Gun safety on movie sets improved after Alec Baldwin shooting, experts say

Increasing use of digital effects and other on-set precautions among measures after death of cinematographer

Film production and firearms experts say movie sets probably changed permanently when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on the remote New Mexico set of the western Rust 14 months ago – as prosecutors on Thursday said they will charge actor and producer Alec Baldwin and the film’s weapons supervisor with involuntary manslaughter.

“The gun safety experience on set has become more vocal, it’s a lot louder,” said Joey Dillon, an armorer who has overseen the use of firearms on television shows including Westworld and movies including The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. “I make it a lot louder myself.”