Alec Baldwin shooting incident calls safety on low-budget, rushed movies like 'Rust' into question

The accidental shooting involving Alec Baldwin has called rushed productions like 'Rust' into question.

In the wake of the tragedy, several conversations are happening regarding the use of live ammunition and real guns on film and TV sets. Meanwhile, "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, one of the very few people who handled the firearm prior to the shooting, noted in a statement through her attorneys that a low-budget and pressure to go quickly by producers led to a lapse in safety protocols. 

With a budget of around $7 million, the Western "Rust" was no micro-budget indie. The previous best-picture winner at the Academy Awards, "Nomadland," was made for less. However, given the current climate of filmmaking posed by the coronavirus pandemic, indie productions like "Rust" are indeed facing a lot of pressure to move quickly as restrictions lift and the theater market is hungry for things that will put audiences back in seats.