GLENDALE.- In a study of Hollywood, Near Los Angeles, gunsmith Dutch Merrick practices with a group of professionals cine a scene with an actor pointing a gun at the production crew.
“This is exactly what happened in Rust”, Merrick, who incorporated the tragic shooting in Alec Baldwin’s western as a classroom example, tells his students: “Who’s going to raise their hand and speak up if they see something like that?”
Baldwin was brandishing a revolver while rehearsing a scene on Oct. 21, 2021, on a set in New Mexico where the film was being shot, when a bullet was discharged, killing director of photography Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Following this tragedy that shook Hollywood, Merrick started a course on the safe use of armas of fire at the cinema.
His students are mostly industry professionals who were affected by the incident that led Baldwin to appear before the court this week to answer for involuntary manslaughter.
“It was a warning sign for me,” production director Virginia Brazier told AFP.
“I want to know what questions I need to ask to make sure I’m choosing the right people to ensure safety on set,” said Brazier, 37, whose responsibilities include hiring armorers and prop makers.
“A little more nervous”
Merrick, 55, breaks down the case in his class. He argues that the low budget of the production led to a series of failures that resulted in what he calls an “industrial accident.”
But it also gives you tools to recognize prop bullets and instructs you to meticulously follow the industry’s golden rules for filming with guns: never point them at a person, don’t put your finger on the trigger unless you’re ready to shoot, and always handle the gun as if it were loaded.
Ryan Taylor, another student who works as an assistant director in Hollywood, says that since Hutchins’ death, “most crews are a little more nervous.” “A lot of crew members want to see the props in use.”
Following the tragic incident, some voices called for a complete ban on the use of firearms on film and television sets.
But Hollywood responded by strengthening, for the first time in two decades, the protocols governing the handling of firearms on sets. One of the changes was to stipulate that only gunsmiths could issue weapons to actors.
The point is symbolic when reviewing the case of Rust, where the prosecutor claims that the assistant director, David Halls, was the one who gave the Colt .45 to Baldwin.
California, the birthplace of Hollywood, has also made it mandatory to hire a security advisor for productions that benefit from tax incentives in the state starting in 2025.
“Hypercorrection”
However, after the tragedy some productions such as the series Walker o The Rookiewhere shooting is an indispensable part of the plot, decided to replace firearms with compressed air or rubber alternatives.
Star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions embraced special effects to simulate gunfire in its productions, effectively ruling out firearms altogether.
“There was a severe hypercorrection that was not necessary in the way it occurred,” said Merrick, who said that following the tragedy, several suppliers to the film industry confirmed a decrease in demand.
Independent Studio Services, one of Hollywood’s prop giants, declined to respond to AFP on the matter.
“We know that (firearms) are safe and consistent. And they give the actors and the audience authentic action,” Merrick explains.
Alternatives such as compressed air (airsoft) create a false sense of security, says Merrick. “Accidentally loaded (such a weapon) can theoretically kill someone.”
The trial of Baldwin, 66, also has actors in suspense.
“If he is found guilty, it will have a particular effect on performers,” said Leilani Barrett, who has several police roles under her belt. “As an actor, I think about where I need to stand, memorizing my lines, playing my character, following directions,” said Barrett, who also took Merrick’s class.
“The last thing I want to do is worry about what props I get.”
FUENTE: AFP