Alec Baldwin fired prop gun, killing 1 on movie set, Oct 2021 #4

[Mo Thuairim]

After 'Rust' shooting, attention turns to Georgia producers

(...)

Dennett-Smith, chief executive of 3rd Shift Media, was the supervising unit production manager on “Rust.” The film’s line producer, Gabrielle Pickle, and unit production manager, Katherine “Row” Walters, also work for 3rd Shift Media, according to the company’s website.

While producers on independent films can have a wide range of responsibilities, including financing, line producers and unit production managers oversee the day-to-day aspects of filmmaking. Producers hire production services companies to ensure that projects come in on time and on budget.

(...)

No one answered the door last week at 3rd Shift Media’s office — a tiny, brick ranch-style home in a rundown neighborhood of Decatur.

(...)

 

[Arkay]

Alec Baldwin 'overjoyed' to lose 'SNL' job playing Donald Trump

Alec was already done with playing Trump on SNL. He didn't want to do it anymore and was relieved he wouldn't have to after the election.

JAJ was hired on SNL on the strength of his Trump impression, which is more about the cadence than a physical impression. But Trump is not the president and although JAJ did the impression last night, that won't be his only role.

So this is not a purposeful firing of Alec due to this tragedy.

I was wondering if anyone on SNL would allude to Baldwin but a) this is not a situation in which mocking would be acceptable and b) he's a friend of Lorne. I was hoping to hear some appropriate comments from Tina Fey but I haven't heard anything. I loved AB on 30 Rock, Fey worked closely with him for years, I thought she'd say something and was wondering how supportive she would or wouldn't be towards him.

 

[al66pine]

Professional Doubter Enters the Thread

.... The alleged live ammo used on the set of The Deer Hunter was nefarious IMO... But those were the days of so-called "psychodrama" which purported to be therapeutic by putting people in nearly realistic situations of danger and then calling it "therapy" or "art."....

@10ofRods bbm sbm I noticed your post re The Deer Hunter referred to live ammo* as alleged and the therapeutic effect as purported.

Your use of both your qualifying adjectives seems appropriate imo, esp'ly as applied to all "news" items re cast/crew, & events originating in the entertainment industry. By agents, by PR firms, et al? Anything, regardless of accuracy, to gin up public interest in the subject?

Live rounds in The Deer Hunter, who knows? In Rust,** well, one live round anyway, sadly. my2cts
______________________________
* Among imdb.com's 100+ Trivia entries re Deer Hunter:
"According to Michael Cimino, Robert De Niro requested a live cartridge in the revolver for the scene in which Michael subjects Stanley to an impromptu game of Russian Roulette, to heighten the intensity of the situation. John Cazale agreed without protest, but obsessively rechecked the gun before each take, to make sure that the live round wasn't next in the chamber."
^ The Deer Hunter (1978) - Trivia - IMDb
** Rust https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11001074/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

 

[10ofRods]

Professional Doubter Enters the Thread
@10ofRods bbm sbm I noticed your post re The Deer Hunter referred to live ammo* as alleged and the therapeutic effect as purported.

Your use of both your qualifying adjectives seems appropriate imo, esp'ly as applied to all "news" items re cast/crew, & events originating in the entertainment industry. By agents, by PR firms, et al? Anything, regardless of accuracy, to gin up public interest in the subject?

Live rounds in The Deer Hunter, who knows? In Rust,** well, one live round anyway, sadly. my2cts
______________________________
* Among imdb.com's 100+ Trivia entries re Deer Hunter:
"According to Michael Cimino, Robert De Niro requested a live cartridge in the revolver for the scene in which Michael subjects Stanley to an impromptu game of Russian Roulette, to heighten the intensity of the situation. John Cazale agreed without protest, but obsessively rechecked the gun before each take, to make sure that the live round wasn't next in the chamber."
^ The Deer Hunter (1978) - Trivia - IMDb
** Rust https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11001074/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

Yes, if the story about DeNiro and one other actor insisting on a live round being placed in one of the two guns used for the Deer Hunter scene is true...that's just horrifying to me. If both actors (Walken and the other guy whose initials are CC, I believe) had a live round in their revolvers, that's even more horrifying.

Alec Baldwin 'overjoyed' to lose 'SNL' job playing Donald Trump

Alec was already done with playing Trump on SNL. He didn't want to do it anymore and was relieved he wouldn't have to after the election.

