It's like they're blaming Alec Baldwin

The headlines about the death of DP Halyna Hutchins now seem intent on blaming Alec Baldwin, like it was his fault whatever happened. It's misleading to say that he accidentally shot and killed someone, like it wouldn't have happened if he had been more careful.

I listened to a couple of "serious" filmmakers on the internet a few years ago. They were so serious that they were infuriated that anyone would use anything but real guns in a movie. El Mariachi used toy guns, and I saw a long, long action sequence made to showcase a director's ability that was done with airsoft and BB guns. There are Non Guns used in movies and TV shows, although they don't have anything that would work in a western.

Blanks are dangerous, loud and expensive and, every so often, they kill someone.

There are a couple of teens in the cast of Rust. I hope they didn't witness this horror.

Still, I hope they let the kids kill a few people in the movie (if they continue, and it's hard to imagine they will). I've mentioned before that, with the thousands and thousands of westerns that have been cranked out over the last 125 years, it's only been recently that women and children have been allowed to shoot anyone. I know Grace Kelly killed a guy in High Noon. The exception proves the rule. 

But I wouldn't let a child actor use real guns loaded with blanks. Maybe there was a very good reason they were never allowed to shoot anyone.