Jump to content

Crewmember Sues Discovery Network Over Reality Show Accident


Marc Wielage

Recommended Posts

Just caught this news item from the Hollywood Reporter:

 

 

Crewmember Sues Discovery Network Over Reality Show Accident
 
by Alex Ben Block
3/22/2013
 
A soundman says the injuries he suffered after a vehicle he was riding in landed in a ditch were the result of negligence.
 
A Hollywood sound technician sued Discovery Channel on Friday claiming he was seriously injured during the production of a reality TV show.
 
Kenneth Hathcock, who is listed on IMDB as a sound mixer and technician on shows such as Joe Millionaire, filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Discovery and Jimmy Blaze Entertainment. His filing in L.A. Superior Court says that on March 24, he was riding in an all-terrain vehicle at Safari Ranch in Oklahoma during a video shoot when the vehicle suddenly drove into a ditch concealed by tall grass. Hathcock says he was “ejected” from the vehicle and “seriously injured.”
 
The suit alleges that Discovery, Blaze and others involved acted both “negligently" and "carelessly," and that they "recklessly operated, maintained, repaired, owned, supervised and controlled” the vehicle so as to “cause the accident.”
 
The suit goes on to say Hathcock sustained shock and injuries, which have caused him mental and physical pain and suffering. The suit says his medical bills have topped $25,000. The filing does not include the name of the show Hathcock says he was working on at the time.
 
Discovery Network, which hires producers to make its reality shows, has recently been involved in several incidents resulting in injuries or death for individuals working on its shows.
 
In June 2012, two people being filmed for a proposed Discovery series in Colorado were injured when a smoke bomb detonated and sent metal into the air. A woman was killed.
 
In February, filmmaker John Driftmier and a pilot filming footage for the Discovery series Dangerous Flights were killed when their small plane crashed. Earlier that month, three men died in a helicopter crash in northern Los Angeles County, where they had been involved in the production of a new military-themed reality series.     
 
There was no immediate response to requests for comment sent to Jimmy Blaze Entertainment or Hathcock's legal representation.  A spokesperson for Discovery said they would have no comment.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

TV News may be a different animal than reality TV, but they both have similar roots. As I remember, in 1978, NBC sent a crew to Jonestown, Guyana.  Steve Sung, sound, Bob Brown, cameraman,  Don Harris, Reporter and Bob Flick, Producer. Bob Brown and Don Harris were both murdered, along with Congressman Leo Ryan and Greg Robinson, a Photographer from the SF Chronicle. Steve had his upper arm mangled by some firearm and Bob Flick was uninjured except mentally. And then Jim Jones forced about 1000 people to commit suicide with cyanide laced KoolAid.  I think that's where the crack, "He drank the (insert company or cause) KoolAid" came from.

 

According to Steve, He and Bob were on full pay for at least half a year and their medical was covered. I'm sure NABET had some say in all that, but in the end, Steve left NBC feeling disappointed with NBC's overall treatment.  A lifetime being carried on the shoulders of NBC News after being mutilated by "the story" just didn't happen.

 

In any case, I concluded that I'm really on my own when it comes to the balance of adventure vs self preservation. No Company or Union group will take care of you in case the worst happens. I was fortunate that the Jonestown incident happened early in my career and I made choices based on Steve's experience.

 

If anyone has a 20 on Steve Sung..........  he can confirm that my memory isn't totally kaput

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Be smart. Stay away from reality TV shoots with dangerous themes and dangerous locations.

Exacly what i wanted to say. Last week i was filming on a show where the "talent" decided to show us his 4 x 4 motorbike on snow skills. Guess what happened... He zigzagged under some threes untill one of the front whells dug in and the whole machine flipped and fell on his back inches from his spine and head nearly killing him. Next on schedule was for camera guy to hop on and get some go pro footage.. We all then swore to never get onto moving vehicules without proper safety measures. That has been a definite eye openener.

Safety first

Link to comment
Share on other sites

" Discovery Network, which hires producers to make its reality shows, "

hoping to insulate themselves from the productions in issues like this; but by paying bottom $$ for the shows, they actually encourage these situations.

Well ........ I've done my fair share of discovery shoots and the shooting aspects IMHO rest solely on the production company. I've done some dangerous type verite but the decision to undertake has been mine. Also the production companies I've worked with have, IMO, always have known what risks are to be taken and whether its a good idea as I will always be the first to voice my safety concerns. I've never felt unsafe just excited. From the Everglades to working above the arctic circle in Finland in sub zero temperatures, climbing up the radio scope in puerto rico w a tripod in my hand, to spending a full day desert sun in New Mexico, going into a Muslim concentrated market in outskirts of Ankara, Turkey wher I was called an American infidel, riding horseback up mountain inclinations in mongolia, to India to The jungles of Vietnam Nam. Yep I've been to Nam. :)

Anyway I'm sure others have more dangerous stories

Of course I'm speaking from a Canadian perspective.

