Jump to content

Midnight Rider starting back


Whit Norris

Recommended Posts

Dear Member,

A producer of Midnight Rider (Unclaimed Freight Prod.) has called the IA to inform us that they will be resuming production of Midnight Rider in Los Angeles in June with pre-production starting in a couple weeks.

We have expressed our obvious concerns regarding this production starting again. We have demanded that they provide clearances from any and all governmental agencies and/or police agencies that are investigating this company and the individuals involved. We will require that they comply with all deposit requirements of the Low Budget Agreement. The company has agreed to provide proof of all required insurance as well. In addition to a Set Medic, the IA will require that the company employ a Safety Officer, referred by the Union to protect our members as well as other crew members working on this production. The production has also been informed, in no uncertain terms, that the Union presence on this production will be significant.

The company did not ask for permission and was not granted permission to restart production. As uncomfortable as this is, we cannot prevent them from starting up again. Whether or not they can get people to work for them is a decision that those people will have to make for themselves. I will keep you apprised as we become aware of additional information.

Mike.

Michael F. Miller, Jr.

International Vice President

Department Director, Motion Picture & Television Production

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This company just keeps on saying and doing things that I percieve as arrogance and stupidity.

And.... just watch the little birds FLY into job positions if this ever does take off again....  People will as usual be fighting to get jobs on this show.... with eager faces, an empty conscience and a short memory.....   Money trumps all...  and the beat goes on...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The company did not ask for permission and was not granted permission to restart production. As uncomfortable as this is, we cannot prevent them from starting up again. Whether or not they can get people to work for them is a decision that those people will have to make for themselves. I will keep you apprised as we become aware of additional information.

Mike.

Michael F. Miller, Jr.
International Vice President
Department Director, Motion Picture & Television Production 

 

 

 

Did not ask for permission...Wow, the arrogance of Michael Miller.  People need to ask him for permission to do business? F@#k Michael Miller.

 

I'm sure the people that are responsible for the terrible decisions that lead to the death and casualties on the original shoot are long gone and that they know that this production is under a microscope concerning everything it does now.  It is now being shot in Cali. where it's not as easy to get away with unsafe practices.

 

Yeah, I know, my opinion won't be popular.  Flame on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

mirror: " I'm sure the people that are responsible for the terrible decisions that lead to the death and casualties on the original shoot are long gone "

sadly, I suspect not...

some scapegoat (for now!) got thrown under the bus, but probably little more...

I wonder how they can get insurance... :wacko:

and "low budget" ?? :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got a sobering fresh perspective on this from a fellow executive board member here in Atlanta.

He hopes they "go for it" - consider - if they DO make the film, hope it is a great one, and a big success.....

Thus there will actually be something for the family of Sarah Jones to "go after" when the trials begin. 

Otherwise, obfuscation and the overall corporate veil might shield the perpetrators and bury the project in bankruptcy

with no assets to go after.

 

I AM shocked that they are going on.  

I am NOT shocked that they won't be working in Georgia or Louisiana.

I am "stunned"  :))  that they somehow now have the money to proceed in California ( or do they have Low Budget Tier 1&2 there too? )

 

Anyway, my colleague's fresh perspective does have me thinking a little differently than when I first heard the news...

 

MF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure the people that are responsible for the terrible decisions that lead to the death and casualties on the original shoot are long gone and that they know that this production is under a microscope concerning everything it does now.  It is now being shot in Cali. where it's not as easy to get away with unsafe practices.

 

I think as Mr. Norris has said, there are a lot of things about this production that have still not yet come out, and we don't know all the facts. 

 

I can't think of a major feature film where any catastrophes and death happened behind the scenes, and the film went on to do very well. Maybe The Crow, but not a lot of others. Heck, I'm skeptical that Fast & Furious can make money, because there's a cloud over it with the death of Paul Walker (not during actual production). With stuff like this, I'd get very queasy every time the star came on screen and I knew it was CG or a stand-in.

 

The Hollywood Reporter says that star William Hurt -- who was in the train tracks scene being shot that day but was not injured -- is not confirmed to come back to the film:

 

http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/midnight-rider-sarah-jones-death-los-angeles-filming/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't think of a major feature film where any catastrophes and death happened behind the scenes, and the film went on to do very well. Maybe The Crow, but not a lot of others. Heck, I'm skeptical that Fast & Furious can make money, because there's a cloud over it with the death of Paul Walker (not during actual production). With stuff like this, I'd get very queasy every time the star came on screen and I knew it was CG or a stand-in.

 

Gander at this too-long list. Granted, not all of the accidents resulted in death, but some films with deadly accidents did well I think....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_film_accidents

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The morbid curiosity of the typical F&F audience combined with CGI magic will make F&F 7 a mega hit. That you can take to the bank.

Eric

It happened off set, and I think I saw on the news that his brother(s) are body doubling for the remaining scenes. That's a different situation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...