Alec Baldwin kills crew member on set with "prop gun"

[hufnagel]

@0ddl0t


The most recent articles (+/- 3 days ago) state that the investigation, contrary to early internet rumors, did not turn up any evidence of after hour plinking happening. And it was a big investigation, with lots of people power brought to bear.

Of course, witnesses and crew members could have vaporized, taking their statements with them. Or, conversely, the early statements could have been bullshit designed to make life hard for Baldwin, because he was both the producer, and a dick. I certainly don’t know, myself.

That said, if the early reports of irresponsible after hours recreation with safe props were indeed untrue, then we are back to how TF the live rounds got sprinkled around the set where they could enter a revolver during business hours. Which, again, is a major piece of info.

I think i'm inclined at this point to believe vanishing witnesses, or ones who are covering their own asses. That is unless some other smoking gun evidence appears that explains/proves how live ammo got on set. occam's razor and all that.

[hufnagel]

Interesting, I hadn't seen that (the NY post is still alleging plinking, but upon closer read they are going off an earlier report from an anonymous crew member).


The armorer was apparently hired out of a combination of cheapness and nepotism (she was paid just $8,000).

She is suing the ammunition company. They are denying any responsibility.

The rounds:


(you can just barely see the holes drilled into the sides of the bottom two dummy rounds).

who the hell takes ammo out of a box holder like that. makes my brain itch.
also, I thought dummies didn't have primer cups installed.

[0ddl0t]

I'm guessing they want it to look real when on a bandolier. That silver-colored primer makes me wonder if that was one of the live rounds in the batch...

[camel]

The dude in question had a gun in his hand. He failed the basic rules. Full stop. He is responsible for his actions.

[WobblyPossum]

The dude in question had a gun in his hand. He failed the basic rules. Full stop. He is responsible for his actions.

As much as I’d agree with you I’m pretty much any other context, on a movie set is a unique environment. They were trying to get a shot looking down the barrel of the gun. Sometimes that requires pointing guns at the camera and the people behind it. That’s why Hollywood normally has intensely serious and strict protocols for firearms on a set. Alec Baldwin is an actor, not an armorer. No one expects him to actually know anything about firearms. I wouldn’t be surprised if the only reason he knew which end of the gun to hold was because he’s seen people doing it in other movies. I don’t think Alec Baldwin the actor had that much liability. Alec Baldwin the producer has more.

[GearFondler]

As much as I’d agree with you I’m pretty much any other context, on a movie set is a unique environment. They were trying to get a shot looking down the barrel of the gun. Sometimes that requires pointing guns at the camera and the people behind it. That’s why Hollywood normally has intensely serious and strict protocols for firearms on a set. Alec Baldwin is an actor, not an armorer. No one expects him to actually know anything about firearms. I wouldn’t be surprised if the only reason he knew which end of the gun to hold was because he’s seen people doing it in other movies. I don’t think Alec Baldwin the actor had that much liability. Alec Baldwin the producer has more.

100% agree.

I'm tired of people acting like normal gun rules should apply to movie making.... It's a naive stand to take. The job is literally to film actors who are shooting at each other. That only happens by pointing guns at real people and pulling triggers.

[camel]

As much as I’d agree with you I’m pretty much any other context, on a movie set is a unique environment. They were trying to get a shot looking down the barrel of the gun. Sometimes that requires pointing guns at the camera and the people behind it. That’s why Hollywood normally has intensely serious and strict protocols for firearms on a set. Alec Baldwin is an actor, not an armorer. No one expects him to actually know anything about firearms. I wouldn’t be surprised if the only reason he knew which end of the gun to hold was because he’s seen people doing it in other movies. I don’t think Alec Baldwin the actor had that much liability. Alec Baldwin the producer has more.

Sorry. I fail to see how someone who is someone who has a financial stake in the business they are running. Does not have at least some culpability.

He had the gun in his hand. He fired a live round. He ignored basic rules of gun handling. He is responsible.

[Joe in PNG]

100% agree.

I'm tired of people acting like normal gun rules should apply to movie making.... It's a naive stand to take. The job is literally to film actors who are shooting at each other. That only happens by pointing guns at real people and pulling triggers.

And don't forget that the mental acuity of the average actor is less than stellar. Just watch a few episodes of "Celebrity Jeopardy".

[camel]

100% agree.

I'm tired of people acting like normal gun rules should apply to movie making.... It's a naive stand to take. The job is literally to film actors who are shooting at each other. That only happens by pointing guns at real people and pulling triggers.

There is lots of controls on set. And lots of other stuff on a big picture film. Just because he’s a big actor doesn’t make his actions any different. And honestly I could care less about someone saying it was someone else who handed me a gun who tought it was blanks. They are the person with a deadly weapon in their hand. They failed.

[ccmdfd]

And don't forget that the mental acuity of the average actor is less than stellar. Just watch a few episodes of "Celebrity Jeopardy".

Yeah

And then having one of them unload the gun to verify whether or not it is loaded with blanks, dummy rounds, or whatever just introduces another opportunity for something to get screwed up.