JAJ was hired on SNL on the strength of his Trump impression, which is more about the cadence than a physical impression. But Trump is not the president and although JAJ did the impression last night, that won't be his only role.

So this is not a purposeful firing of Alec due to this tragedy.

I was wondering if anyone on SNL would allude to Baldwin but a) this is not a situation in which mocking would be acceptable and b) he's a friend of Lorne. I was hoping to hear some appropriate comments from Tina Fey but I haven't heard anything. I loved AB on 30 Rock, Fey worked closely with him for years, I thought she'd say something and was wondering how supportive she would or wouldn't be towards him.

But I doubt it would have been on the front page of the NY Times if this event with Alec hadn't happened. It's a tiny piece of showbiz news and not only got the front page, but was not confined to the entertainment section below the fold. It was in the prestigious right hand column, not too far from the top.

Alec couldn't be fired as he had no contract to work with SNL. However, he has certainly been replaced. The new guy is well known for his Trump impression, I suspect Alec would have liked to continue in the position, and again, that it would not be a top story in the NYT news cycle were it not for...Rust.

I think it's wise for Lorne and Tina to remain respectfully silent right now; all statements to the press about this situation are going to be perceived by many as taking advantage of a tragedy.

And I believe that's typical Baldwin spin in the "overjoyed" part. Alec is never "overjoyed" when he looks as if he lost something, but it makes him look confident to say that he is (my impression of his body language and speech about it).

 

[Deleted member 158085]

.

 

[Gardenista]

Hilaria Baldwin shares post about 'trauma,' seeking help amid Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting

 

[tambo]

After 'Rust' shooting, attention turns to Georgia producers

 

[JBarron]

After 'Rust' shooting, attention turns to Georgia producers
answered the door last week at 3rd Shift Media’s office — a tiny, brick ranch-style home in a rundown neighborhood of Decatur.

(...)

Is that really their office at 3422 Hyland Drive, Decatur, GA, 30032. Its a house on a fairly middle class street, but hardly "run down" unless the author lives in a mansion.

The address came fromL
3rd Shift Media LLC | Georgia Company Directory

Public recods indicate it was sold in 2018. Smiths has another company registered at the same address:
Dark Lord Media, LLC in Decatur, GA | Company Info & Reviews

Now another chap is listed at that address, who I am not going to name. I assume its just an address for mail etc.

If the LA Times had looked a bit further, they would have found a different address for a rather fancy looking house in Marietta:

3rd Shift Media INC. | indexee.com

But I suppose it makes for better copy to say "rundown neighborhood" in trying to paint a company as shifty.

The Marietta address can be confirmed as a business address from:
https://finance.temple.edu/sites/finance/files/State Disclosure Report - December 2020 FINAL.pdf

 

[JBarron]

Like I said, dummies can be made from live ammo. I noticed this guy didn't put bbs into the dummy he made, but he did drill a hole on the side.
What I hear from HGR's lawyers is that she got dummies from a box labeled "dummy" therefore they should have been dummies.
I haven't heard anything as to how she checked they were actually dummies. Sounds to me she just assumed they were dummies because they were from a box labeled "dummy." Experienced armorers check to make sure dummies are actually dummies, and then one can actually fire the gun into the ground for a final check.

"Firing in to the Ground" is supposed to be best practice? Firing a loaded gun into the ground may result in injuries due to ricochets. If you are on a range, the way to check that a gun is clear is to fire the wepon into a sand filled clearing bucket or clearing trap.

The policy, if followed to its logical conclusion, is ridiculous.

 

[jjenny]

The gun isn't supposed to be loaded with real bullets. Firing into the ground is supposed to prove that. And if by some chance it is loaded, better into the ground than in somebody's head.

 

[JBarron]

Actually "Full Metal Jacket" refers to the jacket over the bullet itself. It has nothing to do with the casing.
To make dummy bullets in pistol belt bullet loop shine, you just polish them up with a product called "BRASSO". It is well known to soldiers.
I cannot think of any reason to use real ammo to make dummies. Most sporting goods dealers sell .45 bullets( the lead piece) and 45 long colt brass casings.
Relatively cheap too. They may also be shipped without restriction.
They are inert components. To use real ammo for this would require you to pull the bullet from the casing of a LIVE round, empty the powder out, punch out the primer cap then drill a hole insert some b-b's and reseat the bullet. With the bulk components all you have to do is insert the b-b's and seat the bullet. This is a simple quick process.
It is cheap and safe to do.

