Alec Baldwin shooting – latest: Witnesses say they complained about assistant director before fatal incident

Hundreds have attended a vigil for cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in Albuquerque, New Mexico — not far from the Rust film set in Santa Fe, where she was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin, the Hollywood actor, during an apparent on-set incident.

Many grieved for Ms Hutchins, amid reports that a stunt double for Mr Baldwin reportedly fired two rounds of live ammunition days before the Hollywood actor fatally shot Ms Hutchins, aged 42, on Thursday.

Her father, meanwhile, said in an interview that Mr Baldwin was not to blame for her death.

The assistant director who handed Mr Baldwin a loaded prop gun is an industry veteran who’d been the subject of safety complaints for at least two years, according to former on-set coworkers.

One anonymous worker told ABC News that crews previously raised gun safety concerns with producers, also that there had been two accidental firearms discharges before the fatal incident, including with the stunt double.

Joel Souza, the director who co-wrote Rust with Mr Baldwin, was also injured on Thursday and was later released from hospital. He said in a statement that he was “gutted” for the death of Ms Hutchins.

Mr Baldwin said in a statement: “My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”

According to an affidavit, he had been handed the loaded firearm by an assistant director and told the gun was “cold” — or without live ammunition — before firing it. An investigation is in its fourth day.

Read More

Alec Baldwin shooting: Witnesses say they complained previously about assistant director’s unsafe practices

Alec Baldwin breaks silence after prop gun shooting: ‘My heart is broken’

Rust: Alec Baldwin ‘discharged’ gun that killed one and injured another on movie set

Brandon Lee’s family speaks out after late actor’s name trends alongside news of Alec Baldwin gun misfire

Halyna Hutchins and Joel Souza: What we know about the victims of the Alec Baldwin Rust shooting

Key Points

• Witnesses say they complained previously about assistant director’s unsafe practices

• Vigil held for Halyna Hutchins in Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Crew had raised safety concerns before shooting incident, report says

• Alec Baldwin fired the gun that that killed one and injured another on movie set

• Incident remains ‘an active investigation’, Sheriff’s office says

Another production pulls live guns after Hutchins’ death

23:00 , Alex Woodward

Amazon series The Boys will no longer use guns with blanks on set following the accident that killed Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer for the film Rust.

As Jacob Stolworthy writes, the incident has caused a widespread debate on the use of firearms on film and TV sets.

Eric Kripke, who created Supernatural and developed The Boys for Amazon Prime Video, pledged to ban guns from the sets of his TV shows in the wake of Ms Hutchins’ death. Instead, Kripke said that flashes, depicting shots, will be added in after filming takes place.

“Someone hurt or killed on my set is my worst nightmare,” he wrote. “Sending love to Halyna Hutchins’ family, @JensenAckles, cast & crew of Rust. I’m so sorry.”

The Boys creator makes gun safety ‘pledge’ following Halyna Hutchins death

Baldwin ‘canceling other projects’ in wake of fatal set shooting, People magazine reports

22:03 , Alex Woodward

Alec Baldwin – who co-wrote, produces and stars in Rust – is reportedly “canceling other projects” in the wake of an apparent accidental on-set shooting that left director of photography Halyna Hutchins dead and director Joel Souza injured, an anonymous source tells People magazine.

He is reportedly taking “some time to himself and re-center himself” after he was “absolutely inconsolable for hours” following the shooting, the magazine reported, citing an anonymous source.

Witnesses say they complained previously about assistant director’s unsafe practices

22:00 , Alex Woodward

The assistant director who handed Alec Baldwin a loaded prop gun is an industry veteran who’d been the subject of safety complaints for at least two years, according to former on-set coworkers.

Maggie Goll, an IATSE Local 44 prop maker and licensed pyrotechnician, told CNN that she’d worked with Mr Halls in 2019 and found that he failed to both hold safety meetings and consistently follow protocol when it came to announcing the presence of firearms on set.

“The only reason the crew was made aware of a weapon’s presence was because the assistant prop master demanded Dave acknowledge and announce the situation each day,” Ms Goll said in a statement to CNN.

Alec Baldwin shooting witnesses ‘previously complained’ about assistant director

Donald Trump Jr ridicules Alec Baldwin

21:10 , Alex Woodward

The eldest son of former US president Donald Trump appeared to ridicule actor Alec Baldwin following the misfiring that killed Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer on the set of Rust.

Mr Trump posted a photo of the actor – who famously spoofed his father, America’s 45^th president, on Saturday Night Live – that was captioned: ‘That look when an anti gun nut kills more people with a gun than your extensive firearm collection ever has...’

As Sheila Flynn writes, the memes came as many were mourning for Ms Hutchins:

Donald Trump, Jr ridicules Alec Baldwin online in wake of film set tragedy

Production company to conduct internal probe

20:40 , Gino Spocchia

The company producing Rust will reportedly begin an internal investigation into what unfolded on Thursday, when an assistant director handed actor Alec Baldwin a loaded firearm that was misfired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

According to a report in Deadline, Rust Movie Productions LLC said it would conduct an internal probe into what wrong along with that by New Mexico authorities.

The statement, however, appeared to disagree with reports that crew members raised complaints about working conditions and safety in the days and hours before Ms Hutchins’ death.

“The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company,” said the statement.

“Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down.”

“We will continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to the cast and crew during this tragic time.”

Another film star speaks out after Rust shooting

20:10 , Gino Spocchia

Famous faces in Hollywood and beyond have been among those to pay tribute to Halyna Hutchins following Thursday’s tragedy.

That includes actor Elijah Wood, of the Lord of The Rings fame, who tweeted sympathies...

Head armourer was trained by father, Thell Reed

19:40 , Gino Spocchia

#icymi

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 24, was the armorer on the set of Rust, which has since suspended production in New Mexico after the fatal shooting on Thursday of Halyna Hutchins.

She is the daughter of longtime Hollywood armorer Thell Reed, who has trained Hollywood stars such as Russell Crowe how to handle guns and other prop weapons.

Ms Reed recently told podcast Voices of the West that she’d tried her hand at acting and modeling before settling on more behind-the-scenes work.

“I kind of just tried [armourer work] with dad one time, and then I noticed I had a really natural knack for it, growing up around guns my whole life.”

She added that “I think loading blanks was the scariest thing to me because I was like ‘oh, I don’t know anything about it”, but explained that her father helped with her training, as Sheila Flynn writes.

‘Loading blanks was the scariest thing to me’: Rust head armourer new to job

What happened and what are the rules about using prop guns on set?

19:10 , Gino Spocchia

#icymi

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died on set when a gun held by Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin misfired.

As the industry reels from the tragedy, here’s what we know about the guidelines around weapons in films and the history of accidents in cinema, as Isobel Lewis and Ellie Harrison write.

What happened in Alec Baldwin shooting incident that left film crew member dead?

Assistant director should have check if gun was ‘hot’ or ‘cold'

18:40 , Gino Spocchia

Dave Halls, the assistant director on the set of Rust, should have checked whether or not the gun used by Alec Baldwin was “hot” or “cold”, according to those working on the set.

Speaking to The Daily Beast, a person reportedly working on the film said Mr Halls should have been the last line of defense between them and the firearm.

“This check alone should’ve prevented this incident,” the person told the news outlet.

Comedian Adam Conover says ‘neglect’ caused shooting

18:10 , Gino Spocchia

Citing reports of safety concerns on the set of Rust, comedian Adam Conover has join calls for reform of the theatre, film and TV industry in the wake of Halyna Hutchins’ death.

Mr Conover, a podcast host and anchor of the The Crystal Maze US, tweeted that it was “neglect” that was to blame for Alec Baldwin misfiring a loaded weapon at Ms Hutchins, a cinematographer, and a tragedy that is still under investigation.

