After his daughter Sarah Jones passed away on the Midnight Rider set in 2014, Richard Jones made the decision to prioritize safety in the film industry amidst his intense grief.
With the motto “Never forget, never again,” he and his wife Elizabeth established the Safety for Sarah non-profit to instruct budding filmmakers on the value of adhering to proper protocol on set.
In an interview with The Independent on Thursday, Mr. Jones claimed that the murder of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust set in October 2021 brought back every emotion he had been feeling since Sarah’s passing. He pondered what else he might have been able to achieve.
“It broke my heart,” Mr Jones said. “There were so many parallels to the situation with Sarah.”
On Thursday, Alec Baldwin, 64, and the movie’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 25, were each charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the incident.
David Halls, the assistant director, admitted using a lethal weapon carelessly and was given a probationary period of six months.
The allegations, according to Mr. Jones, would send Hollywood a much-needed message.
He told The Independent that “there needs to be accountability for this catastrophe, and I’m delighted to see that work is being done to hold people accountable.” “It’s obvious that a series of circumstances took place, much like with the passing of my daughter Sarah. This tragedy could have been avoided if even one of those professionals had performed their duties properly.
‘Pure negligence’
Rust’s production has been beset by accusations regarding unsafe working conditions and set security since the beginning of production in early October 2021.
To protest their inadequate pay, members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) planned to go on strike.
Hutchins was one of them. On October 19, he posted on Instagram, saying: “Standing in #IAsolidarity with our @IATSE team here in New Mexico on RUST.”
Concerns concerning firearm handling procedures and safety regulations were also expressed by crew members.
Gutierrez-Reed, the production’s armorer, was in charge of the weapons.
In the days before Hutchins’ passing, there were reportedly three fake gun malfunctions on the set.
After that, seven crew members resigned in protest of the circumstances just hours before Hutchins died on October 21.
Affidavits state that while director Joel Souza and cinematographer Hutchins were nearby, Baldwin unholstered his revolver and raised it toward the camera while discussing a gunfight scene with production personnel.
A single bullet fired from the gun, striking Hutchins in the chest, traveling through her body, and striking Souza in the collarbone.
According to what Mr. Jones had read in FBI investigations and the news, safety procedures were not being followed, just as they had been on Midnight Rider.
“There appears to be a convincing line of evidence pointing to plain negligence being committed. These professionals horribly mishandled their responsibilities, he told The Independent. As entertaining as these movies and TV shows are, they don’t have to involve killing. There is no justification for murder. It’s simply carelessness and negligence.
Finding accountability
Early in the 2010s, West Columbia, South Carolina native Sarah Jones, a 27-year-old camera operator, was working her way up in Atlanta, Georgia’s TV and film industry.
She had landed her first acting role in the TV series Army Wives and had been chosen for the film Midnight Rider on the rock and roll legend Glenn Allman.
On her first day of filming, February 20, 2014, a 55 mph train struck and killed her on a railroad bridge in Georgia.
The director Randell Miller, his wife, producer Jody Savin, executive producer Jay Sedrish, and first assistant director Hillary Schwartz were all charged with involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing.
Miller took a plea deal after first pleaded not guilty in exchange for having the allegations against his wife dropped. He received a one-year prison term, ten years of probation, a $20,000 fine, and 360 hours of community service as part of his punishment.
Sedrish and Schwartz received a 10-year probationary period.
Baldwin vehemently asserted his innocence following the Rust shooting in a number of interviews and posts on social media, blaming others on the set for Hutchins’ passing.
The choice to charge Baldwin, according to his attorney Luke Nikas, “distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and reflects a horrific miscarriage of justice,” he said in a statement.
None of that is convincing Mr. Jones. And after years of pushing for improved safety procedures, he thinks the actor’s notoriety may finally result in significant change.
“This tragedy has drawn more attention to safety issues in the film industry because of Mr. Baldwin’s prominence and reputation, as well as the additional attention that he brings along with it. I can only hope that this tragedy will help draw attention to the issues and lead to some beneficial outcomes,” he said.
He expressed amazement at the lack of charges against Seth Kenny, an Albuquerque prop supplier who supplied ammo for the film.
The crucial question, he added, is how live ammo got onto the set.
Mr. Jones continued that it appeared as though Halls had gotten off easy with his plea agreement: “There’s some accountability there, but it doesn’t sound like much.”
To change an industry culture, start with the youth
Following Sarah’s passing, members of the film business came to Mr. Jones and his family to raise worries about job safety. To teach young filmmakers about safety, they made the decision to start the nonprofit organization Safety for Sarah.
The organization provides funds to film students at a number of universities, including Columbia University School of the Arts and University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, so they can acquire adequate safety techniques.
The $2500 awards enable film schools to hire security on location and emphasize to students the value of abiding by local and state regulations as well as industry standards.
“With Sarah, we considered the positive aspects of a tragedy. And it will be worthwhile if we can save just one life. We won’t be able to tell if we’ve saved any lives, but that’s okay, he said.
He claimed that although Sarah’s passing had rocked the movie business, newer directors weren’t always aware of the tragedy.
“The narrative needs to be known by the young people in the industry. Start with the industry’s youth if you want to change the culture, Mr. Jones advised.
The final shot of the day in any production is referred to as the “martini shot.” In order to serve as a reminder for crews to make sure they have done all necessary safety procedures before beginning their filming day, his organization came up with the concept to call the opening shot “The Jonesy.”
Its purpose is to ensure that safety remains an integral element of the day’s production. Not a side note, but an integral part of it,” he remarked.
Despite the progress Safety for Sarah has made, Mr. Jones said Hutchins’ passing serves as a somber reminder of the importance of continuing film industry worker education.
“With our foundation, we still have a lot of work to do; we haven’t done enough. The bottom line is that, he told a source. educating the film industry.
“With our foundation, we still have a lot of work to do; we haven’t done enough. The bottom line is that.
He claimed that although he hasn’t spoken to Hutchins’ husband or kid personally, he is prepared to assist them if they require it.
He said, “Halyna’s husband and kid must travel their own paths and grieve in their own ways.” “Nobody can instruct them on how to accomplish it. I would add that if there is anything I can do, I will be here.
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