The tragic incident on the set of “Rust” served as a stark reminder that many guns used in film production are real weapons. While some are loaded with inert dummy rounds or blanks, live ammunition is strictly prohibited on sets. Unfortunately, in the case of Ms. Hutchins’ death, a real gun loaded with live ammunition was used, contrary to safety regulations.
In the aftermath of the “Rust” shooting, Santa Fe County district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies clarified that the weapon involved was not a prop gun, but a real firearm.
While blank fire is still common in movies, the demand for alternatives to real guns has increased since the “Rust” incident. Some armorers have noted a decline in opportunities and an uptick in requests for gas-powered guns. Filmmakers like Dwayne Johnson and Guy Ritchie have pledged to eliminate the use of operable guns on their sets, opting for alternatives like Airsofts and computer-generated effects.
Rebecca West, a visual effects producer, emphasized that there is no justification for using real guns on sets, citing examples of successful action movies that relied on computer-generated gunfire.