Directors Guild pulls backing of ‘Rust’ producer’s new movie over safety concerns

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has informed its members to stop working on a new film backed by one of the producers of “Rust,” citing safety concerns, the Los Angeles Times reports. 

DGA’s decision reportedly affects the directors, assistant directors and unit production managers working on the Georgia production of the movie “Oak.”

“Representatives of the DGA informed the producers of specific safety requirements that needed to be satisfied for the film to be covered under a DGA agreement. The producers failed to meet those conditions,” the guild said in a statement on Thursday.

In its own statement, Thomasville Pictures denied there were any safety concerns on the set of “Oak,” adding that production will continue on the movie, according to the Times. 

“On ‘Oak,’ we continue to work hand in hand with IATSE and SAG-AFTRA Safety Committees to ensure a safe working environment for all cast and crew,” Thomasville Pictures spokesman Stefan Friedman said in a statement. 

“We look forward to building on these local and national collaborations with all of our guild partners as we continue to produce films in Georgia and elsewhere around the country.”

On the New Mexico set of “Rust” last fall, actor and producer Alec Baldwin apparently fired a prop gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchinson and injured director Joel Souza. 

Thomasville Pictures has since been the subject of several lawsuits, including from the family of Hutchinson, who allege that Baldwin and his fellow producers hired inexperienced workers and ignored safety concerns flagged by the camera crew on set.

No criminal charges have been filed in the fatal incident, which is still under investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.