Alec Baldwin fired prop gun, killing 1 on movie set, Oct 2021 #3

[JudgeJoe]

Veteran prop master Neal W. Zoromski earlier told The Los Angeles Times that he declined an offer to work on “Rust” because producers insisted that one person could serve as both assistant prop master and armorer. Zoromski said those are “two really big jobs” that couldn’t be combined. He called the production “an accident waiting to happen.


And, this is interesting:

Attorneys for Gutierrez Reed said she is “devastated and completely beside herself” over the death of Hutchins. They argued that producers on the film were cutting corners that sacrificed safety.

“Hannah was hired on two positions on this film, which made it extremely difficult to focus on her job as an armorer,” they said. “She fought for training, days to maintain weapons, and proper time to prepare for gunfire but ultimately was overruled by production and her department. The whole production set became unsafe due to various factors, including lack of safety meetings. This was not the fault of Hannah.”

'Rust' armorer attorneys blame producers for 'unsafe' set

If this is true, It all comes back to AB and the other producers for hiring Hall in spite of his bad reputation and for cutting costs in exchange for safety protocol.

I sure hope all those things she “fought for” were via email, text message or in front of witnesses who will be truthful. Otherwise it’s just she said he (producer/s) said.

My general sense of things is that she’s loose & irresponsible, AD’s the same plus cocky & AB is pulling out all the stops to be the innocent actor who got screwed, diminishing his position as owner/producer. Seems like the finger-pointing & throwing-under-the-bussing is well underway. Jmo. How refreshing if someone would speak some words of accountability. Until we know for sure whose fingerprints are on those live rounds, all 3 seem guilty to me. Jmo, subject to change…

 

[Luna20]

Veteran prop master Neal W. Zoromski earlier told The Los Angeles Times that he declined an offer to work on “Rust” because producers insisted that one person could serve as both assistant prop master and armorer. Zoromski said those are “two really big jobs” that couldn’t be combined. He called the production “an accident waiting to happen.


And, this is interesting:

Attorneys for Gutierrez Reed said she is “devastated and completely beside herself” over the death of Hutchins. They argued that producers on the film were cutting corners that sacrificed safety.

“Hannah was hired on two positions on this film, which made it extremely difficult to focus on her job as an armorer,” they said. “She fought for training, days to maintain weapons, and proper time to prepare for gunfire but ultimately was overruled by production and her department. The whole production set became unsafe due to various factors, including lack of safety meetings. This was not the fault of Hannah.”

'Rust' armorer attorneys blame producers for 'unsafe' set

If this is true, It all comes back to AB and the other producers for hiring Hall in spite of his bad reputation and for cutting costs in exchange for safety protocol.

Thanks for finding this. She wasn’t their first pick but they settled for her despite her experience/history.

 

[katydid23]

Well, she is supposed to know what ammo is on the set. Other armorers have said as much. For her to claim she had no clue live ammo was on the set is bizarre. Again, it's her job to know what ammo is on the set. I am starting to wonder if she even knew how to tell dummies from live ammo.

Right. She is young and inexperienced. If she had been on a union set, where the producers followed protocol, which includes safety meetings, extra time before each scene change, for the armorer to recheck the weapons, etc etc, then she might not have messe4d up so badly.

The experienced prop master passed on the job because he called this production 'an accident waiting to happen.'

 

[Luna20]

So much for privacy. Now she's giving interviews

Hilaria Baldwin fears Alec will develop PTSD after Halyna Hutchins shooting

Oh No! Yikes she is making it worse, this is the wrong message to send. Focus needs to be on Halyna right now not her husband.

 

[katydid23]

Thanks for finding this. She wasn’t their first pick but they settled for her despite her experience/history.

Probably because nobody with experience would agree to accept their demand that one person would take on both of those jobs simultaneously. Again, they put profit over safety protocols.

 

[jjenny]

Right. She is young and inexperienced. If she had been on a union set, where the producers followed protocol, which includes safety meetings, extra time before each scene change, for the armorer to recheck the weapons, etc etc, then she might not have messe4d up so badly.

The experienced weapons master passed on the job because he called this production 'an accident waiting to happen.' He has a long list for job history and he didnt think he could manage to do both the jobs that HG was expected to do, and she is young and inexperienced.

The experienced person in the article you linked was applying for a job of prop master (not armorer).
Armorer works under a prop master. The experienced person wanted more than one assistant, but was told he would only get one assistant, who would be both armorer and prop assistant.

 

[katydid23]

Oh No! Yikes she is making it worse, this is the wrong message to send. Focus needs to be on Halyna right now not her husband.

She REALLY shouldn't be making him out to be the victim here. He, as a producer, should be shouldering the bulk of the blame, in my opinion.

 

[jjenny]

Probably because nobody with experience would agree to accept their demand that one person would take on both of those jobs simultaneously. Again, they put profit over safety protocols.

