The Death of Sarah Jones

[Robert Starling SOC]

Robert were did you find this quote?

 

In Variety at this link:

 

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/investigator-midnight-rider-crew-wasnt-supposed-to-be-on-tracks-1201115835/

[Iain Baird]

I was linked to this article earlier today by another quote from the Studio Exec but found this part to be even more troubling

 

“We are spending too much time trying to place blame on a horrific accident."

WHAT??? Should they just close the book on it then? Whether production was to blame for this tragedy or not, something went horribly wrong and that IS someones fault. Why on earth wouldn't you want to turn over every stone for the answers? It's not about blame, it's about understanding how this could have happened and perhaps that understanding can prevent it from ever happening again.

IB

[Sanjay Sami]

We had a similar incident in India, where the director placed a trainee AD on the tracks with a walkie talkie to inform him when the train came round the corner so he could roll camera. She was standing in the gap between two sets of tracks, while she was looking one way, she didn't see the train that came the other way. She was hit and killed immediately.

The Director spent 3 months in Jail, and the producer is a wanted man, who fled the country.

The authorities need to make sure that they find the source of this accident and the punishment that follows should be appropriate. The condolence form letters issued by production mean nothing.

I have been on film sets where crew has been killed / grievously injured and after a few days of mourning and feeling outraged, everything goes back to business as usual.

[Lawrence Karman]

I worked with Sarah last year and I am just horrified by this tragedy. The more I think about it the angrier I am getting. This is no accident. An accident is Sarah walking on the tracks on her day off and getting hit by a train. This is manslaughter or reckless endangerment. Someone put her on those tracks.Not to mention the 7 other people injured. Whether it was the Director, AD, Producer, Director of Photography. Someone needs to be held accountable! Someone in authority should have said no! Working on live tracks? Really?

Fuck that!

I do know that representatives of the IA were dispatched immeadiatly to the location. Hopefully they will encourage the authorities to prosecute those responsible.

[Dave Chameides]

Best thing we can do moving forward Doc, and i'm sure you already do, is speak up. Had the chain above her said no, this would not be a thing. What a waste.

[Lawrence Karman]

I do speak up Dave as I know you do. Especially when it comes to long hours and the dangers of driving exhausted. But in this case we can't expect a 28 year old 2nd AC to say no when maybe she was told it was safe. I don't know the real truth of what occurred the other day. I'm sure there will be a real investigation and hope those responsible will held accountable.

[Shawn Wang]

well. guys. just like long hours that kills people routinely year by year.

 

I highly doubt any authorities is gonna make any change this time.

 

they have money, so they could hire lawyers to call this an "accident" or someone else's fault.

 

probably the director n producer of this movie is gonna eat some shit. but I highly doubt there is gonna be a major/minor change to the industry.

 

capitalism, money talks.

 

 

 

please please please prove me if Im wrong ! even after 10 - 20 -50 years ! I really wish what Im saying is wrong !!!

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

#1 union show, #2 OSHA is involved, #3 people got killed and injured, #4 this was ,most likely, not an accident

 

there will be consequences

[Dave Chameides]

How about this, and i'm actually not kidding. The producer has 10K of his salary put into a holding account. If the show ends and no one is hurt or god forbid worse, they get that cash. That's portal to portal too so it includes the drive home. This industry runs on money so let's give them an incentive to keep things safe.

[Robert Starling SOC]

#1 union show, #2 OSHA is involved, #3 people got killed and injured, #4 this was ,most likely, not an accident

 

there will be consequences

 

This will be a Worker Comp insurance issue. Unless they can establish third party liability such as with CSX, the locomotive manufacturer etc., the employer will be protected within the limits of the policy and the WCOMP rules of the State of Georgia. Third party liability does not include the actions or lack of by fellow employees, crew members or vendors working on the same job. Negligence if proven may trump all that but while workers comp protects the employee it also shields the employers and management from extraordinary losses. Criminal negligence would require proof that someone knew this specific danger and purposefully ignored it. This is an over-simplification but in a nutshell it is where this terrible accident is headed.

[Jessica Lopez]

The power of social media can help change. It's been very effective for a lot of issues. If we keep posting then the authorities, production, and union cannot burry this tragedy!

 

And thanks for the pic Dave!

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

I'm sorry but if you don't know Sarah, I find it strange to have her photo on your rig. It's totally different if you did know Sarah

[Afton Grant]

Eric, so you've never ever felt a twinge of pain or sorrow, or perhaps even shed a tear when hearing a tragic story about someone you didn't know personally? How about even while reading a book or watching a movie that moves you to feel some sort of emotion? It's called empathy. It's a wonderful little evolutionary trait we humans have, and it has great power. If you want to get down to the psychology of it, those of us who did not personally know Sarah aren't necessarily mourning Sarah herself. We mourn what she represents because we find ourselves working with, interacting with, and befriending people like her every day. Attaching a picture of her to a monitor is not because Sarah Jones is personally missed, but because she represents a lesson that should never be forgotten. Calling such an action "strange" is borderline insulting.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Eric, so you've never ever felt a twinge of pain or sorrow, or perhaps even shed a tear when hearing a tragic story about someone you didn't know personally? How about even while reading a book or watching a movie that moves you to feel some sort of emotion? It's called empathy. It's a wonderful little evolutionary trait we humans have, and it has great power. If you want to get down to the psychology of it, those of us who did not personally know Sarah aren't necessarily mourning Sarah herself. We mourn what she represents because we find ourselves working with, interacting with, and befriending people like her every day. Attaching a picture of her to a monitor is not because Sarah Jones is personally missed, but because she represents a lesson that should never be forgotten. Calling such an action "strange" is borderline insulting.

 

I have Afton, both for those that I've lost personally (And I've lost quite a few very close friends) and those that I don't know personally. I have plenty of Empathy. The more appropriate action when you don't know someone is the black band. Look at Law enforcement when they lose on of their own they wrap their shield in a black band, they don't adorn themselves with a photo of the fallen. Sarah wasn't a public figure until this tragedy, her family has asked for privacy don't you think that you are dishonoring their wishes by publicly displaying her photo when you have no previous association to her? And for the record I find your post Borderline insulting

[Afton Grant]

We've all experienced losses. Sharing Sarah's picture and telling her story, even using it as a lesson to help avoid similar stories in the future is not, by any means, invading her or her family's privacy.