Thursday91裸聊视频檚 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins by a prop revolver during filming for the Alec Baldwin Western 91裸聊视频淩ust91裸聊视频� has the screen industry pondering the future of guns on sets.

Toronto producer Martin Katz of Prospero Pictures says the tragedy near Santa Fe, N.M., raises the question of whether the industry should start using more non-functioning firearms.

Summerland, B.C.-based motion picture and TV property master Dean Goodine predicts the industry will step up gun safety measures, like it did when Brandon Lee was killed by a bullet left in a prop gun on the set of 91裸聊视频淭he Crow91裸聊视频� in 1993.

Court records say Baldwin pulled the trigger on the revolver that also wounded director Joel Souza during a rehearsal in Santa Fe after an assistant director told him it was 91裸聊视频渃old91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� an industry term for a gun that can91裸聊视频檛 fire.

Experts say they91裸聊视频檙e baffled by what Baldwin has called a 91裸聊视频渢ragic accident,91裸聊视频� since sets typically have strict and sufficient protocols in place for handling prop firearms, which should never go off near people or be pointed directly at anyone on set.

Katz wonders if the industry should use more realistic replicas, like 3D-printed models, and avoid showing them in extreme close-ups so audiences can91裸聊视频檛 tell the difference.

91裸聊视频淪o much of what we use in practical effects is not what it appears to be. When we make it snow, it91裸聊视频檚 not actually snow, it91裸聊视频檚 soap flakes or some product that was created to look like snow. Why, when we use guns on set, do we actually use real guns?91裸聊视频� says Katz, whose credits include the films 91裸聊视频淐osmopolis91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淎killa91裸聊视频檚 Escape.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淢aybe this is the time towards saying: 91裸聊视频榃e don91裸聊视频檛 need to shoot movies with actual real guns. We can shoot them with models.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

As Goodine describes it, prop guns are often real weapons that could fire a live round but instead are often loaded with 91裸聊视频渂lanks91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� cartridges with gun powder and other material to ignite a flame and sound but no projectile bullet.

On-set guns can also include electric revolvers and CO2-powered versions, similar to pellet guns.

Usually a professional weapons expert called an 91裸聊视频渁rmourer91裸聊视频� will be on set to test and take care of the gun and closely monitor the actor handling it, say experts.

Only the armourer or trained prop master or qualified crew member, along with the actor, are allowed to touch the firearm, says Goodine. The actor isn91裸聊视频檛 given the firearm until the very last minute before filming, when everyone gets out of the line of fire, and never handles it during rehearsal.

Toronto producer Don Carmody says in most major jurisdictions in Canada, police officers supervise use of blanks or pyrotechnics on set. Camera crews are also often protected by a sheet of Plexiglas if a blank is fired.

91裸聊视频淕enerally the safety protocols on a set, certainly anywhere in Canada, are really strenuously observed, right down to the (emergency task force) officers on the stage,91裸聊视频� says Carmody, whose credits include 91裸聊视频淭he Boondock Saints91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淩esident Evil91裸聊视频� film franchises.

But problems have happened on home soil.

Carmody says on the set of the 1991 Chuck Norris film 91裸聊视频淭he Hitman91裸聊视频� he produced in Vancouver, a barrel constrictor came loose on an automatic weapon using blanks and hit a stuntman. The wetsuit he was wearing as a safety measure wasn91裸聊视频檛 big enough and the barrel constrictor flew into a gap in the clothing, hitting his liver, but he survived.

Goodine says the Lee tragedy saw the industry increase the amount of armourers on sets 91裸聊视频渢enfold.91裸聊视频�

He predicts the 91裸聊视频淩ust91裸聊视频� killing will see more companies 91裸聊视频渕ove away from firing blanks entirely.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淩ight now, probably every script in Hollywood is getting a hard look to see what they can write instead of guns,91裸聊视频� says Goodine, whose credits include 91裸聊视频淟egends of the Fall,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淧asschendaele91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淚nception.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚f you have a police show and somebody pulls out their Glock and they91裸聊视频檙e going to fire it, they91裸聊视频檙e going to CGI the muzzle flash. You91裸聊视频檙e going to see a lot more CO2.91裸聊视频�

The 91裸聊视频渕uzzle flash91裸聊视频� is the light and impact of the gun.

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Experts say in most cases, the muzzle flash and gun smoke could be easily replaced by sound and CGI, which is often preferable to an actual gun going off.

Goodine says in the past five years, gun scenes have been written out of a lot of the family projects he91裸聊视频檚 worked on.

But he91裸聊视频檚 also noticed prep periods being condensed and decisions being made at the last-minute, which pose a safety hazard for any gun scenes.

He advises film students not to race to be department heads, so they have the experience and confidence to tell a director not to do something that91裸聊视频檚 unsafe.

91裸聊视频淭he speed the industry has grown in the last eight years because of new media has put so many people in positions they shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be in, and I91裸聊视频檓 not hard on the people that have taken those positions,91裸聊视频� says Goodine.

91裸聊视频淚 have had so many conversations in the last seven or eight years with people who are in management of these shows that have no clue what we do. It is astonishing to me. I had an accountant tell me on a big show that props is an afterthought in the budget. Well, after (Thursday), it91裸聊视频檚 not an afterthought anymore.91裸聊视频�

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press

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