Alec Baldwin in “Rust”
An image taken from the film “Rust” by Joel Souza.
CINEMA – A film with a tragic story. While during a rehearsal scene for the western with the actor Alex Baldwinthe latter fired with a loaded weapon on the director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, who died, the western was still edited and presented in a polish festival this month. Director Joel Souza spoke about the reasons that pushed him to continue the feature film, even after the death of a member of the team.
“The decision was not easy to make”admitted the director during an interview with Variety at Camerimage, the festival at which the western was previewed. “At first I said no, several times. But it became clear to me that this was what the family wanted, that it was going to benefit them. So that aspect was kind of an initial psychological hurdle that I overcame. Maybe if it’s important and they want me to do it, how could I say no? »he added.
Joel Souza, who was also injured in the shooting, began thinking about how to honor the memory of his former cinematographer, who lost her life during the filming. Finishing the western has become the means of“honor his last work”insisting that he did not see another director taking over the film in his place. “In the end, it was the only thing I could do”he insisted.
“I was very emotional and a little devastated during this whole time. The team we brought, there were very courageous people and extraordinary people. To this day, I’m amazed that they came and made this film for her.”.
Accident scene erased
The fatal accident occurred while filming a scene leading up to the final action sequence, at a church on Bonanza Creek Ranch, New Mexico. “The whole scene has disappeared from the film”said Joel Souza. “It was completely erased and then re-designed. This also means I had to redesign a few previous scenes to make the new scene make sense. There is nothing left to remind her of it.”. Filming resumed in 2023 in Montana with new director of photography Bianca Cline, leading to some complications in terms of sets and lighting, specifies Variety.
As for western scenes with weapons, new gunsmith Andy Wert “treated every object as if it could shoot”assured Joel Souza. Gunshot sounds were also added in post-production. “I don’t know what lessons this industry will have learned from this affair”explained the director, “But I think in films where there are only toy guns, the gunsmith is just as essential to ensuring a safe environment and making sure nothing goes unnoticed.”.
Star actor and producer Alec Baldwin, who was handling the gun at the time of the accident, was charged with manslaughter, but the case was dismissed last July on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to provide of evidence. The armorer “Rust”Hannah Gutierrez Reed, is serving an 18-month sentence for the death of Hutchins, convicted of manslaughter after loading the weapon with a real bullet.
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