Were the filming conditions part of the drama to happen?
As the investigation continues to determine the exact causes of the death of the director of photography for the film "Rust," during a scene where actor Alec Baldwin was handling a gun, an article in the Los Angeles Times published this Friday reveals tensions between the team and management, ahead of the tragedy.
According to the American daily, half a dozen cameramen left the filming of the western to protest against their working conditions, a few hours before the actor Alec Baldwin shot Halyna Hutchins down and seriously injured the director of "Rust", Joel Souza.
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"The cameramen and their assistants were frustrated by the working conditions on the low-budget film, and complained in particular about the long hours worked and the difficulty in receiving their salary", details the Los Angeles Times, on the basis of three testimonies concordant, including members of the feature film crew co-produced by Alec Baldwin.
Accidental shots
Another disturbing element, several "accidental shootings" would have taken place in the previous weeks, without knowing if these incidents involved real bullets or empty cartridges. These comments raise questions about the security conditions on the plateau, in addition to the social conflict that seemed to be taking hold. “There was a serious lack of harm reduction meetings,” a source close to the film crew, wishing to remain anonymous, told The Los Angeles Times.
Several other American media reported similar remarks, even reporting a letter of resignation that those who left the set would have written. "We reported everything: the lack of payment for three weeks, the withdrawal from our hotels when we had requested it in our contracts, the lack of Covid security and, to top it off, the poor security of the firearms. ! Said a member of the team, on a private Facebook page, which Deadline was able to consult.
Rust Movie Productions LLC, the film's production company, said it is opening an internal investigation into its safety procedures, although it has not been made aware of "any official complaints regarding the safety of weapons or accessories on the machine. plateau ”, according to her.
“The safety of our actors and our team is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company,” she says.
