Assistant Prop Master News Today

Lisa Torraco, the lawyer for the assistant director who handed Alec Baldwin a loaded gun on a live set, says it was not her clients responsibility to confirm whether the weapon was safe to use or not.

Rust assistant director David Halls (left) issued a statement about the October 21 shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust set. Im shocked and saddened by her death, he said.

Warning signs on "rust" even before the job began. >> i turned the job opportunity down because i felt it was completely unsafe. >> reporter: zarovski says one big red flag is that producers took two distinct and challenging jobs, assistant prop master and armorer, and combined them into one. >> i impressed upon them that there were great concerns about that and they really didnt really respond to my concerns about that. >> reporter: hutchins death has fueled an outcry for improved safety on fil...

Producers he requested at minimum two tech tigss to assist him if he took the job, and the producer said they wanted one person to serve as assistant prop master and armorer. and he says that there were massive red flags raised in his conversations. he turned down the job on that. does that raise red flags for you? >> usually you have a minimum of two armorers in the uk. why? one stays to look after all the live weapons and the equipment, and then on set working directly with the actor and first...

Its myself, an assistant prop master and a third and were armoring, i have somebody step into my role as prop master for the day and take over as armorer, and i have no less than one person assisting me by my side at all times. theyre there to ensure all the weapons are secured at all times, we have a second eye on whats happening and ensuring everything is being handled according to the safety guidelines. >> let me ask you this, marcus. is there any reason under any circumstances to have live a...

Than 30 years and when he -- when the production managers from "rust" reached out to him in late september, he was at first really thrilled because in his long career he had never worked on a western. so he thought, wow, you know, this is my opportunity and alec baldwin on this film, i mean, he thought it was just, wow, this would be a great opportunity. so he immediately jumped on t he had conversations with the production managers over the course of four days, and he found that their answers w...

Instead, they wanted to combine what he calls two very important jobs into one, the armorer as well as the assistant prop master. take a listen to what he told nbc. >> i turned the job opportunity down on "rust" because i felt it was completely unsafe. i impressed upon them that there were great concerns about that and they really didnt -- didnt really respond to my concerns about that. >> reporter: and while he had those concerns, hes not the only one. we also know there were people who were ac...

Thats what i have been doing. doctor, thank you very much for all of the advice. . >> thank you, doctor. >> thank you. we are learning multiple major red flags on the set of "rust" in the days before alec baldwin shot and killed cinematographer halyna hutchins. detectives seized spent casings, ammunition boxes, loose ammunition, also ammo in a fanny pack. also a veteran prop master is coming forward saying that he rejected a job offer to work on the film because of multiple safety concerns...

My cart. >> the difference between a bank and a live -- blank or a live round is simple. >> it takes seconds and there is no reason not to do it. >> the veteran prop master says he sensed warning signs before filming began. >> he says one big red flag that was producers took two distinct and challenging jobs. assistant prop master and armorer and combined them into one. >> i impressed that there was great concerns and they did not respond to my concerns about

Member of the sound crew. but industry experts say only the armorer or prop master should be handling weapons on the set, not the assistant director. >> i will be honest with you, the a.d. would have a broken finger if he picked up a gun off my cart. that does not happen. >> armorer clay van sickle said the difference between a blank or live or dummy round is easy to spot. >> i would click through six times so everybody could hear nothing happens. its literally that simple and it takes seconds a...