Here’s his strongly worded tweet...

Reports say armourer was ‘inexperienced’

17:40 , Gino Spocchia

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the 24-year-old head armourer who was named in an affidavit, was described by sources as. being “inexperienced and green”, according to The Daily Beast.

Citing people working on the production of Rust, where the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins took place on Thursday, the armourer was thought to have allowed a stunt double for Alec Baldwin to fire live ammunition only last week — and days before the tragedy.

Sources from her previous film also told the news outlet that she was “a bit careless”, and had forced production of Nicholas Cage’s The Old Way to stop after handing a gun to an 11-year-old without checking it, it was alleged.

Ms Gutierrez-Reed recently told a podcast that she was “scared” but felt ready for her role on The Old Way, and had received training from her father, a well known armourer. An investigation is meanwhile ongoing.

Rust director ‘gutted’ by the death of Halyna Hutchins

17:10 , Gino Spocchia

“I am gutted by the loss of my friend and colleague, Halyna,” said Joel Souza, the director and co-writer of Rust, in a statement on Saturday.

“She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch, and always pushed me to be better,” the director added, writes Alex Woodward.

Mr Souza, who was taken to hospital following the shooting and later released, added that he was “humbled and grateful by the outpouring of affection we have received from our filmmaking community, the people of Santa Fe, and the hundreds of strangers who have reached out.”

Rust director who was shot by Alec Baldwin is ‘gutted by the loss’ of colleague

An image of the vigil for Halyna Hutchins

16:40 , Gino Spocchia

Hundreds attended the vigil in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Saturday — many of them from the film industry.

Speakers including senior figures of IATSE, the film and theatre workers union, who held signs calling for safer working conditions on sets with firearms.

Candles were lit, music played, and many mourners were seen hugging each other for support.

A second vigil, also organised by local branches of IATSE, is being held in Burbank, Los Angeles, on Sunday.

Scholarship set up in honour of Halyna Hutchins

16:10 , Gino Spocchia

The American Film Institute (AFI) has set up an scholarship in memory of Haylana Hutchins, who was fatally shot working on the set of Rust.

Matt Hutchins, the cinematographer’s husband, tweeted on Saturday that he thanked “Halyna’s friends and mentors at AFI for establishing a scholarship to honour her memory and support aspiring female cinematographers.”

The AFI said in a statement on its website: “Words alone cannot capture the loss of one so dear to the AFI community. At AFI, we pledge to see that Halyna Hutchins will live on in the spirit of all who strive to see their dreams realised in stories well told.”

Hutchins father refuses to blame Alec Baldwin

15:40 , Gino Spocchia

The father of Halynan Hutchins has said he refuses to blame actor Alec Baldwin for the death of his 42-year-old daughter, who was fatally shot on the set of Rust.

Speaking to the Sun On Sunday, Anatoly Androsovych said: “We still can’t believe Halyna is dead and her mother is going out of her mind with grief, but I don’t hold Alec Baldwin responsible — it is the responsibility of the props people who handle the guns.”

He added of his grandson: “The little boy has been very badly affected — he is lost without his mother”.

Mr Androsovych added that her husband Matt Hutchins, a corporate lawyer in Latham & Watkins’ Los Angeles office, “will decide if legal action is going to be taken.”

Head armourer described as ‘a bit careless’ on former set

15:10 , Gino Spocchia

Sources familialiar with the work of the 24-year-old head armourer at the centre of the Alec Baldwin shooting have alleged that she was a “bit careless” during her first role as a head armourer on a film set.

“She was a bit careless with the guns, waving it around every now and again,” said a source to The Daily Beast of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. “There were a couple times she was loading the blanks and doing it in a fashion that we thought was unsafe.”

The source added that on the set of the upcoming Nicolas Cage film, The Old Way, Ms Gutierrez-Reed handed a gun to an 11-year-old child actor without checking the weapon.

She recently said in an interview with a podcast that “loading blanks was the scariest thing to me because I was like ‘oh, I don’t know anything about it”, but her father, longtime Hollywood armorer Thell Reed, helped with her training.

What exactly happened when Alec Baldwin fired?

14:40 , Gino Spocchia

#icymi

Actor Alec Baldwin, according to an affidavit from the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office, was handed one of several prop guns, which assistant director Dave Halls announced was a “cold gun” without any live rounds.

The assistant director “did not know live rounds were in the prop gun” and told police that the firearms were inspected by an on-set armourer, according to the affidavit.

The firearm “discharged” during an indoor rehearsal scene on 21 October at Bonanza Creek Ranch, according to the affidavit. Director Joel Sousa was injured, and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins as killed.

Police have sought possible footage of the fatal shooting, as well as other firearms on the set and phones belonging to crew members that might have recorded video. An investigation is into its fourth day.

Assistant director of Rust reportedly subject to complaints in 2019

14:10 , Gino Spocchia

Dave Halls, the assistant director on Rust who allegedly handed Alec Baldwin a weapon loaded with ammunition, was the focus of complaints for lack of safety and for his behaviour in 2019, two people familiar with Mr Halls told CNN.

The complaints, which were from two productions in 2019, reportedly included a disregard for safety protocols with weapons, as well as sexually inappropriate behavior at work.

Mr Halls reportedly refused to return comment to CNN following the revelation on Sunday.

“The only reason the crew was made aware of a weapon’s presence was because the assistant prop master demanded Dave acknowledge and announce the situation each day,” claimed Maggie Goll, who worked on Hulu’s “Into the Dark”.

“The Prop Master frequently admonished Dave for dismissing the talent without returning props, weapon included, or failing to make safety announcements.”

‘The Rookie’ bans functioning weapons on set after Hutchins death

13:40 , Gino Spocchia

Functioning weapons have reportedly been pulled from the set of ABC’s The Rookie, which had been filming at the same time as Rust when the tragedy unfolded on Thursday.

In a memo to workers on the police drama seen by The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Alexi Hawley said “all gunfire on set will be with Air Soft guns with CG muzzle flashes added in post.”

“There will be no more ‘live’ weapons on the show. The safety of our cast and crew is too important,” Mr Hawley said. “Any risk is too much risk.”

The reported changes to production on The Rookie follows calls from film and theatre union IATSE and others for safety on sets when using weapons and firearms.

Second vigil to be held for Halyna Hutchins on Sunday

13:10 , Gino Spocchia

A second vigil will be held for cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in Burbank, Los Angeles, on Sunday, following a similar event in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday night.

The vigils have both been organised by local branches of the film and theatre workers union, IATSE, which has strongly attacked conditions on the set of Rust in the wake Ms Hutchins’ death on Thursday, when she was shot by actor Alec Baldwin.

“Let’s all take a moment and gather together to honour Halyna and her accomplishments and grieve together as one. Please bring your own candle, and join together for a candlelight vigil for Halyna,” the announcement for the Burbank vigil said Facebook.

‘My heart’s been shaking for days’, says mourner for Hutchins

12:40 , Gino Spocchia

Rebecca Stair was among the hundreds of mourners who attended the vigil for Halyna Hutchins in Albuquerque, and although she was not working on Rust, was a member of the local IATSE union for film workers.

Speaking with CNN, Ms Stair said she knew everybody on set of the film, which was being produced in nearby Santa Fe, and has since stopped filming.

“My heart’s been shaking for days, my phone has been going off with all kinds of friends who are going through something similar,” said Ms Stair.

“My friend who was the transport coordinator [on Rust] had to stay until 11 o’clock at night arranging shuttle rides home because nobody could functionally drive.”

Reportedly breaking into tears, Ms Stair said of Ms Hutchin’s nine-year-old son: “A child should have a mother”.

