Well, if the point of the scene is the camera looking down the barrel of a gun while it’s fired by a given character, the actor firing it is the one to do it. Presumably it’s supposed to be loaded with a blank, and the camera behind protective glass (to protect the expensive lens from burning powder). Camera operator, nor director, shouldn’t be behind the target (the camera) even if it’s allegedly a blank, or nothing, being fired.
(Ironic that I’m one who inspected Penn & Teller’s gun for a double bullet catch trick.)
There was a soap opera actor some years ago, who was playing around with a blank pistol. He put it to his temple and pulled the trigger. Even though the pistol had a blank, the fire and powder emitted from the gun penetrated the skull and killed him instantly.
IOWs any gun is dangerous. Alec Baldwin and people like him are clueless.