It is said many times that Malibu is an industry town, home to gaffers, focus pullers, make-up artists, actors, producers, and more.
On location, be sure to tie your gear and tie it up good. Heavy equipment can cause terrible damage. But that’s not the only danger on set.
Of course, the most recent disaster comes from the movie “Rust,” starring Alec Baldwin. The scene had Baldwin practicing in a dusty, dirty old Western town, on a set where two 24-year-olds handled the ammunition and props.
In Baldwin’s case, it turned out to be a worst case scenario. Baldwin’s gun went off and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed. The shot also injured director Joel Souza. Commotion followed, of course, and turned the film set into the worst whodunit in Hollywood.
Ammo may be the scariest arsenal in Hollywood, but all kinds of dangers can pop up in tinseltown.
“I have had many close calls,” said Paul Laufer, who worked himself up the ladder from focus puller to one of the hottest photography directors and cinematographers around. He worked on first-class commercials and films, but Laufer said the most horrific scene he remembers took place in a terrifying lightning storm.
So, when they say dreams come true in Hollywood, they can turn out to be nightmares, too.