Head armorer on Rust said ‘loading blanks was scariest thing'

12:10 , Gino Spocchia

#icymi

The armorer on the set of Rust, which has since suspended production in New Mexico after the fatal shooting on Thursday of Halyna Hutchins, was identified in an affidavit as 24-year-old Hannah Gutierrez Reed.

Rust was only her second film as a head armorer, according to an interview with a podcast, having recently taken the job on Nicolas Cage’s first Western, The Old Way.

“I was really nervous about it at first, and I almost didn’t take the job, [but] doing it, it went really smoothly,” she said about The Old Way.

She added: “I think loading blanks was the scariest thing to me because I was like ‘oh, I don’t know anything about it”, but explkained that her father, longtime Hollywood armorer Thell Reed, helped with her training.

It remains unclear as to why ammunition was loaded into the gun that Alec Baldwin fired at Ms Hutchins on Thursday, fatally injuring her.

‘Loading blanks was the scariest thing to me’: Rust head armourer new to job

Film industry workers pay tribute, raise funds

11:40 , Gino Spocchia

Film workers have been among those to donate to a fundraiser organsined by family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was fatally shot on Thursday.

Almost $170,000 has been raised so far on a GoFundMe page for Ms Hutchins, who leaves behind her husband and nine-year-old son.

One person who donated wrote: “I didn’t know Halyna personally but like so many in our industry we feel connected I am deeply saddened by her family’s loss but also for her work family. May her spirit and story live on through them.”

Hundred attend New Mexico vigil for Hutchins

11:05 , Gino Spocchia

Around 200 people from across the film industry and beyond attend a vigil for Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was fatally shot on the set of Rust on Thursday.

The mourners, many of whom grieved at the loss of one of their own, voiced fears of accidents on their own film sets.

“Her death shouldn’t have happened, Union sets should be safe sets,” said Liz Pecos, president of the local branch of IATSE, the biggest theatre and film union in the US.

Several in attendance lit candles, held a moment of silence, read poetry and made brief comments including one testimonial to Ms Hutchins’ artistic spark and generosity, The Associated Press reported.

Brandon Lee’s family speaks out after late actor’s name trends alongside news of Alec Baldwin gun misfire

06:30 , Alex Woodward

Brandon Lee – the son of the late action star Bruce Lee – was killed in 1993 on the set of The Crow after an actor fired a prop gun that he believed to be loaded with blanks.

It was later discovered that a fragment of a dummy shell had been left in the gun’s barrel. Lee died in hospital following hours of surgery. He was 28.

His family spoke out following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.

Brandon Lee’s family speaks out following news of Alec Baldwin gun misfire on set

Film and TV stars call for law to ban real guns from sets after fatal shooting

05:30 , Alex Woodward

Actors, directors and films crews have joined a call urging productions to abandon “real” guns from their sets, and stressing that gunshot effects can and should be added in post-production.

Hollywood stars call for law to ban real guns from film and TV sets

How movie prop guns work, and how they can still fire life-threatening shots

04:30 , Alex Woodward

The fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of Alec Baldwin’s Rust has triggered widespread debate on the use of firearms on film sets and whether they should be permanently replaced with rubber and airsoft guns instead.

Here’s what you need to know about “prop” guns:

How prop guns filled with blanks can still fire life-threatening shots

Alec Baldwin’s Rust co-star Jensen Ackles spoke about gun training days before set shooting

03:30 , Alex Woodward

Just days beore the on-set shooting, Alec Baldwin’s Rust co-star Jensen Ackles discussed the gun training he received for the film.

“I’ve got a 6am call tomorrow to have a big shoot-out,” he told fans in a video posted to YouTube. “They had me pick my gun … The armorer was like, ‘Do you have gun experience?’ I was like, ‘A little.’”

Alec Baldwin’s Rust co-star Jensen Ackles spoke of gun training days before shooting

Alec Baldwin: A history of the actor’s career and life

02:30 , Alex Woodward

Alec Baldwin, 63, is the eldest of the four actor brothers of his family. Read more about his life and career:

A history of Alec Baldwin’s career and life

States mostly defer to union guidance for on-set gun safety

01:30 , Alex Woodward

The incident has underscored film workers’ concerns over workplace safety and renewed an organised labour push for better working conditions, after the union representing roughly 60,000 film workers reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood bosses averting a national strike.

Members of the Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) union and “below-the-line” workers – including grips, set artists and camera operators – have amplified concerns and complaints across social media and in the wake of the recent tragedy to link set dangers to poor contracts.

But industry-wide guidance on gun safety is clear, according to The Associated Press: “Blanks can kill. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded.”

Read more about how firearms are handled on set here:

States mostly defer to union guidance for on-set gun safety

‘Loading blanks was the scariest thing to me’: Rust head armourer new to job and admitted fears on previous set

Sunday 24 October 2021 00:30 , Alex Woodward

A former model and the daughter of a Hollywood fast-draw legend was the person responsible for overseeing prop gun safety on the Western set where actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 24, was the armorer on the set of Rust, which has since suspended production in New Mexico after the fatal shooting on Thursday of Halyna Hutchins.

Ms Reed is the daughter of longtime Hollywood armorer Thell Reed, who has trained Hollywood stars such as Russell Crowe how to handle guns and other prop weapons. Ms Reed recently told podcast Voices of the West that she’d tried her hand at acting and modeling before settling on more behind-the-scenes work.

Sheila Flynn has more:

‘Loading blanks was the scariest thing to me’: Rust head armourer new to job

New Mexico earned millions in film production

Saturday 23 October 2021 23:30 , Alex Woodward

New Mexico, where the tragedy occurred on Thursday, is a well known power house for film and TV production and is home to production hubs for Netflix and NBCUniversal.

In the past year, the state had a record $623m being spent on productions, with Rust the latest. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat and an ardent film industry supporter, touted the industry’s pandemic precautions over the summer, saying it had put safety first and cleared the way for work to resume. Workplace safety is paramount in every industry in New Mexico, including film and television, the governor’s spokeswoman, Nora Meyers Sackett, said Friday.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

Rust director speaks out, issues statement

Saturday 23 October 2021 22:30 , Gino Spocchia

The director of Rust has issued his first statement following his hospitalisation for a gunshot wound from a prop firearm fired by Alec Baldwin that killed the film’s director of photography.

Mr Baldwin – who co-wrote, produces and stars in the film – discharged a prop firearm on the set, reportedly striking Mr Souza’s shoulder and Ms Hutchins, who was flown to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead on 21 October.

The director was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance and released on 22 October, writes Alex Woodward.

‘Rust’ director speaks out after fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins

Lawmaker questions if laws would have stopped incident

Saturday 23 October 2021 21:45 , Gino Spocchia

New Mexico state lawmaker Antonio “Moe” Maestas, an Albuquerque lawyer and champion of his state’s film incentives, questioned whether any safety legislation could have prevented the fatal shooting on the set of “Rust.” “How can you disincentivise an involuntary act?” he asked. Maestas said production companies might think about using post-production effects to mimic the sights and sounds they now rely on prop guns to create. “That’s the only way to really ensure this never happens again,” he said.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

Suicide Squad director pays tribute to Halyna Hutchins

Saturday 23 October 2021 21:15 , Gino Spocchia

James Gunn, the director of Suicide Squad, was among those to pay tribute to the dead cinematographer and wrote of his concerns about gun safety on film sets...

Armorers rejected Rust because of size of weapons budget

Saturday 23 October 2021 20:50 , Gino Spocchia

According to a report in Deadline, a number of armorers turned down working with Rust because of the sheer amount of firearms to be used on set, and the budget for it.

Rust, which was first announced in May 2020, is an indie action/Western feature, and is based on a story by actor Alec Baldwin and Joel Souza, who wrote the script and is the director, and was injured on Thursday.

