Tucson vigil held for cinematographer killed in movie-set shooting

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TUCSON, Arizona (KOLD News 13) – Hearts grave in Tucson and the film industry as a whole after a film set in New Mexico cost the life of a cameraman. Halyna Hutchins died after Alec Baldwin fired what was believed to be a prop rifle, and locals gathered to honor her work on Sunday, October 24th.

“Here in Tucson, we’ve had a history of filmmaking for 100 years. We owe our thanks to her and to everyone who works so hard on film sets, ”said Elisa Cota-Francis, president of Independent Film Arizona.

She said the death of 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins rocked the film industry, which has a huge footprint here in southern Arizona.

“We have this HBO series Duster that is being shot here, a Belgian film is coming to town, a local filmmaker is making a full-length film here,” she said.

With tearful eyes, Cota-Francis held a minute’s silence for Hutchins, who was fatally shot on the set of the film “Rust” on Thursday, October 21.

“How could that happen? How could that happen? One bullet and two people. It’s very tragic, ”said Lori Franklin-Garcia, a script supervisor.

As a script supervisor, she knows the security process that should happen when handling a firearm on set.

“Gun on the set. Everyone here is. They open it to see if something is loaded. Please come up who will. They come and look at the gun, ”she said.

Tucson City Councilor Steve Kozachik saw the dangers of filmmaking through his own brother, who worked in the industry for decades.

He says his brother had irreparable cognitive damage from the fog and smoke used while filming.

“Pete would like to be here tonight, but he can’t speak full sentences right now,” he said. “At this cadence he can’t understand whole sentences.”

He hopes this tragedy will shed light on what he calls negligence on the set.

“The next time I speak to a group like this, we’re talking about the economic benefits that the film industry brings to a region, and we’re not talking about a death or a man who can no longer speak.”

A Memorial Fellowship was also established on behalf of Hutchinsons through the American Film Institute. Find out more about the scholarship here.

Copyright 2021 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.

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