Jonas Huerta, who worked as a digital utility technician on the set of ‘Rust’, has criticised the manner in which the assistant director Dave Halls had acted on set.
The Digital Utility Technician Working On The Set Of ‘Rust’ Criticised The Assistant Director Dave Halls’ Conduct-‘He Skips Over Important Protocols’
There have been increasing concerns that important safety protocols were not implemented before Alec Baldwin’s gun prop incident which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
In and amongst that, two people have come to the centre of attention—the armourer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed and Dave. But for Joel, he feels that the latter’s conduct raised significant concerns.
During some emails written to the LA Times, he said: “I also feel anxious on set, I’ve seen firsthand our [assistant director] rush to get shots, and he skips over important protocols.”
The main reason why Joel felt this way was because there were other situations that had occurred which worried him before Halyna’s death. In this way, there is a suggestion that there was a catalogue of errors that were being overlooked.
And with that in mind, he questioned Dave’s instructions when it came to guns. He added: “He often rushes to shoot. I’ve had more than a few occasions where I have been close to the weapons being fired with no regards to my hearing.”
Despite what Joel has said, Dave feels that it is essential to ensure that there is some reform over the use of weapons on movie sets. He did not go as far as to say what could be done.
This is understandable, as it may lead to further scrutiny over whether he had complied with the advice which he would be giving. Having said that, though, something needed to be done.
In a statement given to the New York Post, Dave remarked: “It’s my hope that this tragedy prompts the industry to reevaluate its values and practices to ensure no one is harmed through the creative process again.”
Time will tell whether Dave is the one who will be held accountable for what had happened. In the meantime, there is still more time needed in order for the authorities to get the full evidence available and therefore make a considered judgement.
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