Another fan shares tribute to Halyna Hutchins...

Saturday 23 October 2021 20:20 , Gino Spocchia

Among the dozens of fans of Halyna Hutchins to share tributes online, many have remembered their favourite work of hers....

Experts weigh-in on where props should have been

Saturday 23 October 2021 19:50 , Gino Spocchia

Amid questions around safety issues on set of Rust, experts have weighed-in on what happened, and said the loaded guns should not have been where they were on Thursday when Alec Baldwin accidentally fired a gun at a colleague.

A prop master for more than 30 years told The Associated Press: “They shouldn’t be in the truck. They shouldn’t be in the same car, you really have to make sure your inventory is totally separate from the real world and everything you bring on set is safe.”

Director Joel Souza issues statement

Saturday 23 October 2021 19:25 , Gino Spocchia

Joel Souza, the director of Rust was injured on Thursday, has released a statement following the death of Haylna Hutchins:

“I am gutted by the loss of my friend and colleague, Halyna. She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch, and always pushed me to be better.”

“My thoughts are with her family at this most difficult time,” he continued, “I am humbled and grateful by the outpouring of affection we have received from our filmmaking community, the people of Santa Fe, and the hundreds of strangers who have reached out….. It will surely aid in my recovery.”

Fans pay tribute to cinematographer

Saturday 23 October 2021 19:13 , Gino Spocchia

Dozens of fans of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins have paid tribute online...

Stunt double for Alec Baldwin had similar misfiring

Saturday 23 October 2021 18:40 , Gino Spocchia

A stunt double on the set of Rust reportedly fired two rounds of ammunition in an accident that was among a number of issues raised by crew members before actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer.

Crew members on the New Mexico film set were in fact so concerned about safety conditions that some had walked off just hours before the Thursday incident, according to a report from The Los Angeles Times.

As Sheila Flynn writes, the stunt double was — like Mr Baldwin — told the gun was “cold” before finding out it was loaded with ammunition last Saturday.

Alec Baldwin’s Rust stunt double accidentally fired two rounds, report says

Gun safety laws for film productions under spotlight

Saturday 23 October 2021 18:22 , Gino Spocchia

Gun safety laws on film sets have come under the spotlight since Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on the set of Rust.

New Mexico, where the incident took place on Thursday morning, has no specific safety laws for the film industry, and there are no federal US laws for the sector.

Court records show that an assistant director handed Mr Baldwin a loaded weapon and told him it was “cold,” or safe to use, before he fired. Crew members, meanwhile, had raised issues around safety the week before.

Officials in New Mexico have said that it will investigate and that work place safety regulations apply on film sets “ just as they do to all other workplaces”.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

Stunt double had similar accident days before Baldwin

Saturday 23 October 2021 17:58 , Gino Spocchia

A stunt double reportedly fired two live rounds of ammunition by accident — days before Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on the set of Rust.

The allegations, which was among many made by crew members who resigned hours before the tragedy unfolded on Thursday morning, were reported by The Los Angeles Times as police continue to establish what happened.

Crew members also told the paper that they had expressed safety concerns and issues with working conditions to bosses on the set of Rust before Mr Baldwin fired at Halyna Hutchins.

Halyna Hutchins had planned to protest

Saturday 23 October 2021 16:55 , Gino Spocchia

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, reportedly planned to protest over working conditions for cast and crew on the movie, Rust, days before she was shot on Thursday.

Ms Hutchins posted a photo to her Instagram account on Tuesday with the cast and crew of the movie, including Mr Baldwin, showing her support for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) labour union on Tuesday.

The union, which represents Hollywood crew and artists including cinematographers, editors, and hairstylists, called off a major walkout on Saturday after it struck a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) at the last minute, writes Bevan Hurley.

Halyna Hutchins: Cinematographer planned to strike over dangerous working conditions

Rust crew members ‘expressed safety issues’ before shooting

Saturday 23 October 2021 16:18 , Gino Spocchia

Camera crew members walked off the set of Rust due to “safety concerns” a day before Alec Baldwin’s prop gun killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, it has been claimed.

An anonymous crew member told ABC News that he was one of a large group to send in their resignations, adding that they were present the morning of the shooting (Thursday 21 October) as they were collecting their equipment.

They said that concerns over gun safety had been raised ahead of the fatal accident, as well as worries over the handling of Covid-19 regulations, but claimed these were all “brushed off repeatedly” by the film’s producers.

Two similar incidents had occurred only the week before — fortunately without any fatal incident, writes Jacob Stolworthy.

Rust crew members ‘walked off set over safety concerns’ before prop gun shooting

Alec Baldwin ‘handed loaded weapon by assistant director who said it was safe to use’, court documents say

Saturday 23 October 2021 13:58 , Gino Spocchia

#icymi

Alec Baldwin was handed a loaded weapon by a member of the film crew and told it it was safe to use, according to newly filed court documents.

In a development that will raise pressing questions about how safety measures on the movie set failed with such tragic impact, it emerged the 63-year-old, who was seen in tears after the fatal incident at a film set in New Mexico, had been told by an assistant director that the weapon was a “cold gun”, and therefore supposedly safe to fire.

The assistant director did not know the prop gun was loaded with live rounds, according to a search warrant filed in a Santa Fe court, writes Andrew Buncombe.

Alec Baldwin ‘handed loaded weapon by assistant director who said it was safe to use’

Film and TV stars call for law to ban real guns from sets after fatal shooting

Saturday 23 October 2021 13:30 , Jon Sharman

Stars of film and television are calling for a law to ban real guns on sets following the death of Halyna Hutchins, writes Jacob Stolworthy.

The 42-year-old cinematographer was fatally shot on the set of the film Rust, after a prop gun was fired by Alec Baldwin.

The actor was filming the forthcoming Western at Bonanza Creek Ranch, south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, when the tragedy occurred.

Hollywood stars call for law to ban real guns from film and TV sets

Rust crew members expressed ‘safety concerns’ before Alec Baldwin’s prop gun killed Halyna Hutchins

Saturday 23 October 2021 12:59 , Jon Sharman

Camera crew members walked off the set of Rust due to “safety concerns” a day before Alec Baldwin’s prop gun killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, it’ has been claimed.

An anonymous crew member told ABC News that he was one of a large group to send in their resignations, adding that they were present the morning of the shooting (Thursday 21 October) as they were collecting their equipment, writes Jacob Stolworthy.

They said that concerns over gun safety had been raised ahead of the fatal accident, as well as worries over the handling of Covid-19 regulations, but claimed these were all “brushed off repeatedly” by the film’s producers.

Rust crew members ‘walked off set over safety concerns’ before prop gun shooting

Signing off

Saturday 23 October 2021 01:54 , Josh Marcus

That concludes our live coverage today of the accidental shooting on the set of Rust. Thanks for reading, and do stick with The Independent for all the latest news, analysis, and commentary.

‘All they wanted to do was rush’: Crew members worried about safety before shooting

Saturday 23 October 2021 01:45 , Josh Marcus

Just hours before Alex Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a crew member with what he thought was a prop gun, a half-dozen employees of the upcoming film Rust walked off set to protest what they thought were lackluster working and safety conditions—including with the movie’s stand-in weapons.

A camera operator told The Los Angeles Times they complained to a production manager about gun safety on the set, after prop guns were accidentally discharged on set twice over the weekend.

“There should have been an investigation into what happened,” the crew member told the Times. “There were no safety meetings. There was no assurance that it wouldn’t happen again. All they wanted to do was rush, rush, rush.”

Three unnamed sources told the paper that standard safety protocols, around things like firearms, weren’t being followed during the production of the low-budget film.

