Fatal shooting on Rust set | Hollywood remains nervous about gun use

(Glendale) In a studio near Los Angeles, film professionals practice close-ups of a rubber gun held by an actor. When suddenly, gunsmith Dutch Merrick interrupts the group.

“He points the gun directly at the film crew. That’s exactly what happened on the set of Rust “, the fifty-year-old emphasizes, in reference to the filming of the Alec Baldwin western marred by a death. “Who is going to question this and speak out, if they see this situation?”

Since the tragedy rocked Hollywood, Mr. Merrick has been providing training on the proper use of firearms in film, with which he has trained hundreds of professionals.

Most of his students are still affected by the tragedy that occurred on October 21, 2021, on a ranch in New Mexico.

That day, Alec Baldwin pointed a gun that was supposed to only hold blanks, but a real projectile from it killed the director of photography of RustHalyna Hutchins. An act that earns her a trial for involuntary manslaughter starting Tuesday.

“It’s been a wake-up call for me,” Virginia Brazier, a production manager who hires film crews, including prop masters and armorers, told AFP. “I want to know what questions to ask to make sure I hire the right people to ensure safety.”

“Nervous teams”

During his lecture, Mr. Merrick points out the “lack of budget” of Rustand dissects the multiple production oversights that led to this “industrial accident”.

He also teaches his students to recognize the distinctive grooved tip of a blank bullet, and to observe three “golden rules”: point the gun in a safe direction, never place your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot, and always treat it as if it were loaded.

Valuable foundations for an industry on edge, according to Ryan Taylor.

“Most crews are a little more nervous” on set, says the assistant director. “A lot of crew members want to inspect the props that are being used.”

The tragedy had prompted calls to ban guns on set. But Hollywood has opted for less radical options.

The guidelines governing their use were revised this winter for the first time in twenty years, in particular to specify that only a gunsmith can pass on a weapon to an actor.

On Rustit was the assistant director who had provided the gun to Alec Baldwin, assuring him that it was harmless, according to the prosecution.

California will also require productions that receive a state tax credit to hire a safety consultant. A test measure that will be implemented between 2025 and 2030.

Some productions have nevertheless decided to give up on real firearms.

Special effects

Series, like Walkerthe “reboot” of the Texas Ranger popularized by Chuck Norris in the 90s, or The Rookie: The Los Angeles Copfor example, only use air or rubber guns.

Action movie superstar Dwayne Johnson (“The Rock”) has also decreed that his production company will no longer use live weapons. Instead of being produced by a blank bullet, the flash of gunfire is simulated through special effects.

Individual choices, far from being anecdotal.

“There was a big overreaction, which was not necessary,” Merrick said.

For this gunsmith with 30 years of experience, real weapons remain essential to obtain an “authentic action”. For example, it is impossible for an actor to simulate the recoil of a pistol if it is made of rubber.

Air guns also use a dangerous flammable gas and “create a false sense of security,” he said. “If they were accidentally loaded, they could theoretically kill a person.”

With the trial of Alec Baldwin, he fears that distrust will grow.

“It’s going to have a weird effect on actors if he’s convicted,” said Leilani Barrett, an actor who usually plays police officers.

“As an actor, I think about my positioning, memorizing my lines, my character, following instructions,” he explains. “The last thing I want to worry about is the prop I’m using.”