Depends on the round. Deactivation of live rounds is done all the time

Prop ammunition, note specifically described as "deactivated"

Dummy Brass Ammo :: Western Display Gifts and Collectibles :: Old West Movie Props :: Stage-Props-Blank-Guns.com

and another describes using new brass
Inert pistol cartridges

In some cases, for some antique weapons, authentic looking new brass is not available.

 

[Dotta]

Is this film set cursed???

Another Rust crewmember is in the hospital after he was bitten by venomous spider | Daily Mail Online

 

[PoppyBear]

Hilaria Baldwin shares post about 'trauma,' seeking help amid Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting

AB also posted on IG again. Terribly insensitive on both their parts in my opinion.

 

[PoppyBear]

How to Protect Your Income and Property | VTLawHelp.org

::My thoughts only::


In regards to finances and AB trying to protect money, I wonder if he and Hilaria would file for divorce. If so, “they” could hold onto whatever she gets in a divorce settlement. I am not sure how that would work. I suppose it is possible he would have assets frozen and Hilara would need to wait for a settlement until after legal troubles have ended.

ETA: It may also be beneficial to purchase a home in Vermont as they will not take a home that has less than $125k in equity or the debt is not owed by a spouse.


MOO

 

[10ofRods]

"Firing in to the Ground" is supposed to be best practice? Firing a loaded gun into the ground may result in injuries due to ricochets. If you are on a range, the way to check that a gun is clear is to fire the wepon into a sand filled clearing bucket or clearing trap.

The policy, if followed to its logical conclusion, is ridiculous.

No, firing into the ground is for use when the gun is loaded with dummies - which is the most common scenario in Hollywood

No one should fire into the ground with live ammo.

Why would anyone think that live rounds are typical on a set? Blanks are used only in specially filmed scenes where flash/smoke is desired (as in a shoot-out scene in a violent movie). All the other times we see guns on television or in films, the department adds in shooting sounds if needed later and the actors sell the idea that one has shot and the other one is hurt.

Kirstie has never been on a set that used live ammo - nor have 99.9999% of all actors. We've got precisely 1 known case of a live round being fired during film production since 1931 (when Jimmy Cagney had live rounds fired at a wall right next to him as he dove for cover - brave man).

Actors are trained to check that it's a dummy. If, for some bizarre reason (as on the set of Rust), the gun had a live round, at least this method would ensure that no actor was struck from 2-3 feet away by a live .45 bullet.

 

[10ofRods]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

How about hiring a gun expert, known as an armorer, who has 2 assistants (or more if there are lots of guns) to follow the prop guns around and make sure, each time, to follow the 3 part procedure outlined in Propmaster's Union protocol and Actors Equity Union protocol?

That has worked for all the other movies, so far.

I'm still looking for any examples besides the 1931 one, where live ammo was used on set (there's the alleged use of it on The Deer Hunter - but they didn't actually fire those rounds, obviously).

 

[Luna20]

An experienced armorer is sufficient.

Alec Baldwin calls for mandatory police presence to monitor weapon safety on sets following 'Rust' shooting

 

[PrairieWind]

An experienced armorer is sufficient.

Alec Baldwin calls for mandatory police presence to monitor weapon safety on sets following 'Rust' shooting

That seems really unnecessary to me. As you said, just an experienced armorer and professional directors should be sufficient.

 

[PoppyBear]

That seems really unnecessary to me. As you said, just an experienced armorer and professional directors should be sufficient.

I agree with you, however, a quick AB google search and I am sure there are some who would think this sounds like a great step. Maybe this was approved by his PR team.

 

[10ofRods]

I agree with you, however, a quick AB google search and I am sure there are some who would think this sounds like a great step. Maybe this was approved by his PR team.

It makes the entire movie industry look incompetent and unsafe - as if current standards need to be modified by, say, legal action and legislation. If his PR team did authorize that, that's the message it sends. "Look over there -------> at the State and Federal lawmakers."

A better law, the one proposed by several A list celebrities in the last week (and one, Dwayne Johnson implored Alec to join in with them) would be to ban real firearms from the sets altogether. Only plastic, airsoft and non-functional. Most films today are actually shot with airsoft rifles or similar (unloaded of course) and the actors learn specific techniques to make it look real; post production does the rest.

And I just learned that the post production costs of adding flash/bang to a film are quite low and it's standard, just like adding flashlight beams and headlight beams for effect.