Ireland Baldwin speaks out in support of father Alec after shooting incident

Saturday 23 October 2021 01:20 , Josh Marcus

Ireland Baldwin, daughter of Alec Baldwin, has expressed support for her father after he was involved in an on-set incident that left cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead.

Baldwin was filming Rust in New Mexico when he fired a prop gun. As a result, Hutchins was killed and the film’s director, Joel Souza, was injured.

Ireland took to Instagram to express her support for all involved: “My love and support go to Halyna Hutchins’ family and friends. Sending healing thoughts to Joel Souza. And wishing I could hug my dad extra tight today.”Read Sam Moore’s full story here.

Ireland Baldwin speaks out in support of father Alec after shooting incident

Alec Baldwin ‘handed loaded weapon by assistant director who said it was safe to use’, court documents say

Saturday 23 October 2021 00:55 , Josh Marcus

Alec Baldwin was handed a loaded weapon by a member of the film crew and told it it was “safe to use”, according to court documents, before he fired the gun and accidentally killed one employee on set on Thursday.

The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe is following this breaking story.

Alec Baldwin ‘handed loaded weapon by assistant director who said it was safe to use’

Alec Baldwin shooting: Audio of Rust 911 call released after fatal incident on movie set

Saturday 23 October 2021 00:50 , Josh Marcus

“We need help immediately.”

Those were the words of an employee who called 911 on Thursday, after actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed director of photography Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on the set of the upcoming film Rust, while he was using what he thought was a prop gun.

Audio of the call was first obtained by TMZ.I’ll be following this developing story and supplying new details as they arrive.

‘We need help’: Audio of 911 call after Alex Baldwin shooting released

Gun safety instructor breaks down difference between live and prop guns—and where confusion occurs

Saturday 23 October 2021 00:20 , Josh Marcus

Once it’s loaded, it’s hard to tell a prop gun from a real one on a movie set, according to firearms safety instructor and reporter Stephen Gutowski. “Blank-firing prop guns are made to look and feel like real guns,” he said on Friday on Twitter. “They can also literally be made from real guns.”However, things are much less complicated before the gun is loaded, and blank versus live ammunition looks quite different, he added, showing a photo comparison.

Safety with prop guns on film sets is being scrutinized after actor Alex Baldwin accidentally shot and killed director of photography Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust in New Mexico, and wounded the upcoming film’s director.

Photos captures Alec Bladwin in frantic moments after accidental shooting on set of Rust

Friday 22 October 2021 23:50 , Josh Marcus

Jim Weber, a photographer from The Santa Fe New Mexican, captured photos of a distraught Alex Baldwin outside of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, in the moments after he accidentally shot and killed director of photography Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza with a prop gun on Thursday.

The Rust shooting took place amid an industry-wide reckoning over labour and safety

Friday 22 October 2021 23:25 , Josh Marcus

Tens of thousands of Hollywood’s blue collar, behind-the-camera union workforce are set to vote on a controversial deal between the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and movie producers, struck earlier this month to avoid an industry-wide strike. Many of the sticking points in the negotiations—safety, long hours—are the same ones being discussed in the context of the accidental shooting of director of photography Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust in New Mexico.

Here’s The Independent’s Oliver O’Connell with the details on the Hollywood labour crisis.

Hollywood strike over long hours and low wages averted before imminent walkout

Alec Baldwin’s Rust co-star Jensen Ackles spoke about gun training days before set shooting

Friday 22 October 2021 23:00 , Bevan Hurley

Alec Baldwin’s Rust co-star Jensen Ackles spoke about the gun training he received for the film just days before the set was rocked by a fatal shooting.

Baldwin was filming the Western movie in New Mexico when he discharged a prop gun, killing director of photography Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

The weekend prior, Ackles had described how he’d been taught to handle his firearm on the Rust set at a convention for his hit show Supernaturalin Denver.

The Independent’s Megan Sheets has the story.

Everything we know about Rust

Friday 22 October 2021 22:45 , Bevan Hurley

Filming on the Western movie Rust has been halted after the death of Halyna Hutchins.

Rust began filming two weeks ago (6 October) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and had been due to continue until the end of November.

Baldwin had been cast as Old West outlaw Harland Rust, who goes on the run with his 13-year-old grandson after the latter is sentenced to death for an unintentional murder.

Travis Fimmel, Marty Lindsey, Brady Noon and Frances Fisher were cast in the film alongside Baldwin.

Read more about the film here.

‘Wishing I could hug my dad extra tight today’

Friday 22 October 2021 22:22 , Bevan Hurley

Ireland Baldwin has shared a message of support for her father Alec and the family of Halnya Hutchins, who shot dead on the set of Rust in New Mexico on Thursday.

“My love and support go to Halnya Hutchins’ family and friends. Sending healing thoughts to Joel Souza. And wishing I could hug my dad extra tight today,” Ms Baldwin, 25, wrote on her Instagram stories.

Mr Souza, the film’s director, was injured in the accidental shooting.

Mr Baldwin’s younger brother Stephen asked for “prayers” in a message posted earlier on Friday.

DA says they ‘do not know if charges will be filed’ over Rust shooting

Friday 22 October 2021 22:20 , Bevan Hurley

Authorities say they do not know yet whether charges will be filed in the film set shooting which left cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead.

“This case is still in its preliminary states of investigation,” First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies told Deadline on Friday.

The Independent’s Clemence Michallon has more details here.

‘Halyna’s Law’: Actor calls for ban on use of firearms on film sets

Friday 22 October 2021 22:00 , Bevan Hurley

A veteran Hollywood actor is calling for a new “Halyna’s Law” that would ban the use of real fire arms on the sets of film and television productions.

Xander Berkeley, who has appeared in more than 200 films and TV shows, said he wanted the death of Halyna Hutchins to be a catalyst for “a safe working environment for everyone involved”.

Ms Hutchins was shot dead on the set of Rust in New Mexico on Thursday.

In an earlier tweet, Mr Berkeley said the her death would be the end of firearms on sets “for anything other than pantomime and post production”.

Mr Berkeley has appeared in 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Air Force One.

Rust actor discussed gun training on set days before fatal shooting

Friday 22 October 2021 21:35 , Bevan Hurley

A leading actor on Alec Baldwin’s ill-fated Rust Western spoke about the gun training he received on set just days before cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot dead.

Speaking to fans at a convention for the popular TV show Supernatural in Denver last week, Jensen Ackles said he was filming a “big shoot-out” the next morning.

“I’ve got a 6am call tomorrow to have a big shoot-out. They had me pick my gun… The armorer was like, ‘Do you have gun experience?’ I was like, ‘A little’,” Ackles said in a clip posted to YouTube.

“She was like, ’This is how you load it, check it’s safe. Do you want it hip drawn or cross drawn? I’ll just put some blanks in there and just fire a couple of rounds towards the hill.

“I walk out and she’s like, ‘Just make sure you pull the hammer all the way back and aim at your target,’ I was like ‘alright I got it’.”

New Mexico prosecutor opens investigation into Rust shooting

Friday 22 October 2021 21:19 , Bevan Hurley

Santa Fe’s top prosector says she has begun an investigation into possible criminal charges stemming from the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins.

Mary Carmack-Altwies told Deadline she was assisting the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office and had “offered our full support to them”.

“At this time, we do not know if charges will be filed,” Ms Carmack-Altwies, the First Judicial District Attorney, said.

“We will look into all facts and evidence of the case with great discretion and have further information at a later time. Our thoughts are with all affected by this tragedy.”

Production on the movie has been suspended.

Alec Baldwin ‘walked off Rust set' in protest over worker’s pay and conditions

Friday 22 October 2021 21:08 , Bevan Hurley

Alec Baldwin reportedly walked off the set of the film Rust in protest at the working conditions just hours before cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on Thursday.

