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

[Msskeptic]

Not only was the gun loaded, it was loaded with a live projectile round, not a blank. So the question is, who loaded that round and when did they do it.

 

[neesaki]

So the AD handed the gun to Baldwin and told him it was a cold gun. So I don’t see any way the actor was responsible.

My question is who gave the gun to the AD and informed him that it was a cold gun?

And who loaded it? And why was it loaded?

 

[fred&edna]

But who is the "CEO" of this whole enterprise?

The ultimate boss?

Is it Alec B as a producer?

The more I read about the conditions the staff endured, the more appalled I am.

Chaos reigned there and where is the ultimate boss?

My first thought was the production company. Per imdb the production companies backing this were: BondIt, Buffalo 8 Productions (sister company to BondIt), and Calvary Media (plus four others). But, Baldwin could have been considered the ultimate boss on the set (and also could have legal and/or financial responsibility, as well)... maybe?

 

[10ofRods]

And who loaded it? And why was it loaded?

That is precisely and perhaps the only question.

Was it because the Armourist had been sent home? Or the Propmaster? If so, who then loaded a live round? What was their point in doing so?

What bad luck for AB, if so - the one time some sabotage like this occurs, he also decides to shoot off script...without the director shouting the usual instructions...

 

[ilovewings]

A western is hardly a "vanity project." They make such little money at the box office, generally, that they are usually only done by people who care about the project a great deal.

In any case, I don't think pot shots like this toward someone who just experienced something sure to cause a great deal of ruin to his heart, soul, and mental health is really called for here. I feel nothing but empathy in this situation.

Ditto

 

[SuziQ]

On the civil lawsuit, I imagine that Alec Baldwin would be listed, the production company, anyone else?

I hope that there is some accountability here, and not just "shrug, accident".

I hope some major changes are made. The set people , since I can remember, were always fighting for better safety and working conditions. Sadly, they never have the money to back them up.

 

[ilovewings]

A western is hardly a "vanity project." They make such little money at the box office, generally, that they are usually only done by people who care about the project a great deal.

In any case, I don't think pot shots like this toward someone who just experienced something sure to cause a great deal of ruin to his heart, soul, and mental health is really called for here. I feel nothing but empathy in this situation.

Ditto

 

[10ofRods]

So the AD handed the gun to Baldwin and told him it was a cold gun. So I don’t see any way the actor was responsible.

My question is who gave the gun to the AD and informed him that it was a cold gun?

<modsnip - no links>

Option 1: No one on the crew knew what "loaded" meant or how to check a gun to see if it was loaded. (AD doesn't do his job and check on his own)
Option 2: Gun was in fact unloaded, AD checked and is just being blamed for what happened. In that instance, who else handled the gun? This means the gun was loaded after it was handed to AB - who had it in his hands for quite a while, in all accounts.
Option 3: Someone couldn't tell blanks from ammunition at the point of production or sale.

Was there a motive for AB to load the gun with real bullets?
Well, the crew may give some testimony about that.

But even so, the rules of using guns on set are the same as gun safety rules - never point even a pretend gun directly at someone (and if you watch a lot of westerns, you'll see it's never done).

Incompetent directing then?

<modsnip - no links>

 

[fred&edna]

With the earlier reported mis-fires of guns on set (and additional troubles), I think many actors would have been hesitant to fire the weapon. But, after 40 years in the business, maybe Baldwin simply trusted the report of a "cold gun" handed to him for the scene?

 

[SuziQ]

Replacement, non-union worker was in charge of Alec Baldwin's deadly prop gun

I don't know how Unions work. Are they allowed to just go out and hire non Union replacements?

 

[Gardenista]

Wow

A colleague was so alarmed by the prop gun misfires he sent a text message to the unit production manager. “We’ve now had 3 accidental discharges. This is super unsafe,” according to a copy of the message reviewed by The Times.

'Rust' crew describes on-set gun safety issues and misfires days before fatal shooting

 

[10ofRods]

I don't know how Unions work. Are they allowed to just go out and hire non Union replacements?

