Prop gun use on movie sets: What, exactly, is the protocol?
Global News
A Winnipeg film producer says strict protocols around gun use mean the incident that killed a cinematographer in the U.S. was — thankfully — a rare occurrence in the industry.
A Winnipeg-based film producer says strict protocols around gun use in filmmaking mean the incident that killed a woman on the set of a western in New Mexico was — thankfully — a rare occurrence in the industry.
Halyna Hutchins, director of photography for the film Rust, was killed by a prop gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin on Thursday. Director Joel Souza was also hit and injured but has reportedly been discharged from hospital.
“We have incredibly strict protocols around any kind of real gun use on a set,” said Kyle Irving, partner and head of production at Eagle Vision.
“The way that it works is there’s usually a person in the props department called an armourer or a gun safety person, who is brought in as a specialist on the day when any kind of firearm is being operated on the set. Those people have to have the appropriate certifications and handling permits.
“When the actual weapon itself is brought out, people are made aware of it — there are safety conversations to talk about the fact that it’s being used that day, the actors are meant to be trained and prepped in the use of the firearm, and an inspection is done on-set of the firearm to make sure it’s either empty or being loaded with a safe, blank round.”
On top of all of those standard regulations, Irving said the whole process is typically observed by the first assistant director and, in theory, a producer should also be present with firearms are being used on set.
These are standard protocols that Irving says make Thursday’s tragedy concerning.
“For all of these things to have somehow missed a projectile of some kind being in this weapon is incredibly surprising,” said Irving.