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Alec Baldwin - guns

(111 Posts)
Zoejory Fri 22-Oct-21 08:20:22

Alec Baldwin has shot and killed a member of the film crew, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, on a film set. Another person was injured.

Why on earth do films still use guns with lethal ammunition? I thought this had been stopped years ago. With all the special effects and amazing skill, surely a totally harmless gun can be used.

Heartbreaking for all concerned

tickingbird Fri 22-Oct-21 08:29:00

Apparently it was a ‘prop gun’ which you would think would be just that but apparently not. I remember Bruce Lee’s son, Brandon, being killed in a similar incident on set.

Just tragic.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 22-Oct-21 08:50:13

It is being reported wisely that it was a prop gun , so it appears to be a most dreadful accident.

We shall have to wait for the full investigation.

Zoejory Fri 22-Oct-21 09:03:36

It was certainly a dreadful accident. I just don't understand why they use guns that can kill if/when something goes wrong.

They like things to look authentic but surely a totally bullet/blank bullet free gun can be made.

BigBertha1 Fri 22-Oct-21 10:31:57

I wondered why an actor needed to point a gun ,stunt or otherwise, at the Director of Cinematography rather than another actor. poor unfortunate woman.

Personally I'm sick of guns in films the new James Bond has far t0o many guns and banging going off all the time.

lemongrove Fri 22-Oct-21 11:39:42

I suppose that when you think of all the thousands of films made with guns, war films, crime etc then it really is a freak occurrence.So tragic for the young woman who died on set, and the director who was injured, hope he recovers, and I feel sorry for Baldwin too, no blame attaches to him but he will feel terrible about this for the rest of his life.

rafichagran Fri 22-Oct-21 11:45:44

Very very tragic, my sympathies go to all concerned, especially to Halyna's family.
I also feel for Alec Baldwin, he will feel grief stricken for a long time.

Urmstongran Fri 22-Oct-21 11:50:38

Awful thing to happen and shocking for all there who witnessed it. Her poor family. A freak accident it seems.

maddyone Fri 22-Oct-21 11:50:39

It’s a tragic situation for everyone concerned.

DiscoDancer1975 Fri 22-Oct-21 11:51:10

Yes.. we heard this on the news. So shocking. Tragic for everyone. On the news I heard, it said it was blanks, but obviously capable of causing just as much damage.

Terribly sad for everyone.

jaylucy Fri 22-Oct-21 11:52:27

It was in a film set for a film set in the 19th century, where of course they had guns, it is a Western !
It just seems that it was a horrible accident and we really can't make any comments until a full investigation on how it possibly happened is finished.

Blossoming Fri 22-Oct-21 12:01:47

‘Prop guns’ are just real guns used as props, fully capable of killing or injuring if loaded with live ammunition. Dreadful for all concerned.

Zoejory Fri 22-Oct-21 12:04:06

jaylucy

It was in a film set for a film set in the 19th century, where of course they had guns, it is a Western !
It just seems that it was a horrible accident and we really can't make any comments until a full investigation on how it possibly happened is finished.

Of course we can comment.

Surely we don't need to be using real guns, prop or otherwise, that can kill.

Kate1949 Fri 22-Oct-21 12:51:06

It's awful.

BlueBelle Fri 22-Oct-21 13:42:46

Why would a prop gun be loaded with real ammunition ?
Surely that’s the question Who loaded it Baldwin himself or a prop man/woman and obviously it was not discharged in a practice scene or else another actor would have been killed why a photographer ?
JayLucy you say ‘of course they use guns’ It never entered my head that they would use live guns and live ammunition in such scenes why would they ? We have such sophisticated means of making alsorts of fantastical props that seem as real as you and me why not the same for guns
Horrendous… it is manslaughter at the least and cannot be excused

MayBee70 Fri 22-Oct-21 14:06:49

Without re Googling it there have been 40+ accidental shootings on film sets so it’s more than just a freak accident. How tragic though.

Galaxy Fri 22-Oct-21 14:08:26

There has certainly been a previous fatality.

MayBee70 Fri 22-Oct-21 14:25:12

I’ve regoogled. 43rd fatal shooting since 1990.

VioletSky Fri 22-Oct-21 14:35:48

Why would it need to be capable of firing anything with sound effects and cgi available.

The only time I have seen real guns was outside Parliament and honestly they just looked plastic.

What an awful tragedy for all involved

Smileless2012 Fri 22-Oct-21 14:44:07

It's a terrible tragedy. Alec Baldwin will probably be haunted by this for the rest of his life.

25Avalon Fri 22-Oct-21 15:05:37

Unbelievable! Surely they can make prop guns that can’t fire bullets? My dad always taught me never ever point a gun at anyone unless you mean to shoot them, even if you have just unloaded the gun.

TerriBull Fri 22-Oct-21 15:15:10

I wondered the same Bluebell just why would a prop gun be loaded with ammunition. How awful for the unfortunate woman who lost her life and sympathy for AB, to know that someone has died at his hands, albeit unintentional and a complete accident, it would still weigh heavily.

BlueBelle Fri 22-Oct-21 15:55:18

We have no idea who was to blame or who was innocent though do we ?
all we know is a loaded gun was discharged at a young lady who was not a member of the cast
So who loaded it and why did Baldwin aim it at a female photographer? Two main questions before anyone assumes Baldwin is innocent, hopefully he is and it was a simple accident but they are two big questions that need answering it wasn’t part of whatever scene it was, to point it at a camera lady
And how come two people were injured one fatally one in hospital

seacliff Fri 22-Oct-21 16:00:37

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-59006905 this has some interesting information. These prop guns sound dangerous. How two people were shot is another question. Why aim at people? With all the camera trickery available these day there should be no need for such risk.

Blossoming Fri 22-Oct-21 16:11:49

I don’t really want to speculate too much, but I do know quite a lot about firearms.

Most filmmakers will use a ‘real’ gun to get the realistic noise, recoil and muzzle flash when fired.

There are a number of reasons why the gun may have previously held live ammunition.

It is quite easy for a live round to be left in the chamber, e,g, if there has been a misfire and the round has jammed, or if the gun is semi automatic and the magazine is removed, but not the already chambered live round. In either of those circumstances the blank would also fire the live round.

Many filmmakers are now using cgi to get the desired effects.

A full investigation will reveal the truth.