'Too Much That Can Go Wrong': Local Movie Prop Master Explains Dangers Of Guns On Set
CHELMSFORD (CBS) – The dangers of prop guns were exposed by the deadly accident on the set of Alec Baldwin's new movie "Rust" in New Mexico. Baldwin fired a prop gun killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and wounding director Joel Souza.
A Chelmsford prop master explained what happens when guns are on a movie set and how dangerous they can be.
"An armorer on a movie set will be the one responsible for making sure that the weapons are loaded, they're unloaded the action is clear," said Thomas Pimental of TNT LTD Productions. "He will walk them on the set, then take them away from the actors when the director calls cut."
Pimental has been in business since 2003. He says he only carries replicas because they are safer.
"There are standards that need to be followed every single time that firearms are on set," Pimental said. "Everyone should treat every firearm, whether it's a dummy gun, a plastic gun, and Airsoft gun, or a blank firing gun, as if they were real firearms that can actually do damage."
Pimental believes the type of prop weapons used on some Hollywood sets should be banned.
"A lot of people have contacted me and asked me specifically to work on films that use real firearms and then they told me that they were going to be using blank ammunition," Pimental said. "I refused every single one of them. I would never get involved in a situation like that especially at an amateur or an intermediate level there is just way too much that can go wrong."
Baldwin says he is cooperating with authorities and says he has reached out to Hutchins' husband. At this point, no charges have been filed.
