Report: ‘Rust’ Producers Were Warned That Assistant Director Would ‘Kill Someone Someday’

According to a new report in Hollywood trade publication, Variety, producers on the set of “Rust” were warned that assistant director Dave Halls didn’t take safety protocols seriously while working on a previous movie.

Variety spoke to five different crew members who worked on the set of “One Way,” another production Halls worked on in February prior to “Rust.” Both films shared the same production companies — Thomasville Pictures, and Short Porch Pictures. All told the outlet that Halls had created an unsafe working environment on the set.

“That man is a liability,” one crew member on that film told Variety. “He’s going to f***ing kill someone someday, and you’re going to be responsible.”

Another anonymous source said Halls allowed people who were not professional stunt drivers to drive cars in an “open field.” The crew member told Variety that he explicitly warned producers that Halls was putting the safety of the crew “in jeopardy.”

Other on-set staffers shared similar observations:

A second crew member on “One Way” also said there were safety problems involving Halls and vehicles on set. This person said there was a scene with a “car hit” that had inadequate crew, and that background actors were driving cars, instead of stunt drivers.

“They put me in a position of danger,” the second crew member told Variety. “They’re getting the bottom-of-the-barrel people.”

A third crew member confirmed that he had heard about safety issues involving Halls and vehicles from a fourth person on set. This crew member also said he witnessed Halls losing his temper on set.

Variety also spoke to two named sources — Jay Graves, “One Way’s” set dresser, and crewman Jared Tyree.

Graves said “One Way” was “the least safe set I’ve ever worked on in my life,” and described being nearly “clipped” by a car on two occasions. Wrote Variety, “He said that they were filming on a street, but that the street was not completely closed, such that cross-traffic was able to drive through the set between takes.”

Tyree recalled a similar incident, saying that two vehicles almost collided, causing a production delay of about half an hour.

A spokesperson for the production companies insisted that the “One Way” set did provide a safe working environment. As corroboration, the rep provided a quote from the movie’s line producer, Molly Mayeux. “I can attest with 100% certainty that ‘One Way’ was extremely safety-conscious, and all safety protocols were followed during the shoot,” Mayeux said.

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