The crew members on the movie Rust felt unsafe prior to the shooting tragedy that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The movie stars Alec Baldwin, who produces and co-developed the story, as an outlaw running from a U.S. Marshal and a bounty hunter after he travels to rescue his 13-year-old grandson, who is wrongfully convicted of accidental murder. Rust is directed by Joel Souza, who has produced with Baldwin on Crown Vic, and also stars Travis Fimmel, Frances Fisher, Jensen Ackles, and Brady Noon.
During production on Thursday at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico, an incident occurred where Baldwin fired a prop gun that contained a live single round which struck Hutchins in the stomach and Souza in the clavicle. While Souza was treated for his injuries and released, Hutchins was pronounced dead after being flown to a hospital. Following the tragedy, production has been indefinitely suspended while an investigation is conducted by the Santa Fe County Police Department.
People has now brought word that the crew of Rust did not feel protected on the set of the film. The news comes on the heels of the nearly avoided International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) strike, which has been demanding for safer and manageable work conditions from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). It was reported that the crew was disappointed the industry strike did not come to fruition, which would have addressed the issues further in depth and for a longer period of time. The quote from a production source can be read below:
"They all made it clear they didn't feel safe and that they had to spend a long time to get to set, so everyone was tired even before they got there. They were concerned and angry that the proposed union strike that was meant to address these issues never happened."
In the wake of the circumstances over the passing of Hutchins, it is now known that the crew members have lodged complaints that were made prevalent in the issues surrounding the averted strike, such as wages, Covid safety, scheduling breaks, and traveling conditions. It has also been revealed through IATSE Local 44 Chapter union that there was no prop master in the union on set the day of the accident. The investigation continues to be ongoing and as of now, no charges have been filed.
The statements given by the crew of Rust definitely raise innumerable concerns about how film sets are handled and the dangers that may come about. While the IATSE managed to reach an agreement for the time being, there may be a impending subsequent strike given many members have not been satisfied with the deal, and especially now that this tragedy has occurred. It is important that crew members are treated with equal rights on a set and that no one should ever be put in harm's way. This matter should not be swept under the rug and needs to continue to be advocated so that not only crew members will feel safe and respected on set but incidents like this will never happen again.
Source: People