The Times: Rust film shooting: Alec Baldwin ‘violated basic gun rules’

Paul Epstein was recently featured in The Times, commenting on the trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and the Rust shooting.

Given the tragedy that occurred on the set of the Western film, namely of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Paul saw the trial as a pivotal moment in the wider issue of safety and firearms in productions. In particular, he discussed whether the Rust incident will change on-set safety procedures in the future.

Paul believes change hinges on the outcome of the trial. He believes two scenarios could emerge: if Gutierrez-Reed is given a severe penalty, widespread change may be implemented; however, if she exits unconvicted, then commentators, regulators and executives alike may just consider the incident a one-off tragedy. For Paul, the coming weeks will dictate whether Hollywood sees this landmark shift.

You can read his full thoughts here.