Featured Image Credit: ABC News/DK Global
Topics: Alec Baldwin, Film and TV
Poppy Bilderbeck
Lawyers representing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' family have released an animation detailing their allegations of how she was fatally shot by actor Alec Baldwin.
On October 21, 2021, Baldwin accidentally fired a 'prop gun' on the set of American Western film Rust, injuring director Joel Souza and killing director of photography Hutchins.
Baldwin has maintained the he doesn't feel responsible for the 42-year-old's death, and claims that he 'didn't pull the trigger'.
However, on February 15, it was revealed that Hutchins' husband Matthew would be suing Baldwin alongside others involved in the incident in a wrongful death suit. Lawyers representing the cinematographer's family have since released a CGI recreation of how they think the incident occurred.
In the animated video, a figure representing Baldwin and four other individuals are present in a church located on the set, Business Insider reports.
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Baldwin can be seen being handed a gun, which he places in his jacket, before he sits down on a pew.
The shot then pans to the other individuals who are gathered behind the camera, conducting the 'line-up', which is used to confirm the angle and location of the camera.
Baldwin can then be seen firing his gun, which hits both Souza and Hutchins, causing the 42-year-old cinematographer to fall to the ground.
The video details the time stamp of '1:51pm (Mountain Time)' and location of 'Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico'.
Alongside a shot from the outside of the church, the video caption then reads: 'The morning that Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed, tensions among the crew and cast regarding safety on the Rust set had boiled over.'
The video details a text conversation and between L. Luper and K. Walter claiming that there had been 'three accidental discharges' already on set, two on one particular day and 'one on week one'.
The narration then alleges that the 'crew had warned the production that the set was 'super unsafe'.' A screenshot of an email reiterates the claims, stating, 'During the filming of gunfights on this job things are often played very fast and loose.'
'So far there have been two accidental weapon discharges and one accidental SFX explosive that have gone off around the crew between takes,' the email continued.
It also alleged that there had been 'no safety meetings these days' and 'no explanations as to what to expect for these shots'.
The voiceover also mentioned the moment some workers quit the production 'in protest of the safety conditions'.
The lawsuit ultimately alleges that 'Mr Baldwin and the Rust crew and cast committed major breaches of industry safety protocols, as developed and written by the Industry Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee and other industry organizations'.
It claims that industry protocols required that Baldwin 'use a replica or rubber prop gun whenever possible,', and that Baldwin needed to 'accept the revolver directly from or in the presence of the production's armorer', with the lawyers claiming that the armorer 'was not even in the same room'.
Baldwin allegedly did not 'personally perform or observe a visual inspection of the revolver to confirm it contained no live rounds', with the lawyers claiming that the actor also 'refused weapons training on how to perform a cross-draw', which they state also goes against industry protocol.
The video demonstrated the alleged distance of 'only four feet' between Baldwin and the crew when the gun went off. It went on to state how 'crew in the line of fire' should have 'had protective glass or other personal protective equipment,', and that the camera should have been remotely operated if the gun was aimed at it.
The video then goes into detail the technicalities of the shot being fired, featuring a clip from an interview by Baldwin and another interview on Good Morning Britain. The lawyers claim that 'at least 15 industry standards' were 'disregarded'.
Brian Panish, the Hutchins' family attorney, stated: 'We went to the scene, we assessed the scene with experts and we really dug into what we could. I think the video explains why Mr. Baldwin and others were responsible and are responsible for safety on the job site and why their reckless conduct and cost-cutting measures led to the death of Halyna Hutchins.'
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677