who has participated in the production of well-known films such as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", "Battle of Yuma Town", "The Banner of the Fathers", "Miami Storm", "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" and so on.
Jensen Ackles, another lead actor in the "Rust" crew, revealed that he was playing against an actress. But shortly after the incident, a video about Ax appeared online, which was filmed on October 15, when he had been involved in the filming of Rust for two weeks. In the video, Ax details how he got the role and reveals that starring in a Western is his lifelong dream. He also mentioned, "At 6 a.m., I got a call saying I was going to shoot a big gun battle that day. They asked me to choose a gun and asked me what gun I wanted. I replied I didn't know either. Then, the gunner said: 'Do you have gun experience?' I said, 'A little bit.' And then she said, 'Well, well, that's how the bullets are loaded, and that's how we check the guns and make sure they're safe.' The gunman told me that she had an empty bullet in her gun and that I could shoot a few rounds at the nearby hill to feel it. I did it with ease. The video was subsequently deleted but has been widely shared.
In response to media questions about on-site supervision of prop weapons, representatives of the Rust crew refused to answer and instead issued a statement. "We have not received any formal complaints about the safety of weapons or props on set, but we will conduct an internal review of our processes during the suspension period," the statement stressed. ”
Gary Harper is also a veteran gunner in the industry, having provided weapons and consulting services for film and television productions for decades, including First Blood 3, The Last Samurai, The Banner of the Fathers and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. He said that when shooting, actors often need to shoot at close range, and as long as the measures are taken properly, these shots can be completed safely. He usually asks for a piece of plexiglass between the gunman and the person behind the camera as a protective device, and the photographer needs to wear body armor or at least eye protection. He would also ask the crew to use a fragile bullet, "which, when fired, will shatter into small pieces, and even if it hits an object, it will be much less harmful." ”
Carpenter believes that guns are likely to malfunction like other mechanical equipment, "When there is pressure in the barrel, once the bullet bursts, the barrel or other parts may collapse and hit the actors or staff, and no one wants this to happen." ”
Harper agrees, arguing that improper gun maintenance and inspection can lead to accidental misfires, "Sometimes, after an actor shoots a set of shooting shots, the gunners don't clean up their guns in time, and when they shoot again, they are prone to problems." ”
Empty-packed bombs, referred to as "empty bombs", are still dangerous, although different from live bombs. Harper said, "There are a lot of misconceptions about empty bullets, and in fact empty bullets are filled with a small amount of ammunition, which can produce the realism of recoil, noise and muzzle flashing that film and television works seek." Some crews load used empty ammunition to save costs. The casing of such an empty projectile may rupture during launch, and it is equally dangerous for the fragments of the shell to be fired. ”
Carpenter further explained that there are usually several types of bullets used in film and television productions: one is an empty bullet, that is, a bullet that fills a small amount of ammunition but does not have a warhead. Depending on the effect the director wants, the ammo can be filled 1/4 full, 1/2 full, or full. The other is the practice bullet, which looks like a real bullet and is used for certain specific needs of close-up shooting, such as wanting to show a gun up close or shooting a reload. "In fact, the appearance of the practice bullet looks very similar to the real bullet, but usually a BB bullet made of plastic is used, not filled with ammunition. BB bullets are used to allow viewers to hear the tremors and clicks of a shot. When I was a gunner myself, I would bring my own practice bullets from reliable sources. Before I give the practice bomb to the director on set, assistant director, director of photography, etc., I will check it first. So before they hit the set and were handed over to the actors, the bullets were actually double-validated. Carpenter stressed that the gunner must be extra careful when working and never let anything leave his control because the external environment on the set is very complicated.
Carpenter cited his recent job at chicago filming, where there was a scene in which an actress chased another character in the woods. In order to match the specific shooting angle, the director wanted the actors to shoot in the direction of the camera. In order to shoot this scene, the entire set was blocked, and a remote control camera was used, and the surrounding area around the camera was cleared when the actual shooting was made, and all the personnel must stay away. "I checked repeatedly to make sure the bullet was empty and to see if the firing distance was appropriate. Although many protective measures have been taken, guns and ammunition are inevitable accidents. Therefore, the crew must strictly follow the safety guidelines in order to avoid tragedies such as the "Rust" set as much as possible. ”
Image source: Sina Weibo
Please send the submission to the mailbox: