A film's production should secure the safety of both cast and crew. However, some on-set incidents forever transformed the way movies are made today.

In August 2022, New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator concluded that the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins by actor Alec Baldwin during the filming of Rust was accidental. While the incident is currently under FBI investigation, many in and out of the industry are wondering how the trajectory of filmmaking will be changed moving forward. Despite the film’s low budget, this incident could have been easily prevented with the implementation of proper safety protocols.

A film’s production comes with many pressures, so much so that routine safety measures are often overlooked. While nothing can erase the tragedies transpiring from negligence, some incidents have been a driving force for change toward the future of filmmaking.

The 1920s were a booming time for the film industry. With movie attendance rising and the emergence of sound in movies, the era of Classic Hollywood was established. Amidst the glitz and glam, the first film safety regulations were introduced.

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Filming “The Great Flood” scene for the 1928 epic disaster drama Noah’s Ark was indeed a disaster, resulting in countless injuries and even one death. Like the biblical story, Noah’s Ark's tragedy led to some positives. Hollywood began implementing safety measures for overall film production, and the industry hasn’t looked back.

Considered a weird show by some, The Twilight Zone has been greatly appreciated for its innovative storylines. However, when a devastating helicopter accident killed Vic Murrow and two child actors during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie, a lasting impact on the entertainment industry was made.

Following the crash, multiple unions in and out of Hollywood established stricter safety regulations. Both the Director’s Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild outlined mandatory safety requirements in contracts and overall production protocol. CAL FIRE also introduced the Motion Picture and Entertainment Safety Program to evaluate scenes involving the use of pyrotechnics.

Rust would not be the only film to be unfinished following an on-set tragedy. The music biopic Midnight Rider: The Gregg Allman Story, met the same fate. Camera assistant Sarah Jones was instantly killed by an oncoming freight train on the movie’s first day of filming, and numerous crew members suffered injuries.

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Jones had been well respected in Hollywood for her work on previous productions such as The Vampire Diaries, Justified, andThe Walking Dead. The tragedy spurred the Safety for Sarah Movement to campaign for stricter safety measures in film and television productions.

The setting of Pleasantville may have been an alternate reality, but an incident that occurred as a result of overworking was quite surreal. Cameraman Brent Hershman was killed upon impact when he crashed his car into a utility pole. Hershman had fallen asleep at the wheel after having worked a combined 79 hours over the course of five consecutive days.

Hershman’s death would not be the first to have transpired from exhaustion due to long set hours. A petition entitled Brent’s Rule to limit set days to 12 hours was ultimately passed by the Screen Actors Guild.

Long before Tom Cruise performed his own stunts, Dar Robinson was renowned in the field with numerous world records under his belt. His untimely death at the age of 39 would end up being a turning point in the way of industry safety.

While performing a stunt for the 1987 film Million Dollar Mystery, Robinson died when his motorcycle went off a cliff. Ambulances had been present during other stunt scenes but were dismissed before Robinson’s crash. Despite the negligence lawsuit filed by Robinson’s wife resulting in a loss, the accident made on-sight ambulances mandatory for future film and television productions moving forward.

Although an outlaw and bank robber, Jesse James became a prominent figure in American history. His notoriety has resulted in countless depictions across multiple mediums. One production that stands out is the 1939 eponymous film.

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A decade after the first safety regulations were launched, the measures were extended to include animals. The death of a horse during the movie’s filming was the catalyst for change in the industry. As western films were a popular genre for the era, American Humane played a pivotal role in ensuring animal protection on film and television sets.

Despite many unpopular opinions, Deadpool is still a lucrative franchise, with an increased demand for more action sequences with every film. Famed motorcycle road racer Joi Harris became a stuntwoman for Deadpool 2. Unfortunately, she experienced a fatal accident on set.

Harris was killed upon losing control on a sharp turn performing a motorcycle stunt for the sequel, crashing through a plate glass window. In 2017, SAG-AFTRA set the President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Safety into place as a result of Harris’ crash. The measure is meant to provide emphasis on the rectification of filming safety hazards for future productions.

When the Rust shooting happened, the world was immediately reminded of another accidental Hollywood shooting. The victim was Brandon Lee, son of martial arts icon Bruce Lee and a rising action hero. On the precipice of superstardom, Lee's life was tragically cut short.

During filming for 1994's The Crow, Lee died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. While the weapon was a prop gun loaded with blank bullets, one of the blanks held actual bullet fragments, which directly caused Lee's death upon impact. Following the tragedy, stricter prop protocols were implemented in the way of gun safety.

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Elana Marino is a listicle writer for ScreenRant. Recently graduating from Moorpark College with an Associate of Arts degree in Film and Television Media Studies, Elana plans to continue her education to obtain a Bachelor's degree. Elana's favorite shows are "Game of Thrones" and "Squid Game". Having been a cinephile and pop culture fanatic since an early age, Elana also dabbles as YouTube personality "Elmarsuperstar131". You can see her videos at https://www.youtube.com/c/Elmarsuperstar131.