extra seriously injured during Transformers 3 shoot

[bassman]

http://www.superherohype.com/news/ar...sformers-3-set A 24-year-old woman participating in a car stunt suffered a serious head injury during a 'Transformers 3' shoot in northwest Indiana one day before filming was supposed to conclude in the Chicago area. Extra Gabriela Cedillo was injured on the set Wednesday night along a stretch of Cline Avenue, which was closed to traffic for filming, in East Chicago. A stunt was apparently being performed during filming when Cedillo, who is not a stuntman, was hurt. The vehicle was being towed by another vehicle," said fellow extra Blaine Baker. "The cable between the two vehicles broke. It whipped around and sliced through the woman's car and sliced through her skull, apparently." Now I know most people dislike the Transformers films, but I thought this would be a good opportunity to discuss accidents like these on films. How often does this shit have to happen in the stunt industry that's supposedly prepared to deal with anything safely? I mean....the woman isn't on the stunt crew....just an extra. Hopefully she pulls through, but this reminded me of Vic Morrow. Why do they insist on putting people in dangerous situations? Even just a few years ago a stuntman died while testing the tumbler/batpod for The Dark Knight. You would think in this day and age where CGI can accomplish any stunt safely, that this would no longer be a problem. Seeing as Spielberg wrote off Landis for the Twilight Zone incident, I wonder how he'll react to Michael Bay putting an extra in harm's way...

[acealive1]

u think it woulda been a red flag with the deaths of brandon lee and vic morrow.

[EvilNed]

I'm by no means a stuntman, and I never will be, but I have worked as assistant location managers and all I can say is that accidents happen. The real fault here was of course that they didn't properly test that wire, and whoever let that mistake through is finished in Hollywood. The Filmbusiness is funny like that. As soon as an accident takes place, you point out one person as responsible and make sure he pays for it. Doubt this was a shoot that was overseen by Michael Bay, tho. This sounds like a Second Unit kind of thing.

[bassman]

The second unit thing does make sense. But the real issue isn't the faulty wire(although that person needs an ass kicking, too). The real problem is that they had an extra doing a "stunt". I'm no expert, but don't they have secure rigs for towing cars during driving shots? Either that or they mount a camera to the hood? I'm thinking this was more of a special effect seeing as how it was being towed by a single cable, and once that cable broke the car went slamming down the concrete barrier for half a mile... Of course I don't know the full details of their shoot, but this sounds more like putting the wrong person in the wrong seat. And now she could be dead because of it. After seeing the cgi Ferrari in Bad Boys 2 and the other Transformers films, I'm convinced that Bay could make an entire chase sequence out of plate shots and cgi vehicles. No lives at risk...

[Neil]

Excuse the pun, but heads will roll over this! http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Extra...Set-20485.html

[EvilNed]

As previously mentioned, I doubt Michael Bay had anything to do with this. Although I'm sure there's a Second Unit Director who's deep up to his ankles in shit right now. But not only, the Stunt Coordinator will probably have too look around for a new job. But this has absolutely nothing to do with the director of the film. You hire a Stunt Coordinator, a person who is expert at stunts and safety. You have to trust his judgement on safety and he takes full responsibility if things fuck up.

[bassman]

But this has absolutely nothing to do with the director of the film. You hire a Stunt Coordinator, a person who is expert at stunts and safety. You have to trust his judgement on safety and he takes full responsibility if things fuck up. Most likely, but we don't really know the whole story. If you remember the Twilight Zone incident, it was Director John Landis that ordered the explosives expert to fire the charges early, thus bringing down the helicopter.

[Neil]

Yep... The lawyers are rubbing their hands togethor! http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Extra...dio-21020.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11485712

[bassman]

The production will continue to provide all the help we can to Gabriela and her family during this difficult time. Translation: We're going to pay her truck loads of money so we can avoid going to court. As they damn well should. And she's just now beginning to speak again? Horrible...

[Neil]

Translation: We're going to pay her truck loads of money so we can avoid going to court. As they damn well should. And she's just now beginning to speak again? Horrible... Perminent brain damage? Eye stitched shut?

[AcesandEights]

Ms Cedillo's older brother and legal guardian Adolfo Romo said the family was claiming in excess of $50,000 (£31,505) in damages. Anywhere in the ballpark of $50,000 is a pittance and probably on par with what she would receive from insurance (I assume they must be insured while on set???). I hope for this young woman's sake and that of her gaurdians' that they will make good with more than that if this accident is found to be in anyway the fault of someone other than herself.

[bassman]

Michael Bay must be cursed this time around. While filming in the nation's capitol, a DC police officer was on his way to a "suspicious package" call, he burst through the set barriers, and well....Bumble Bee, meet the DC police. That was most likely one of the "hero" cars, too. ouch.

[ProfessorChaos]

damn, that camaro got fucked up....probably totaled. take note, dj, your car is not good at collisions. as for transformers 3, i'm so fucking sick of seeing/hearing about it. how long till the fucking thing comes out so it will drop off the radar? it's kinda like what's being discussed with the overkill of footage and info coming out about the walking dead series....except i don't give a shit about transformers. i just am worn thin on the whole franchise...and have been since the first one came out.

[AcesandEights]

damn, that camaro got fucked up....probably totaled. I can't even believe there's any probably about it. Total that fucker out.

[bassman]

And although those cameros are on the general market now, you know they spent a LOT of money doing custom things to it. That's a huge chunk of money gone down the shitter right there. Apparently the loss of this car has shut down production for a few weeks. Maybe they only had one hero car? Not good for those guys... As for the Transformers series....I wanted to hate on it at first, but i've come around to it. It's just a mindless fun time. And Optimus Prime is a BAD ASS hero of the series. Something about Cullen's voice work gets me pumped. I don't really understand what people are wanting out of this series. It's about a bunch of big fucking robots fighting each other. And based on a toy line. You looking for something other than cool action and spectacle in something with that premise? Sometimes I think audiences are just too damn jaded these days. Speaking of....saw this Nick Swardson stand up last night on Comedy Central. Sums up my thoughts on Transformers. Go to 7:00.