‘Rust’ Trial: Hollywood Production Experts Agree With Verdict, Blame ‘Incredible Unprofessionalism’ for Gun Death

variety.com:

Carolyn Giardina Members of Hollywood’s production community — citing “negligence” and “reckless” behavior — were generally unsurprised by Wednesday’s guilty verdict in the first trial to be held in connection to the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust.” Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer on the movie, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the incident, which occurred Oct.

21, 2021 during filming at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico. Those contacted by Variety, including DP Nancy Schreiber, a member of the American Society of Cinematographers, were angry and troubled by the failure to maintain a safe set.

Citing the “negligence of loading live ammunition” near a film set, Schreiber wrote in an email to Variety, “Protocol was outrageously disregarded by the armorer as well as the first AD in our industry, where safety standards must always come first.” Calling the incident “reckless and totally unnecessary,” Steven Shaw — a member of the DGA, ASC and SAG-AFTRA — agreed, saying, “in the end, it’s the responsibility of the armorer to take care of the quarter loads, half loads, full loads, and to make sure they are properly prepared and tested.

There’s no excuse for not protecting Halyna Hutchins and the other people around the camera.” And Stephen Lighthill, a past president of the ASC, wrote in an email to Variety. “Speaking as a private citizen, those responsible for the killing of Halyna are the actor who pointed the gun at Halyna, the AD who said the gun was safe, the armorer who loaded the weapon and the producer(s) who put this production together are all culpable.” One source who spoke with Variety was a crew member on “Midnight Rider,” the 2014 production in which.