The LA Times reported Mr Baldwin and half a dozen crew members left the set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico in a dispute over long hours and pay.

The Times reported that the crew members were angry about having to drive 50 miles to the set location from Albuquerque each day, instead of being put up in accommodation in nearby Santa Fe.

Ms Hutchins, a member of the IATSE union, had also been calling for better pay and conditions on the set.

She posted a photo on Instagram this week to show her support for the union’s 60,000 members, who narrowly averted a widespread strike last week when a last-minute deal was reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Brandon Lee’s family speaks out after Halyna Hutchins shooting

Friday 22 October 2021 20:45 , Bevan Hurley

Brandon Lee – the son of the late action star Bruce Lee – was killed in 1993 on the set of The Crow after an actor fired a prop gun that he believed to be loaded with blanks.

After the tragic shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust on Thursday, Mr Lee’s sister Shannon wrote on Twitter that “no one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set. Period.”

“Our hearts go out to the family of Halyna Hutchins and to Joel Souza and all involved in the incident on Rust,” she wrote.

The Independent’s Annabel Nugent has the story.

GOP candidate JD Vance slammed for ‘callous’ tweet

Friday 22 October 2021 20:05 , Bevan Hurley

Republican Senate candidate JD Vance has come under fire for a “pathetic” tweet in which he called on Donald Trump to be allowed back on Twitter in the wake of the Alec Baldwin shooting.

Mr Vance, who is running for the GOP nomination in Ohio, wrote: “Dear @jack let Trump back on. We need Alec Baldwin tweets,” tagging Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

Mr Trump, who is permanently banned from Twitter, engaged in a long-running feud with Mr Baldwin over his portrayal of the former president on Saturday Night Live.

There was broad condemnation of Mr Vance’s remark on social media.

The Independent’s Megan Sheets has the full story.

Friday 22 October 2021 19:45 , Bevan Hurley

White House press secretary Jen Psaki has offered her “thoughts and prayers” to the victims of an accidental shooting on the set of Rust.

Asked about the incident at a White House press briefing on Friday, Ms Psaki said: “It is obviously a tragedy, the loss of life, and as I understand it (an) individual is in hospital, and so our thoughts and prayers go out to their family members.”

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, was killed and director Joel Souza wounded after Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that was reportedly loaded with a “single live round”.

Mr Souza was been discharged from hospital on Friday morning.

From the Arctic Circle to Hollywood: Tributes flow for ‘restless dreamer’ Halyna Hutchins

Friday 22 October 2021 19:25 , Bevan Hurley

Halyna Hutchins, who was shot and killed on the set of Rust on Thursday, described herself as a “restless dreamer” and an “adrenaline junkie” on her Instagram account.

Ms Hutchins grew up on a Soviet military base in the Arctic Circle and worked as an investigative reporter in Europe before studying film in Los Angeles.

She received a graduate degree in international journalism from Kyiv National University in Ukraine, worked on British documentary productions in Europe and graduated from the American Film Institute Conservatory in 2015, the Associated Press wrote.

Her film credits include the crime drama Blindfire and the horror film Darlin, whose director, Pollyanna McIntosh, called her “the most talented, in the trenches, committed wonderful artist and team mate.”

Director Adam Egypt Mortimer, who worked with her on the 2020 thriller Archenemy, tweeted. “She was a brilliant talent who was absolutely committed to art and to film.”

The star of Archenemy, Joe Manganiello, tweeted that Hutchins was “an incredible talent & great person.”

Halyna Hutchins’s husband says Alec Baldwin has been ‘very supportive’

Friday 22 October 2021 19:00 , Bevan Hurley

Matthew Hutchins, husband of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, says he has spoken to Alec Baldwin in the wake of an accidental shooting that claimed the life of his wife on the set of Rust.

“I don’t think there are words to communicate the situation” Mr Hutchins told the Insider.

“I think that we will need a little bit of time before we can really encapsulate her life in a way that is easy to communicate.”

The Independent’s Clemence Michallon has the full story.

'In all my years, I’ve never been handed a hot gun’

Friday 22 October 2021 18:41 , Bevan Hurley

Alec Baldwin fired a single shot that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and went on to hit director Joel Souza, an eyewitess told Showbiz411.

The fatal bullet passed through Ms Hutchins’ body and hit Mr Souza’s clavicle, between the sternum and shoulder, the witness said.

Afterwards, Mr Baldwin repeatedly asked why he was given a “hot gun”, Showbiz411 reported.

“In all my years, I’ve never been handed a hot gun,” Mr Baldwin reportedly said, referring to a gun with live ammunition.

Mr Baldwin was taken to hospital after the shooting as a precaution.

Ms Hutchins died en route to hospital in a helicopter, while Mr Souza has been discharged.

‘Asking for your prayers tonight friends'

Friday 22 October 2021 18:21 , Bevan Hurley

Actor Stephen Baldwin took to social media to ask for “prayers” after his brother Alec was involved in an accidental shooting on the set of Rust.

“Asking for your prayers tonight friends,” Stephen, 55, Alec’s youngest brother, wrote.

“Not much can be said other than please pray for all involved in the wake of this tragic accident.”

All four Baldwin brothers, including Daniel, 61, and 58-year-old William, have had long careers in the film industry.

Friday 22 October 2021 18:03 , Bevan Hurley

Director Joel Souza, who was injured in the accidental shooting on the set of Rust, was discharged from hospital early on Friday.

Mr Souza, 48, was taken to Christus St Vincent’s Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, by ambulance after the accidental shooting. No details on his condition have been released.

Actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun at the set of Rust at about 1:50pm on Thursday, wounding Mr Souza and killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Mr Baldwin said he is “fully cooperating” with the investigation into the shooting, which remains an “open and active” case, according to the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office.

Mr Baldwin was a producer on Mr Souza’s 2019 action thriller movie Crown Vic.

Halyna Hutchins had been planning to strike days before her death

Friday 22 October 2021 17:46 , Bevan Hurley

Halyna Hutchins, a proud member of the IATSE union, posted a photo with Alec Baldwin on Instagram days before her death showing their support for fellow film workers.

“Standing in #IAsolidarity with our @IATSE crew here in New Mexico on RUST,” Halyna Hutchins wrote in an Instagram post three days ago.

The IATSE’s 60,000 members were planning strike action over poor pay and working conditions before a last-minute deal was struck last week with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Read the full story here.

Prop gun used in fatal shooting had a ‘single live round’, union says

Friday 22 October 2021 17:28 , Bevan Hurley

A prop gun that Alec Baldwin fired on the set of the movie Rust, which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza, contained a “live single round”, a film union says.

“Unfortunately, we lost Sister Hutchins who passed from the wound,” the IATSE’s Local 44 union told members in an email.

The full story is here.

Alec Baldwin says he is ‘fully cooperating’ with police

Friday 22 October 2021 17:04 , Bevan Hurley

Alec Baldwin says he is in “fully cooperating with the investigation into the death of Halyna Hutchins, the director of photography who was killed on the set of the movie Rust on Thursday.

Mr Baldwin said he had been in touch with her husband Matthew Hutchins.

Megan Sheets has the full story.

‘My heart is broken'

Friday 22 October 2021 16:52 , Bevan Hurley

Alec Baldwin has made his first public statement about the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic death that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” he wrote on Instagram.

“I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family.

“My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”

Accidental on-set shooting of Jon-Erik Hexum remembered

Friday 22 October 2021 16:50 , Bevan Hurley

In the wake of Ms Hutchin’s death on the set of Rust, many are remembering Jon-Erik Hexum who died in 1984 in an on-set accident.

Mr Hexum – known for his lead role in Voyagers! – died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound aged 26.