The Rust set had a prop master and an armorer. It's the armorer who was also a prop master assistant.

 

[jjenny]

Right. She is young and inexperienced. If she had been on a union set, where the producers followed protocol, which includes safety meetings, extra time before each scene change, for the armorer to recheck the weapons, etc etc, then she might not have messe4d up so badly.

The experienced weapons master passed on the job because he called this production 'an accident waiting to happen.' He has a long list for job history and he didnt think he could manage to do both the jobs that HG was expected to do, and she is young and inexperienced.

I personally wouldn't let her take care of my pet rock.

 

[katydid23]

The experienced person in the article you linked was applying for a job of prop master (not armorer).
Armorer works under a prop master. The experienced person wanted more than one assistant, but was told he would only get one assistant, who would be both armorer and prop assistant.

Which is exactly the problem, As he successfully predicted, it was 'an accident waiting to happen.'

His point was that it was two jobs that shouldn't be combined because it was dangerous to do so. The armorer needs to be solely concerned with the safety of the weapons used and not distracted by other tasks. He was totally correct.

 

[katydid23]

The Rust set had a prop master and an armorer. It's the armorer who was also a prop master assistant.

Yes, I know but that is not the point.

The point is that the armorer should ONLY be tasked with that job. They should not be also tasked with the job as assistant prop master while they are supposed to be in charge of all the weapons. Safety for the crew depends upon the armorer and it should not be just a 'part time' job.

 

[katydid23]

I personally wouldn't let her take care of my pet rock.

Right, and I'd think the producers would have recognised that at some point. Why did AB not doublecheck before he pointed the weapon at a crew member?

 

[jjenny]

Which is exactly the problem, As he successfully predicted, it was 'an accident waiting to happen.'

His point was that it was two jobs that shouldn't be combined because it was dangerous to do so. The armorer needs to be solely concerned with the safety of the weapons used and not distracted by other tasks. He was totally correct.

I am not arguing with that, although it doesn't appear to be uncommon on low budget movies such as Rust to combine these positions. I also don't know if it would have made any difference here. It doesn't appear to me she had enough knowledge to be the armorer. I still can't figure out if any certification is required to become an armorer. Did she need to take any tests to demonstrate her knowledge in ammo, guns, and so on?

 

[jjenny]

Right, and I'd think the producers would have recognised that at some point. Why did AB not doublecheck before he pointed the weapon at a crew member?

Well, they had AD double check, and look how that turned out.

 

[katydid23]

Well, they had AD double check, and look how that turned out.

And once again, that falls on the producers for hiring AD, who was fired because of a previous misfire of a weapon on set.

 

[jjenny]

And once again, that falls on the producers for hiring AD, who was fired because of a previous misfire of a weapon on set.

I don't think Baldwin was in charge of hiring.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Ok. I always thought “scab” meant someone working in the place of a unionized worker on a strike.

You are correct, at least in the way the term is used the majority of the time. I'm in union country here, big time. And I've only ever heard union folks refer to someone as a scab if they cross the picket line and work their jobs while on strike.

I'm not even sure if armourers have a union or are generally part of a union. There aren't a ton of them on set like there are camera crews and actors.

 

[Gardenista]

Good article. They talk to 3 different armorers

A Carnival Of Errors Led To Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' Shooting

 

[katydid23]

I am not arguing with that, although it doesn't appear to be uncommon on low budget movies such as Rust to combine these positions. I also don't know if it would have made any difference here. It doesn't appear to me she had enough knowledge to be the armorer. I still can't figure out if any certification is required to become an armorer. Did she need to take any tests to demonstrate her knowledge in ammo, guns, and so on?

This is what I think happened, which set off the tragic events:

Mendoza also confirmed that his office was investigating reports of informal incidents of target practice having taken place on or near the set before the incident, and rumors of crew members drinking the night before.

“I think the industry has had a record recently of being safe. I think there was some complacency on this set. And I think there are some safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry and possibly by the state of New Mexico,” Mendoza said.
Rust shooting: film’s assistant director admits gun was not thoroughly checked

If some of the crew began drinking and decided to do some target practice the previous night, then it would have been a very dangerous situation for the crew the next day.

As for certifications, I know California requires that the armorer hold an EFP, Entertainment Firearms Permit. Without this permit, there are certain state laws that you will be breaking. I don't know about NM.

But I dont know if you have to pass any tests to prove your knowledge about weapons.

 

[katydid23]

Is this true?

Before last week’s shooting, “Rust” camera operators had walked off the set to protest working conditions, including concerns about gun safety, the LA Times reported.

Five days before Hutchins was killed, Baldwin’s stunt double accidentally fired two live roundsafter being told that the weapon didn’t have any ammunition in it, the newspaper reported, citing two crew members.

Detectives Find Loose, Boxed Ammo In Fanny Pack On 'Rust' Set