History has repeated itself within the film industry

9 Comments

The tragic news about the accidental shooting that took Halyna Hutchins life sadly and injured director Joel Souza. What happened should never have happened, Prop guns aren't meant to kill people that's why it's called a "prop gun".

On March 31 1993, Actor, martial artist, fight choreographer Brandon lee died after a "prop gun" misfired while filming "the crow" which in result was a devastating loss. Once again in 2021 another heart-breaking loss that could have been prevented. There's got to be a better way to use prop guns without having them that would become a lethal weapon, something needs to change.

History has once repeated itself again.

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Comments ( 9 )
  • darefu
    2 years ago

    Camera angles to see the gun and possibly the flash and recoil to make it look real. Unfortunately that puts the camera person and a lot of off set out of scene people still in front of the weapon.

    Blanks should not be dangerous at a distance. The real question as mentioned is how or why were real rounds on set and in the gun.

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  • olderdude-xx
    2 years ago

    The real issue is that actors are not taught and do not use basic gun safety.

    There are 4 key rules, and admittedly in acting one will normally be violated. However, it would be safe as long as every person verifies that a gun is/is not loaded when they pick up or are handed a gun.

    How could the Director not validate that the gun was unloaded, and why did the Actor not verify that the gun was not loaded.

    A special rule for acting sets would be that if the gun is loaded - to verify that they are loaded with blanks and not bullets.

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    • Boojum
      2 years ago

      I read a comment by some veteran action movie actor (can't remember who) saying that the safety-conscious directors he's worked with have taken a few moments before a scene where a weapon is going to be fired at someone to gather together the shooter, the target, and anyone else in the line of fire to show them that the weapon contains only blanks.

      The more I read about this incident, the clearer it is that those in charge of this production were only really concerned with getting the filming done as cheaply and as quick as possible.

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  • Boojum
    2 years ago

    Leaving aside the question of how the hell anything other than blank rounds were on that set, what bewilders me is why Baldwin was pointing the pistol in the direction of anyone.

    I mean, isn't "Don't point guns at people!" drummed into every American kid's head from a very young age? It's certainly something I heard repeatedly as a kid.

    It's possible to film convincing fight scenes where physical contact is minimal or doesn't happen at all, so you'd think it would be possible to film convincing gun-play where the weapon isn't actually pointed at anyone on the set.

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    • MonteMetcalfe
      2 years ago

      I agree with your comment.
      There is a strange irony. In America, anti-gun people (and I've heard Baldwin is one) are probably the last people to sign up for a gun safety course especially if it is taught by the NRA who they view as the enemy.

      If picking up a gun you take the few seconds to personally check & make sure you know if it is loaded or unloaded. NEVER take someone else's word for it. The tragedy involving Alec Baldwin is the prime example of why this is done.

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      • Boojum
        2 years ago

        I haven't read a huge amount about this tragic incident, but I'm sure that one of the reports I read stated that it's standard policy that actors are not allowed to check loads in prop guns. The loading and checking of weapons is carried out by (supposed) experts, the prepared and checked gun is handed to the actor, the director starts the scene, the actor does what the script calls for them to do and then hands the gun back to the armorer.

        In some ways, that makes sense, since who the hell wants an actor of unknown gun-competence fiddling around with a weapon and doing who knows what with it before the trigger is pulled.

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        • MonteMetcalfe
          2 years ago

          If an actor, or anyone for that matter, is going to handle a firearm then they should become familiar with it. The Actors' Equity Association's guidelines state that, “Before each use, make sure the gun has been test-fired off stage and then ask to test fire it yourself." Baldwin never checked it or test fired it.

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    • Tommythecaty
      2 years ago

      You have to “point” the gun in the scene, nobody is firing into the ground in a film.

      Should be no live rounds on set though, makes no sense, would take seconds to check.

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  • 1WeirdGuy
    2 years ago

    No idea how that even happens

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