The New Jersey-born actor and model had been filming scenes in the TV series Cover Up, in which he starred as Mac Harper, when the fatal accident occurred.

Annabel Nugent has the full story.

‘I wonder how it must feel to wrongfully kill someone...'

Friday 22 October 2021 16:35 , Bevan Hurley

A 2017 tweet made by Alec Baldwin has resurfaced in which he commented on a police shooting in Los Angeles.

“I wonder how it must feel to wrongfully kill someone,” Mr Baldwin wrote, with a link to an article about a Huntington Beach officer who shot and killed a suspect.

Halyna Hutchins named ‘rising star’ of cinematography in 2019

Friday 22 October 2021 16:20 , Bevan Hurley

American Cinematographer named Ms Hutchins one of its 10 rising stars in 2019.

In a profile, Ms Hutchins explained how she started her career as a journalist before becoming interested in film-making.

“My transition from journalism began when I was working on British film productions in Eastern Europe, traveling with crews to remote locations and seeing how the cinematographer worked,” Ms Hutchins, who is from the Ukraine, explained.

“I was fascinated with storytelling based on real characters.”

Having grown up as “an army brat” on an Arctic military base, Ms Hutchins told American Cinematogrpher she was already a movie fan because “there wasn’t that much to do outside.”

“She also had some hands-on shooting experience from documenting her forays into such extreme sports as parachuting and cave exploration. But when she decided to dedicate herself to film-making, she moved to the United States and took whatever production-assistant jobs she could, working up to grip-electric and shooting small short films,” the profile says.

After moving to Los Angeles, Ms Hutchins studied at the American Film Institute Conservatory from 2013 to 2015.

“It really made me rethink who I was as an artist and how I wanted to work,” she said.

“One thing I learned is that cinematography is not something you do by yourself. It’s a group [project]. You need to develop your own vision, but the key to a successful film is communication with your director and your team.”

She worked on several feature films including Snowbound in Colorado and Darlin’.

“Right now, I’m just really interested in finding fruitful collaborations,” she told the site.

“To me, it’s the collaborative effort between creative minds that elevates each other’s work.”

Woman shot by Alec Baldwin posted video riding horses on set two days earlier

Friday 22 October 2021 15:27 , Tom Batchelor

‘Safety on set needs to be taken so much more seriously,’ says film writer

Friday 22 October 2021 15:03 , Tom Batchelor

A US film writer has said safety on movie sets should be “taken so much more seriously” after the shooting left Rust’s cinematographer dead and director wounded.

Filming paused ‘for undetermined period of time’

Friday 22 October 2021 14:46 , Tom Batchelor

Filming for Rust has been suspended “for an undetermined period of time”, the company managing the movie has said.

The statement from Rust Movies Productions LLC said: “We have halted production on the film for an undetermined period of time and are fully cooperating with the Santa Fe Police Department’s investigation

“We will be providing counseling services to everyone connected to the film as we work to process this awful event.

“The entire cast and crew has been absolutely devastated by today’s tragedy, and we send our deepest condolences to Halyna’s family and loved ones.”

Major accidents on movie and television sets over last decade

Friday 22 October 2021 14:22 , Tom Batchelor

2011 - An awry explosion kills a stunt man and seriously injures a second on the set of the action sequel The Expendables 2 in Bulgaria.

2014 - 71-year-old actor Harrison Ford requires surgery on a broken leg after being struck by a heavy hydraulic metal door on the set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

2015 - A stunt woman is severely injured in a motorcycle crash on the set of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter that leads to her arm being amputated. Later on the same set, a stunt man dies crushed under a Hummer vehicle.

2017 -€“ Female stunt driver dies on the set of superhero movie Deadpool 2 in downtown Vancouver after she lost control of her motorcycle during a stunt and crashed through a window of a building across the street.

Actors' union ‘devastated’ by prop gun incident

Friday 22 October 2021 14:00 , Tom Batchelor

The union representing American actors has issued a statement responding to the incident.

In it, Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists President Fran Drescher, and National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, said they were “devastated by this tragic news”.

The statement continued: “Our hearts go out to the family of Director of Photography Halyna Hutchins who has passed away and to Director Joel Souza who is injured and hospitalized.

“This is still an active investigation and we do not yet have all the facts. We will continue to work with production, the other unions, and the authorities to investigate this incident and to understand how to prevent such a thing from happening again.”

Baldwin speaks of ‘exhausting’ filming hours before incident

Friday 22 October 2021 13:48 , Tom Batchelor

Alec Baldwin had posted a photo to his Instagram account hours before the incident, in which he was clad in Western costume. Fake blood used on set could be seen through his shirt.

He captioned the photo: “Back to in person at the office. Blimey…it’s exhausting.” The image has since been removed.

An earlier post from 14 October showed him surrounded by the cast and crew in New Mexico.

Map detailing location of Bonanza Creek Ranch

Friday 22 October 2021 13:16 , Tom Batchelor

Sheriff’s deputies responded at about 2pm on Thursday to the movie set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch after emergency calls described a person being shot on set.

The ranch just outside Santa Fe, in the southern state of New Mexico, has been used in dozens of films, including the recent Tom Hanks Western “News of the World”.

Alec Baldwin: a Hollywood giant famous for film roles spanning 30 years – and impersonating Trump

Friday 22 October 2021 12:59 , Tom Batchelor

Alec Baldwin has been famous for more than three decades, best known for his roles in 30 Rock, Glengarry Glen Ross and The Cooler, as well as his impression of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live,

Here is a profile by the Press Association news agency of the American actor, writer, comedian, film producer, and political activist:

Baldwin, 63, is the eldest of the four actor brothers of his family - the others are Daniel, Stephen and William.

He first found fame in the soap opera Knot’s Landing in the 1980s, but made a name for himself on the big screen in films such as Beetlejuice and The Hunt For Red October, as well as his collaborations with directors Woody Allen, in films such as Alice, To Rome With Love and Blue Jasmine, and Martin Scorsese in The Aviator and The Departed.

He also stars opposite Tom Cruise in the Mission: Impossible films.

He was nominated for an Oscar for the 2003 film The Cooler, but found a new audience in the hit sitcom 30 Rock, playing Jack Donaghy opposite Tina Fey, for which he won a slew of awards, including two Emmys and seven Screen Actors Guild Awards.

He returned to television during the 2016 presidential campaign to play candidate Donald Trump on US sketch show Saturday Night Live, and continued his skewering impression after the 2017 inauguration until Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election.

The president appeared to take umbrage at the impression, tweeting that “the Baldwin impersonation just can’t get any worse”.

Santa Fe Sheriff’s statement in full

Friday 22 October 2021 12:44 , Tom Batchelor

The Santa Fe Sheriff’s department said the investigation into how the Rust director died “remains open and active” and that witnesses are being “interviewed by detectives”.

Here is the department’s statement in full: “Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set of the western Rust, October 21, 2021, when a 911 caller reported a shooting on the set.

“The sheriff’s office confirms that two individuals were shot on the set of Rust. Halyna Hutchins, 42, director of photography and Joel Souza, 48, director, were shot when a prop firearm was discharged by Alec Baldwin, 63, producer and actor.

“Ms Hutchins was transported, via helicopter, to University of New Mexico Hospital where she was pronounced dead by medical personnel.

“Mr Souza was transported by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Centre where he is undergoing treatment for his injuries.

“This investigation remains open and active. No charges have been filed in regard to this incident. Witnesses continue to be interviewed by detectives.”

Director Adam Egypt Mortimer pays tribute to ‘brilliant talent’ Hutchins

Friday 22 October 2021 12:28 , Tom Batchelor

Archenemy director Adam Egypt Mortimer has paid tribute to his colleague Halyna Hutchins, who died in the incident. He said he was “lucky to have known her and to have worked with her”.

