March 9, 2015
This tragic accident and its consequences must serve as an indelible reminder to everyone involved in film production that safety on set is of paramount importance.
In the year since Sarah Jones’ horrific death, the dialogue within the entertainment community about being vigilant on set and speaking up if something seems unsafe has certainly increased, and organizations including the DGA have reiterated the availability of 24/7 safety hotlines to report concerns. However, there is still much work to be done to more clearly define roles and responsibilities regarding safety, to expand mandatory safety training to more employees involved with production, and to extend the safety practices of the major studios to independent productions, so that everybody who steps onto a set knows that they are operating under the same high standards of how to ensure on-set safety. The DGA will continue to address these issues with the Employers, because no shot is worth the risk to anyone’s safety.