Calls were growing to ban the use of real firearms on movie sets after Alec Baldwin’s severe firing that caused the demise of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Halyna Hutchins, 42, was a Ukrainian cinematographer and journalist credited with work on more than 30 films, short films, and TV miniseries, including the films Archenemy, Darlin’, and Blindfire.
During the filming of the low-budget Western “Rust”, Halyna was struck in the chest when Alec fired a prop gun and she died shortly after the incident in New Mexico.
Director Joel Souza, 48, who was crouching behind her as they lined up a shot, was also injured in the shoulder and hospitalized, then released.
Bandar Albuliwi has launched a change dot org petition following the death of Halyna Hutchins and has accumulated 60,000 names after being launched Friday.
Bandar Albuliwi is a filmmaker and a graduate of the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles, where Halyna had studied for her MFA in Cinematography and graduated in 2015.
“On October 21st, 2021 we lost an unbelievably talented cinematographer on the film set of RUST, due to a real gun being discharged with live ammunition in it. I am in shock and numb to my core,” the petition reads. “The bullet also wounded director Joel Souza.”
“We need to make sure that this avoidable tragedy never happens again,” it reads. “There is no excuse for something like this to happen in the 21st century.”
“Real guns are no longer needed on film production sets,” it continued. “This isn’t the early 90’s when Brandon Lee was killed in the same manner. Change needs to happen before additional talented lives are lost.”
“Please sign this petition and demand for Alec Baldwin to use his power and influence in the Hollywood film industry to make a change and ban real guns on film sets.”
California State Senator Dave Cortese said on Saturday that there was “an urgent need to address alarming work abuses and safety violations occurring on the set of theatrical productions, including unnecessary high-risk conditions such as the use of live firearms.”
Senator Cortese said he wants to push a bill banning live ammunition on film sets in the state of California.
Police drama “The Rookie” announced the day after Halyna’s death to ban all live ammunition from its set, effective immediately, according to The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
Lee died at the age of 28 while filming a scene in the 1993 dark fantasy movie, The Crow. The actor was critically shot after another actor fired a revolver that hadn’t been prepared properly.
Many have drawn comparisons between the two tragic incidents, sparking important conversations about prioritizing health and safety on film sets.
Police are still investigating the shooting, which sparked intense speculation on social media about how such an accident could have occurred despite detailed and long-established gun safety protocols for film sets.
The producers of “Rust” have suspended production while sheriffs investigate the circumstances of Hutchins’ death.
“As we go through this crisis, we have made the decision to wrap the set at least until the investigations are complete,” the producers said in a statement.
Prosecutor Mary Carmack-Altwies has warned that criminal charges may be “on the cards” pending their inquiry into the accident.
Baldwin, who was unaware there was a live round in the gun, has not been arrested or charged over the incident but was questioned by police along with many others.
Filmmaker Albuliwi also stated that now “would be a good time to begin discussing the horrendous working conditions of those who work in the film industry”, addressing those working in Hollywood as well as on independent features.
Recommended Video For You!
Horrified passenger secretly films female bus rider whose hair is ALIVE