A former paratrooper turned adviser on Hollywood blockbusters warned even the use of blank rounds could have resulted in the Alec Baldwin shooting tragedy.
Paul Biddiss (52), said that crews working on US movies work so hard that mistakes like the Rust shooting are inevitable.
He stated that if a gun caught debris in its barrel accidentally, it could have discharged the material with deadly results. He added the massive forces generated by expanded gas in the gun’s firing mechanism could be deadly to somebody stood within ten metres of the muzzle.
In an effort to reduce costs, production personnel are being asked to take on more responsibility. This has led to increased fatalities, according to Mr Biddiss.
Paul Biddiss 52 (Pictured), stated that American movie crews work so long hours that mistakes, such as the Alec Baldwin shooting disaster, are almost inevitable.
The former paratrooper claimed if a gun had accidentally caught debris in its barrel it could have discharged the material to deadly effect. He added the massive forces generated by expanded gas in the gun’s firing mechanism could be deadly to somebody stood within ten metres of the muzzle
In an earlier move this year, Hollywood production crews voted unanimously to authorize industrial action to secure better working conditions for craftsmen/technicians, including armourers/warriors advisers.
They expect rest periods, safer work hours, and meal breaks.
Mr Biddiss, who worked with Alec Baldwin and Tom Cruise on the Mission Impossible films, said: ‘American friends of mine say they were waiting for this to happen, that it was only a matter of time and I agree.
‘The US sets are not as tightly regulated in terms of working hours as sets in the UK, which is dangerous from a safety perspective. The crews are not getting much sleep, so they’re not as clear-headed as they should be – and when you’re working with weapons that can be fatal. I’m so saddened by the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. We must learn from our mistakes. It is too early for us to determine what went wrong. However, it could have been that a small stone got in the barrel of the gun and was fired by the pressure of a blank round.
‘People think blanks and prop guns are perfectly safe but they’re not. You don’t want to be anywhere inside ten metres of the muzzle. I don’t know how close the victims were on this occasion.
‘Importantly, people shouldn’t blame Alec Baldwin. His job is to act, he’s not paid to check the weapons are safe – that’s someone else’s job and it is a very important job which is sometimes undervalued. From memory, I cannot think of any incident similar to this shooting taking place here.’
Any weapons on a movie set are the responsibility of the film crew’s armourer. Mr Biddiss said to save money, special effects crews are sometimes asked to fulfil the armourer role – leading to staff struggling with dual responsibilities.
Because it is too dangerous to use live rounds during filming, they are not allowed onto sets. However, blank rounds can pose a danger in the wrong circumstances. Mr Biddiss, from Oxfordshire, added: ‘For example, you wouldn’t use blank rounds in a close up where, say, someone is being executed or shot at very close range. For that type of scene you need a round that doesn’t cause any blast waves at all.
‘Tragically, this accident was most likely to have been preventable. I just hope Halyna Hutchins’ passing will wake people up about can go wrong.’