Halyna Hutchins

I met Halyna a few years back when she shot a film I helped her transfer. She bombarded me with questions and got nervous when it came to how the image would come out. She was courageous. She shot a lot of beautiful images. And it seemed like a personal project to her. At the time I was thinking about making a horror film set at a mental institution and it was the location she was using. Folks, I've not heard anyone talk this much exuberance about...cinema. As she had gone to American Film Institute, my first impression was "aw, fuck them!" Mostly because they do have an elitist quality to them. Their sole focus is on cinema. But that doesn't mean you had to know cinema. Most AFI students or graduates are douchey. They are "artists." But somehow she transcended that and changed my outlook on that school. She isn't what you would call a "girly girl" either. She had a TON of energy and there wasn't anything that couldn't be done. And, having spoken to a few others who had met her, she was also very generous with her time. She was going to make it big. I know I shit on people going for the brass ring in this business but Halyna...you could tell. She didn't seem to rest. AND she answered texts at all hours. I still look at my phone with her number and wonder what became of her. I was disgusted to hear the tragedy that transpired. It rocked the film industry in the midst of a strike. I can't go into the details of what happened because I wasn't there and I only get what people want me to know. Which is nothing. Here's what bothers me... I had gone through near death myself. Having known this now, I can't fathom the idea that she is no longer alive. The taste of pizza or the scent of pine cones or whatever she grew up with has been extinguished. Think about that, all those years you used to push forward your life...ends immediately. This is what angers me the most. Halyna was around my age, so it was nice to speak to a contemporary (most film people are really young, as most old people can't stand the hours involved). I know, in small parts, the experiences she must've gone through. The party days, the discovery of music and movies. I have no words for Alec Baldwin, who was the man holding the gun when she was killed. He will have to live with that. I can sympathize with the darkness he is about to endure but I do not pity him. Some will believe he is completely negligent of these actions. Others may reach out in support. The Hollywood circle are disgusting syncophants. A short project I once ran electric for gave me two guys of which I could order around. I was the best boy electric. One of the guys ran around crazy like. Was no-nonsense and efficiently and swiftly worked. He was VERY good at what he did. Was always within earshot of my requests. He was an absolute professional. This guy was Erik Messerschmidt, who won the cinematography Oscar last year. It didn't even surprise me and I was happy for him. It wouldn't surprise me if Halyna would've excelled this far in her own career had she been given a chance.