He wrote on Twitter: “I’m so sad about losing Halyna. And so infuriated that this could happen on a set.

“She was a brilliant talent who was absolutely committed to art and to film.”

How prop guns work and how they can still fire life-threatening shots

Friday 22 October 2021 12:01 , Tom Batchelor

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office said in a statement that Halyna Hutchins and Joel Souza were shot when a prop firearm was discharged by Alec Baldwin.

A spokesperson for the actor told the BBC that the incident involved the misfiring of a prop gun with blanks.

The incident has triggered widespread debate about the use of firearms on film sets and whether they should be permanently replaced with rubber and airsoft guns instead.

Prop guns include both real guns as well as toy guns or defunct weapons. The former are typically used to add an element of authenticity to close-up shots, as pointed out by firearms expert Cameron Brown in an article for American Cinematography magazine.

Read the full story on how prop guns work below.

How prop guns filled with blanks can still fire life-threatening shots

Alec Baldwin spoke with detectives ‘voluntarily’, says police spokesman

Friday 22 October 2021 11:44 , Tom Batchelor

Alec Baldwin was questioned by investigators following the on-set shooting incident.

As reported by Deadline, a Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department official said: “Mr Baldwin was questioned by investigators and released. No arrests or charges have been filed.”

In a statement given to the AFP news agency, a Santa Fe sheriff spokesperson said the actor “came in voluntarily and he left the building after he finished his interviews”.

Witnesses continue to be interviewed by detectives, according to Deadline.

Alec Baldwin incident is the latest in a number of fatal accidents to take place on US film sets

Friday 22 October 2021 11:25 , Annabel Nugent

According to an estimate by the Associated Press (AP), there have been 43 fatalities on American film sets since 1990.

To give a few recent examples, lorry driver John Suttles was killed in a fall from a truck bed while making Marvel’s The Avengers in 2011.

A local construction worker was killed on the set of Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 in 2017, while stuntwoman Joi “SJ” Harris was killed in a motorcycle crash while filming Deadpool 2 in 2018.

“Injuries come not just from obvious risks such as stunts and explosives, but from falls off ladders, toppled equipment and machines without safety guards,” writes the AP’s Antony McCartney.

The Alec Baldwin shooting on the set of Rust is the ‘43rd fatal shooting on a US film set since 1990'

Friday 22 October 2021 11:10 , Annabel Nugent

According to an estimate by the Associated Press (AP), there have been 43 fatalities on American film sets since 1990, with another 150 actors or crew members left with life-altering injuries as a result of accidents, often the result of botched stunts staged on location

Internationally, the figure is thought to be closer to 37 since 2000.

“Every year, workers on both sides of the camera are maimed, burned, break bones and even die striving to deliver entertainment that packs multiplexes and commands top TV ratings,” writes the AP’s Antony McCartney, arriving at his figures by combing through workplace and aviation safety investigations, court records and news reports.

Read the full story below.

Rust shooting ‘43rd fatal accident on US film set since 1990’

Friday 22 October 2021 10:57 , Annabel Nugent

Days before her death, Halyna Hutchins – who died as a result of the on-set incident – shared a video of herself riding a horse on the set of Rust.

“One of the perks of shooting a western is you get to ride horses on your day off,” wrote Hutchins in an Instagram post on Wednesday (20 October).

The post has since been flooded with comments from people paying tribute to the late cinematographer.

Hutchins also shared a photo of the cast on set in New Mexico. The film’s stars including Alec Baldwin, Frances Fisher and Jensen Ackles are pictured.

Rust actor confirms director Joel Souza is out of hospital after being injured in Alec Baldwin incident

Friday 22 October 2021 10:42 , Annabel Nugent

Frances Fisher, one of the stars of Rust, has said that the film’s director Joel Souza has informed her that he has been discharged from hospital.

“Director Joel Souza told me he’s out of hospital,” wrote Fisher on Twitter.

Souza, 48, was taken to Christus St Vincent’s Regional Medical Centre after sustaining injuries in the on-set shooting incident.

True Romance star Patricia Arquette shared her delight at hearing the good news via Fisher on Twitter.

“Oh my God!! That’s amazing! Thank God. I’m so sorry Frances, I’m sure you are all reeling [sic] right now,” wrote the actor. “Sending prayers abs [sic] strength to all of you.”

Alec Baldwin seen ‘in tears’ outside sheriff’s office following Rust shooting incident

Friday 22 October 2021 10:29 , Annabel Nugent

According to local news outlet Santa Fe New Mexican, the 30 Rock star was spotted outside the Santa Fe County sheriff’s office on Thursday night (21 October).

The 63-year-old was said to be crying and looking visibly distraught while speaking on the phone.

In a series of pictures taken by the publication, the actor, dressed in a navy t-shirt and holding a mask, was seen doubled over in the office’s car park.

No charges have been filed against Baldwin, a news release sent by the sheriff’s office said on Thursday night (21 October).

The investigation remains “open and active”, while witnesses continue to be interviewed by detectives.

Read the full story here.

Alec Baldwin ‘in tears’ outside sheriff’s office after gun misfire kills crew member

True Blood star Joe Manganiello pays tribute to Halyna Hutchins

Friday 22 October 2021 10:09 , Annabel Nugent

True Blood star Joe Manganiello has shared a tribute to Halyna Hutchins who died in hospital following the on-set incident.

The pair worked together on the 2020 action film Archenemy.

Manganiello called Hutchins “an incredible & great person”.

“I can’t believe this could happen in this day and age… gunfire from a prop gun could kill a crew member? What a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to her family,” wrote the actor.

The Suicide Squad director James Gunn and Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood have also spoken out about Hutchins’s death.

Read more here.

Fans pay tribute to Halyna Hutchins fatally shot in prop gun misfire by Alec Baldwin

Rust director Joel Souza reportedly out of hospital after Alec Baldwin set shooting

Friday 22 October 2021 09:49 , Ellie Harrison

Kate Garraway confirmed Souza has been discharged from hospital when discussing the incident on Good Morning Britain this morning (22 October).

Sante Fe County deputies were called to the set of Rust at the Bonanza Creek Ranch on Thursday afternoon (21 October).

The sheriff’s office revealed that Baldwin had “discharged” a prop gun that killed the film’s director of photography Hutchins, 42, and injured Souza, 48.

Souza was taken to Christus St Vincent’s Regional Medical Centre by ambulance. He has since been discharged from the hospital.

Read more here.

Rust director Joel Souza reportedly out of hospital after Alec Baldwin set shooting

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Everything we know about the Alec Baldwin film Rust

Friday 22 October 2021 09:45 , Ellie Harrison

Filming on the Western movie Rust has been halted after the death of Halyna Hutchins.

Rust began filming two weeks ago (6 October) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and had been due to continue until the end of November.

Baldwin had been cast as Old West outlaw Harland Rust, who goes on the run with his 13-year-old grandson after the latter is sentenced to death for an unintentional murder.

Travis Fimmel, Marty Lindsey, Brady Noon and Frances Fisher were cast in the film alongside Baldwin.

Read the full story here.

Rust: Alec Baldwin film plot, location and what happens now

The family of late actor Brandon Lee speak out

Friday 22 October 2021 09:19 , Ellie Harrison

Lee – the son of the late action star Bruce Lee – was killed in 1993 on the set of The Crow after an actor fired a prop gun that he believed to be loaded with blanks.

It was later discovered that a fragment of a dummy shell had been left in the gun’s barrel. Lee died in hospital following hours of surgery. He was 28.

Read the full story below.

Brandon Lee’s family speaks out following news of Alec Baldwin gun misfire on set

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Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website