Well yes, but at the moment a production does that, it becomes "independent" and loses any chance of showing it film at theater chains. It can still be shown as a radical film - but will be boycotted by the major film festivals and have very, very limited distribution. It will not make money.

But that doesn't stop vanity projects from doing just that (or student films...some of which sometimes get cult followings.

Sadly, all the training (and contracts) that union workers are required to go, go by the boards in this instance and it really becomes like an amateur film. I don't know if any of you remember that Youtuber who was trying to do his own gun-oriented material, and ended up dead after 'directing' his wife to shoot at him through a phone book?

At any rate, this film's armourer was also the cinematographer, but she was not hired to do that job - and the other armourers (she was training) walked off. And she had complained about lack of safety.

What the heck was going on there?

 

[SuziQ]

Wow

A colleague was so alarmed by the prop gun misfires he sent a text message to the unit production manager. “We’ve now had 3 accidental discharges. This is super unsafe,” according to a copy of the message reviewed by The Times.

'Rust' crew describes on-set gun safety issues and misfires days before fatal shooting

That is so shocking. Am I understanding correctly that under a Union worker they were having problems? And again under non Union staff? That's incredible bad luck. Or was the Amoror the same person all along?

 

[tayaway]

Are live rounds even allowed on movie sets? I'd imagine security guards need to be armed, but...

 

[SuziQ]

<modsnip - quoted post removed>

I'm pretty sure he was not responsible for checking the gun. AFAIK, that is not SOP. I would guess most Actors do not have that skill set.

 

[BeachSky]

Alec Baldwin spotted ‘in tears’ after 'Rust' movie set shooting leaves 1 dead, 1 ‘critical’: report

Life changing.
How can things ever be the same for many.
Soooo sad.

 

[doyoulovemepfg]

Are live rounds even allowed on movie sets? I'd imagine security guards need to be armed, but...

I've got an immediate family member who's a producer and from growing up around that, I am pretty sure there are not specific laws banning it, but it is generally frowned upon and most sets decide to use SFX and edit in gunshots in post. This set had multiple misfires from the same prop gun and it sounds like it should've been shut down or altered for safety reasons FAR before Baldwin had it in his hand.

 

[Msskeptic]

https://twitter.com/lookner/status/1451729741250170886?s=20

The head armorer was 24 years old. That seems awfully young for such a big responsibility. Weapons knowledge is not enough. Real leadership skills are necessary.

 

[whitelilac]

https://twitter.com/lookner/status/1451729741250170886?s=20

The head armorer was 24 years old. That seems awfully young for such a big responsibility. Weapons knowledge is not enough. Real leadership skills are necessary.

I was just going to say this after reading the LA Times article, no matter that her dad was a veteran armorer.

After the other accidental gun discharges on set, and the serious complaints regarding safety this horror should never have happened.

 

[LaborDayRN]

While the five-page filing provides many basic logistical details of the shooting, it leaves many questions unanswered — namely how a live round ended up in a gun fired by an actor.

The assistant director “did not know live rounds were in the prop gun,” Detective Joel Cano wrote in the affidavit.

The weapon was “set up” on the tray by the movie’s weapons specialist, or armorer, along with a Western-style gun belt used in the scene. Detective Cano did not say what the armorer told investigators who arrived at the Bonanza Creek resort, where the film was shooting.

Ms. Hutchins, who was 42, was sitting in front of Mr. Souza, the director, watching the scene play out when the projectile struck her, the police said.

The armorer “was given the prop gun after it was fired by actor Alec Baldwin” and “then took the spent casing” out of the weapon before handing it over to the police, Detective Cano wrote.

Mr. Baldwin “was wearing Old Western style clothing during the filming,” and changed into his street clothes before turning over his costume to the department’s evidence technician, he wrote.

“These clothes appeared to have blood stains,” Detective Cano added.

Thanks @Gardenista