Armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed who was working with Alec Baldwin on 'Rust', had been the subject of several complaints on her previous film, 'The Old Way', according to entertainment news website, the Wrap, citing crew members who worked on the film. Stu Brumbaugh told the outlet that on one occasion, actor Nicolas Cage stormed off the set after the young woman fired a weapon near the cast and crew without warning.
"Make an announcement, you just blew my f**king eardrums out!" an enraged Cage yelled, Brumbaugh said.
Brumbaugh, who worked as key grip with Cage on the film, said Ms Gutierrez-Reed fired weapons near the cast and crew two more times, which prompted him to complain about her to the assistant-director.
"After the second round I was pissed off. We were moving too fast. She’s a rookie. She needs to be let go," he told the Wrap.
After alerting his superiors, Brumbaugh learnt that this was the armourer’s first film as lead armourer.
The Wrap spoke with one of the producers of the film, who said he had no recollection of the incidents. “The details on some of these accounts - specifically when it pertains to ‘The Old Way’ - have been blown out of proportion,” he said.
The producer added that the young woman worked under a veteran, Jeffrey W Crow, who supervised her work. Crow told 'The Los Angeles Times' that he initially questioned her professionalism. “But my scepticism of her initially - about her lack of experience - was allayed after I’d worked with her.”
Other Accusations and Tragedy on Rust
Crow said he was surprised that the fatal shooting happened on Ms Gutierrez-Reed’s watch. However, other individuals who worked with her made complained about the armourer. Someone else who had worked on 'The Old Way' told the Wrap that she put the cast and crew “in several unnecessary and dangerous situations”. Complaints included:
the armourer failed to announce the presence of guns on the film set and walked onto it with live rounds;
she carried guns under her armpits with weapons being pointed at people;
the gun went off when she was trying to demonstrate the firearm’s volume;
Earlier, two sources, who have spoken with website the Daily Beast, described the young woman as "inexperienced and green". Gutierrez-Reed, who is the daughter of an acclaimed Hollywood armourer, Thell Reed, herself feared she wasn't up for the job, when she spoke on a podcast in September.
On 21 October, Alec Baldwin fatally shot cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounded director Joel Souza during the filming of the film 'Rust'. The prop gun he held was supposed to contain blank cartridges. The incident occurred at a rehearsal during which Baldwin drew a revolver and pointed his gun at the camera.
Before the shooting, assistant director Dave Halls gave the actor the firearm shouting "cold gun", a term meaning that a prop gun is safe to use in a scene.
Since the shooting, several industry employees weighed in on the tragedy, putting blame both on the armourer - who should have checked the weapon - and the assistant director, who should have double-checked the prop gun.
On 21 October, Alec Baldwin fatally shot cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounded director Joel Souza during the filming of the film 'Rust'. The prop gun he held was supposed to contain blank cartridges. The incident occurred at a rehearsal during which Baldwin drew a revolver and pointed his gun at the camera.
Before the shooting, assistant director Dave Halls gave the actor the firearm shouting "cold gun", a term meaning that a prop gun is safe to use in a scene.
Since the shooting, several industry employees weighed in on the tragedy, putting blame both on the armourer - who should have checked the weapon - and the assistant director, who should have double-checked the prop gun.