What is agreed upon and is the real shame is that the budgets have gone lower with the past recession or the 10 episode payment concept vs 13 (producers have to find the money for the last three-which results in the current deal making events) and how much reality has upped the stakes in adventure land with shows getting more adventurous. The back n forth between producer and broadcaster, and the pressure to perform w others licking at your heels may be where this lives. Bad decisions by people trying to push harder for the better shot or story mostly in the heat of the moment which brings me back to my original conclusion. Producers need to be in charge and make good decisions.

At the end of the day it's just tv. And most times not good tv to begin. Why kill yourself over it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Exacly what i wanted to say. Last week i was filming on a show where the "talent" decided to show us his 4 x 4 motorbike on snow skills. Guess what happened... He zigzagged under some threes untill one of the front whells dug in and the whole machine flipped and fell on his back inches from his spine and head nearly killing him. Next on schedule was for camera guy to hop on and get some go pro footage.. We all then swore to never get onto moving vehicules without proper safety measures. That has been a definite eye openener.

Safety first

4 x 4 motorbike - a quadbike perhaps?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

TV News may be a different animal than reality TV, but they both have similar roots. As I remember, in 1978, NBC sent a crew to Jonestown, Guyana.  Steve Sung, sound, Bob Brown, cameraman,  Don Harris, Reporter and Bob Flick, Producer. Bob Brown and Don Harris were both murdered, along with Congressman Leo Ryan and Greg Robinson, a Photographer from the SF Chronicle.

 

I know this is in bad taste, but I worked on the (awful) 1980 Universal film Guyana: Cult of the Damned, a quickie B-movie made to cash in on the tragedy. As god is my witness, just as the credits ended, up came the logo, "When in Hollywood, Visit Universal Studios!" I almost fell down laughing. The producer was not amused. I don't think they run it with that logo any more.

 

As to exotic locations: my experience is it's sometimes fun looking back on them, but they're often grueling and difficult when you're actually going through it. A friend of mine still reminds me of a TV remote we went on in a swamp outside Tampa and I discovered leeches on my leg. I felt like Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

meanwhile in other (high end) reality news:

 

Suicide comes amid questions surrounding a contestant's death on set last week

http://www.hollywood...vor-show-432266

 

and this just in:

" Discovery Communications, with its stock price up more than 50 percent in the past year, paid president and CEO David Zaslav total compensation for 2012 of $49.9 million. "

definitely not lo-budget

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Here's a podcast on this subject from the editor of The Hollywood Reporter

http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/tb/tb130218the_perils_of_produc

 

With the recent helicopter crash during the making of an unnamed Discovery Channel show killing all three on board the issue of safety in reality TV production is in the news. We talk with veteran reality TV producer Monica Martino whose own harrowing experience shooting History Channel's Bamazon led to severe injuries, her firing and legal action. She's calling for changes in her industry to ensure the safety of cast and crew as reality TV continues to make dangerous shows and push the boundaries of "reality."

Banner image:  Monica Martio on location shooting Whale Wars

-Del

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the nineties I had the pleasure of shooting drama in lots of exotic and potentially dangerous locations, and most were run by responsible producers, who always erred on the side of caution. The most intense was six weeks on the Pitzdal Glacier in Tyrol, shooting every day between 11,500' and 14,500', on ice and snow. The producer (Hans Proppe) popped for one of the most expensive safety teams to manage us (Hugo Baumgartner), and Hugo's guys covered us like hawks, from dynamite bombing upcoming locations, via chopper,  to diminish the probability of avalanche, to making sure we wore shades at all times to prevent blindness. Temps ranged from about 10°F to -40°F, and blizzards could fly out of nowhere in minutes. With their guidance, we had zero injuries.

 

Today, I draw the line with actors acting and driving a vehicle at the same time. No way.

 

We all know how far exec.producers will go to limit liability. SPEAK UP!  Speak up in front of witnesses. If you speak up and say that in your opinion something is unsafe, you have put the producers on notice. The worst they can do to you is not hire you again. If management is alerted (by letter - paper trail) that a producer is being unsafe, they will come down on them. Standing up to an unsafe situation is the mark of a professional.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just turned down a reality show that went from "hiking in the forrests of Oregon" to "Summiting Mt. Saint Helens". Was told the crew would wear crampons on their boots, ice picks, and climb a 30 degree slope covered in ice. No training or experience necessary! Yeah...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Worked as a grip a in a low pay situation..DP wanted lights mounted high under bridge..no ladder..rock wall. Due to familiarity with ramifications of broken limbs, I had decided to walk if asked to do the climbing..ended up "boosting" a younger crew member to do the deed. Probably shouldn't have. I often think the quickest path to proper payment etc is to clarify liability and payroll issues that the producer might end up dealing with.

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...