Actor Alec Baldwin, whose prop gun misfire killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the sets of Rust, shared a letter from the film’s crew on social media on Thursday. The letter rubbishes descriptions of the production in media as a “chaotic, dangerous, and exploitative workplace.”
“We believe the public narrative surrounding our workplace tragedy to be inadequate and wish to express a more accurate account of our experience,” the letter read. “The working morale on set was high,” it went on to say.
Hutchins died on October 21 when a firearm Baldwin was rehearsing with discharged. The actor said during an interview with ABC News that Hutchins was directing him with gun positioning when he cocked the gun and let go of the hammer, but maintained that he did not pull the trigger.
Baldwin, assistant director Dave Halls and armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed are under investigation over the incident.
According to a police affidavit, Halls had handed over the gun to Baldwin after declaring it a “cold gun”- industry jargon for an unloaded gun or one with only dummy rounds.
Meanwhile, Baldwin and the film’s other producers have faced strong criticism from industry members for allowing the presence of live ammunition on the sets. Two lawsuits have been filed against Baldwin for negligence and unlawful conduct.
The letter Baldwin shared on Thursday said that the descriptions of the sets of Rust as a dangerous workplace are false and also distract from “the memory of Hutchins, and the need to find modern alternatives to outdated industry firearm and safety practices.”
It also noted that while it is common in the film industry “to work on unprofessional or hectic productions to gain experience and credits,” Rust was not one of these. “Rust was professional. We do acknowledge that no set is perfect, and like any other production, Rust had areas of brilliance and areas that were more challenging,” it added.
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There were also reports that several members of the camera department had staged a walkout on the day of the incident, in protest over unsafe working conditions and demanding better pay on the $7 million budget film. The Los Angeles Times reported that after the camera crew left, “several nonunion crew members showed up to replace them.”
The letter from the crew refuted such claims and stated that the working hours and wages were fair and consistent with expectations. “Twelve-hour days and turnarounds were standard and typically we worked from 6 am to 6 pm. Housing was provided as required by the union. Payments were made, generally on time, and amounts were as agreed to, per individual or department deals,” it said.
“Please do not allow a few disgruntled employees to affect your view of the rest of us. We have worked at the highest levels in the industry and can and will be counted on to do so again,” added the letter signed by several members of the crew across various departments.