In a trial focused on the shooting incident that took place on the set of the upcoming Western movie "Rust," the director, Joel Souza, took the stand on Friday to provide his testimony. Souza, who was wounded by a bullet that tragically killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, recounted the moments leading up to the incident.

Describing the moment of the shooting, Souza stated that he was approaching the cinematographer when he suddenly heard a loud bang and felt the impact of the bullet. The force of the bullet left him feeling as though he had been struck by a baseball bat on his shoulder. Souza, who had never filed a complaint regarding the incident, was called to testify as prosecutors pursue charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence against movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

The lead actor and co-producer of "Rust," Alec Baldwin, was separately indicted by a grand jury last month. Baldwin pleaded not guilty to the charges, and a trial is scheduled for July. Prosecutors are meticulously reconstructing the series of events that led to the tragic gunfire on the film set, which strictly prohibits the use of live ammunition.

Souza provided insight into the workflow on the day of the incident, stating that his workday began early with the realization that six camera-crew members had walked off the set. As a result, Hutchins urgently called for replacements, and filming resumed later in the morning with an outdoor scene involving horses and wagons.

The work continued after lunch with the setup for an extreme close-up shot of Baldwin drawing a gun from a holster inside a makeshift church. Souza mentioned that he moved in behind Hutchins to examine the camera angle but did not see the gun that ultimately shot him and Hutchins. When the loud bang occurred, Souza described it as deafening.

During the trial, Baldwin's handling of firearms on set has been highly scrutinized. Prosecutors played video footage showing Baldwin pressuring the movie armorer to reload guns quickly between scenes. The defense argued that Baldwin's actions were infringing on industry safety protocols and the responsibilities of the armorer.

In Friday's proceedings, Souza was pressed by defense attorney Jason Bowles regarding the script and whether it explicitly called for Baldwin to point the gun towards the camera. Souza clarified that it was not a matter of the script but that for that specific shot, the gun was supposed to be pulled out sideways.

The trial continues to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident that claimed the life of Halyna Hutchins and left Joel Souza injured. As both Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin face these serious charges, the legal process will determine the extent of their involvement in the events that unfolded on the set of "Rust."

The trial is expected to provide justice for the victims and establish accountability for the actions taken during the shooting of the movie.