An actor who worked on the ‘Rush’ set earlier this month told TMZ that the cameras used in filming gun scenes were protected by some kind of shield, and that he felt the one of the scenes he was in was “life-threatening” because real weapons were being used:
TMZ – The gun scenes in the Alec Baldwin movie “Rust” were considered dangerous enough to provide certain protections … but not protections for people, but rather the expensive camera.
Ian A. Hudson, a New Mexico-based principal cast member who plays an outlaw in the film, tells TMZ … his last scene in the movie on October 8 was a shootout where he was killed, and he says he was terrified that there were 20 rounds from pistols and rifles that were unloading blanks, and the only protection against a mishap was some sort of shield around the camera.
Hudson describes what he says was something like a 3X2 foot shield, with the only part exposed being the lens. He was standing 6 feet in front of the camera, and wondered why there was a need to protect the camera as he stood there exposed. He adds there were people standing behind the camera, something gun experts say should not have happened.
Hudson says he felt the scene was “life-threatening,” because real weapons were being pointed at him and blanks discharged, creating a rush of air that struck him multiple times. He also said he was hit by small pieces of cardboard.
The actor told us he didn’t complain because he was new in the business and felt he would be viewed as trouble if he voiced concern.
And, Hudson says, he and his fellow actors were alarmed enough to reference the accidental killing of Brandon Lee back in 1993. He told us they discussed the fact that it didn’t seem like much has changed in the last 30 years.
More experienced actors on set always checked their weapons multiple times, but not Baldwin…
Hudson says the other, more experienced actors checked their weapons 2 or 3 times after they received them from the armorer, and it didn’t matter whether they were told the gun was “cold” or “hot.” Baldwin did not check the weapon, but rather relied on the assistant director who assured him the gun was “cold.”
Ian’s character was killed in a shootout with Jensen Ackles’ character … and he says it was extremely unsettling.
Hudson added he never saw anyone using guns recreationally when the cameras weren’t rolling.
If they were using real guns on the set to do these scenes, that changes how I view this. I had been under the impression that the ‘real gun’ used was an accident, that perhaps it got mixed in with the prop guns.
But from what Hudson says, it sounds like they were using real guns with blanks and if that’s the case, Baldwin absolutely should have been checking his gun regardless of what the assistant director told him about the gun.
The fact that they were using shields to protect the camera equipment speaks volumes about the inherent dangers involved in these scenes. From everything we’ve learned up to this point, it sounds like a lot of corners were cut and assumptions were made by the people running the set.
