'Rust' movie budget and salaries revealed: What Alec Baldwin, the armorer, and crew were paid
The independent Western movie was reportedly going to cost a total of $7,279,305 and just $7,913 was armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's fee
As the investigation into the fatal "Rust" movie shooting continues, the Western's lower budget and salaries for producers, actors, and the armorer have been revealed.
In a new report from The Hollywood Reporter star/producer Alec Baldwin, who shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on the New Mexico set, was going to earn $150,000 as the lead and another $100,000 as a producer through his company, El Dorado Productions, according to a preliminary budget dated Sept. 8, 2021.
The independent drama was allegedly going to cost a total of $7,279,305 and just $7,913 was armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's fee plus another $7,469 for "armorer crew."
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$17,500 was allocated for weapons rentals and $5,000 was the cost for rounds, per the report. Another $5,000 was slated for squibs (special effects explosives), per the report.
This aerial photo shows the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, N.M., Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Souza was earning $221,872 for directing and the late Hutchins was set to make $48,945. First assistant director Dave Halls, who handed the gun to Baldwin per Santa Fe sheriff’s affidavits, was earning $52,830.
Line producer Gabrielle Pickle, who was reportedly in charge of hiring crew and overseeing the budget plus the production, was earning $96,198.
"Rust" began shooting in early October and production included 75 crewmembers, 22 principal actors, and 230 background talent, per docs filed with the New Mexico Film Office.
Actor/producer Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on the set of a Western being filmed at the ranch on Thursday, Oct. 21, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
The film was also going to feature horses and livestock as well which was going to cost $126,702: $12,000 for the trained horses, $1,000 for a puppy, and $1,250 for hogs.
A source familiar with smaller-scale productions told THR, "I would say this movie will be a struggle, but I wouldn’t say it would have crashed and burned. I’m not sure why they needed six producers taking fees. They’d be falling all over each other if they’re really on set. But it’s not unheard of."
Those producers included: Allen Cheney and Ryan Donnell Smith via their Thomasville Pictures taking a $150,000 fee; Nathan Klingher and Ryan Winterstern’s Short Porch Pictures taking $150,000.
Baldwin and Souza’s manager, Matt DelPiano (also a first-time producer), was being paid $150,000; and Anjul Nigam was taking home $100,000. Sources told THR that the producers had not yet been paid when production was shut down following the incident on Oct. 21.
Hotel rooms were also accounted for. According to the report, $25,000 was set aside for five producers and $95,200 was for 21 members of the crew.
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Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has not filed charges against any cast or crew member yet and no arrests have been made.