Last weekend was a tragic day for the film community due to an accident that occurred on the set of the film Rust which resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, as well as the injury to director Joel Souza. It was reported that the main star, Alec Baldwin fires a prop gun which then accidentally kills Hutchins and injures Souza.
But apparently, the problem of the film project Rust not only the tragedy. according to The Los Angeles Times, hours before Hutchins’ incident, half a dozen camera crew workers walked out of the set to protest their working conditions in the film, including the long hours and pay turnaround times. In fact, one crew member who spoke to the Times stated that, around the same time, Hutchins intended to advocate/help those who were upset and wanted safer conditions for his team.
The report goes on to state that there was tension with the film crew due to the fact that they were constantly asked to adapt to unforeseen changes, such as driving 50 miles (approximately 80 km) to the set from Albuquerque each day instead of paying a hotel for a fee. they’re in Santa Fe. On the Thursday morning of the incident, the crew showed up for work at around 6:30 a.m. and spent an hour assembling their gear at Bonanza Creek Ranch, where filming took place. The crew, who are members of the International Alliance of Theater Stage Employees (IATSE), later learn that a non-union crew has been called in to replace them.
Union members and crew were ordered to leave the set and if not, security would be called. In a quote provided to the Times, a crew member familiar with the situation stated that “The decision has been made – and they brought in non-union people so they can continue filming.”
It was previously reported that veteran Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shot dead a film crew after he fired a prop gun on the set of the Western film Rust which was being shot in New Mexico on Thursday local time. He killed a film cinematographer and injured the film’s director, authorities said.
“The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of the production process and of everyone associated with the company,” a studio representative said in a statement. “While we are not aware of any official complaints about the safety of weapons or props on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures during production. We will continue to cooperate with Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health consulting services to cast and crew during this tragic time.”
To date no suspects or parties have been detained or charged in this case and the latest report also states that Alec Baldwin will fully cooperate with the investigation.
Rust is a film about a 13 year old boy who runs away with his grandfather after the accidental murder of a local farmer. The film is set to be filmed this month and next month, directed by Joel Souza and starring Frances Fisher and Alec Baldwin, who also produced the film.
