Too often, producers in Media and Entertainment prioritize the budget and the schedule over people. While financial acumen is essential, unethical work practices lead to serious injuries and even death of crew members or talent on production sets. No one should fear losing their life, or way of life when going to their job.
During the unauthorized filming of Midnight Rider on a Georgia train trestle, a train hit the crew, killing the camera assistant and injuring others. Director Randall Miller ignored safety protocols and ultimately pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He served one year in prison and later resumed directing after his record was cleared under Georgia’s First Offender Act.
CLICK TO WATCHMiller and his wife, producer Judy Savin, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter after the on-set death of a crew member. He was sentenced to 10 years (2 in prison, 8 on probation), served one year, and later had his record cleared. Though banned from directing, he eventually resumed, stating, “My record has been cleared.”
On the set of Midnight Rider, several crew members were impacted during an unauthorized shoot on a high trestle over Georgia’s Altamaha River. The production had no permit, and CSX, the railroad company, had denied permission twice. Despite this, director Randall Miller proceeded, a move known as “stealing a shot.”
JOYCE M. GUILLARD, 43 YEARS OLD.
SARAH JONES, 27 YEARS OLD.
The hairstylist, Joyce M. Guillard, made the split-second decision to press her body between the trestle’s iron girder, but “air pressure from the speeding train pulled me back and my arm hit the stairs,” her life was saved when she grabbed the sheet from the bed and made a tourniquet to stop the profuse bleeding. Sarah Jones, the camera assistant however, was struck by debris while trying to flee and was ran over by the train–she died immediately.
While filming Bamazon for the History Channel, executive producer Monica Martino was thrown into a murky Amazon river when their boat, piloted recklessly by a half-blind captain, crashed during a sharp turn. Knocked unconscious by the impact, she was rescued and later injured again when the boat hit a tree. Martino suffered a concussion, bruised ribs, and a torn shoulder, waiting 19 hours for medical care in Venezuela. Several factors led to this incident that could have been avoided with people-first planning.
The opportunity to work on 8 micro-budget SAG-AFTRA films with a crew of over 30 dedicated individuals is invaluable. I am so grateful to those who have helped me during those months. During these times, especially with the last 3 films, the tight schedules, stressed crew, and budget constraints affected the overall experience. I often saw parallels to some of my personal research on ethical production practices. This leads me to explore how I can combat these issues by leading by example.
