News, Press, Media

Mark Milsome Foundation Year in Review

The Foundation has had a fantastic year advocating for better health and safety practice, actively participating in events to help spread awareness of our mission, forging new relationships with production companies and education/training providers. The overwhelming support from all of you has been truly inspiring and we look forward to your continued support in the coming year. Below are a few of the 2023 highlights.

Mission Digital / illuminatrix Fundraising Event – This event was held on behalf of the Foundation at 100 Wardour Street. A diverse range of our merchandise was available for purchase with all proceeds directly contributing to fund our mission.

Cinegirl Event at CVP – A panel discussion with speakers Laura Smith (Director), Abbi Collins (stunt coordinator), Annabella Wood (stunt performer) and Andra (MMF Founder) focused on stunts and safety.

First Aid Course for Guild Trainees Applicants – one day course at the Guild of British Camera Technicians, sponsored by the Foundation.

Health & Safety Talks for Film London – we guided various groups of students, who were doing a week long film course at Film London, through our Skillset level 2 production safety passport course.

Mark Milsome Memorial Cup – the annual football fundraiser was held in a bid to raise money for the Foundation and featured teams comprised of production crew.

Mark’s 60th Birthday – we commemorated Mark on what would’ve been his 60th by bringing back the much-loved green cap and launching a bottle green t-shirt and sweatshirt.

‘Foot in the Door’ – we interviewed a number of Film and TV students from different educational institutions at Panavision for our ‘Foot in the Door’ traineeship programme and selected Lily Coney, Stephanie Chao and Louie Walters.

Mentor for ‘Foot in the Door’ Trainees – Agnieszka Szeliga, a seasoned camera operator, assumed the role of mentor for the MMF trainees, offering guidance, support and invaluable industry insights over the next year.

Screenskills Level 2 Production Safety Passport – many production companies and colleges took up the MMF H&S course, providing an opportunity for thousands of current and aspiring crew to learn essential safety knowledge.

HSE Working Minds – In honour of World Mental Health Day the Foundation partnered with the HSE Working Minds campaign to assist businesses and employees in understanding effective methods for preventing job-related stress and promoting mental well-being.

Mark’s Gift – The annual gift of £2000 was awarded to Zara Trott, someone we believe Mark would’ve wanted to support.

Health and Safety Survey – The Foundation, in collaboration with Bectu, launched a health and safety survey, entitled ‘A Few Minutes for Mark’, with the aim of assessing and improving the safety of UK film and TV crews.

Cameraimage Festival – The Foundation attended the Cameraimage Film Festival in Poland to explore how other countries are tackling health and safety. During the festival, we took the opportunity to launch our 2024 calendar, “Our Planet’s Perspective,” at a special event.

Mark’s Six Year Anniversary – we commemorated Mark’s six year anniversary since his death on 18th November and highlighted the importance of strictly adhering to health and safety guidelines.

Mad Dog 2020 Casting Fundraiser – Mad Dog organised a fundraising hike through the Forest of Dean on behalf of the Foundation which was attended by members of the Milsome family.

BBC News Piece – The BBC ran a compelling news piece, widely covered in the media, drawing attention to health and safety on set and raising questions about the risks involved for actors and crew.

Pinewood Futures Festival – The Foundation participated in the exciting annual careers event held at Pinewood Studios for those looking to embark on a career in the Film and TV industry.

On the 6th anniversary of the tragic death of respected British camera operator Mark Milsome, The Mark Milsome Foundation and Bectu have released the findings from a survey of film and TV crew about current views on health and safety training and protocols on British sets.

Alarmingly, nearly three quarters of respondents said they have felt their safety or that of a colleague has been compromised at work.

The survey highlights a worrying trend regarding crew’s reticence to speak up about their safety concerns – all those who reported incidents asked to remain anonymous for fear of jeopardising future employment.

The survey findings reveal an overwhelming consensus that safety training and protocols need to be improved and that production companies should take ultimate responsibility for issues affecting shooting crew on a film/TV set, even when there are freelance contractors involved in the work.

Over two-thirds of survey respondents identified real concerns regarding people being promoted to positions of responsibility without adequate experience or safety qualifications. 33.6% agreed that this is a problem and 34.0% strongly agreed.

Given the dynamic nature of freelance work on film and TV sets, the survey highlights the crucial need for all crew to feel assured that they are collaborating with competent and safety-conscious individuals. Key safety-critical roles must meet established standards of competency and must have objective and transparent craft-specific qualifications supported by recognised training and work experience structures.

Overall, there is a clear need for enhanced safety standards and qualifications and the industry should work towards making the achievement of such qualifications, and an adherence to these standards, a pre-condition of working in the sector. Basic safety training and orientation for all crew members should also be a prerequisite.

For these reasons, Bectu and MMF are calling for a commitment from the industry to ensure that everyone working on a production has completed a Level 2 Production Safety Passport, and that everyone in a supervisory role has completed a Level 3.5 Passport.

The survey also highlighted the need to address a culture of long working days, which result in unsafe working and commuting situations. 96.3% of respondents had a 10+ hour day as their most recent experience of a normal working day, not including travel, overtime or other unpaid working time (49.5% of respondents had worked a day of 10-12 hours, and 46.4% had worked a day lasting 12 hours or more).

Two thirds of respondents reported that they would work longer-than-standard hours at least once a week (23.5% said that long-days-plus-overtime were the norm).

72% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I am sometimes so tired, that I am concerned about my safety on the road travelling to and from work, and/or the possibility that I will work in an unsafe way.”

Approximately 80% of respondents’ daily journeys to and from work took more than one hour and more than half took longer than 90 minutes (roughly one third took longer than two hours and more than 10% took longer than three hours).

When asked about their longest ‘door to door’ day of working/commuting in the past 12 months (i.e., the longest day that they had worked during the last year, the actual ‘working day’ including overtime, but not including the commute), over 96% of respondents had worked days that lasted longer than 12 hours.

Samantha Wainstein, Chair of the Mark Milsome Foundation commented:

‘Mark’s death serves as a poignant reminder of the critical importance of strictly adhering to health and safety guidelines. The Mark Milsome Foundation was established in his memory, and one of the core aspects of our mission is ensuring that no one on a film set dies for the sake of a shot again. This survey has gathered data on first-hand experiences from crew, allowing us to assess the progress in health and safety practices since our last survey and providing strong evidence that safety training for all is a necessary requirement. We are committed to advocating for safer sets until substantial and effective change is realised.”

Spencer MacDonald, Bectu National Secretary, said:

“This survey has shown that shooting crew have serious concerns about the standards of safety on UK film and TV sets. This is a dynamic industry where people are often working with hundreds of crew members that they have never worked with previously. It also has a dangerous long-hours culture and people are routinely working many months where scheduled working days last more than 12 hours, and the workers concerned are expected to drive long commuting journeys.
Many crews have never had even the most basic training or advice on safe working. Many departments don’t even have established safety protocols, training, or certification – and where they do, productions don’t always enforce them. Because of skills shortages, crew are often promoted to safety-critical roles without having the required training or experience.”
Bectu and the Mark Milsome Foundation, are calling on the industry, and their representatives, to establish industry norms on safety training and to work together to find solutions to the long working hours culture.

The Foundation is thrilled to announce that BBC News has done a piece about health and safety, raising questions about the risks involved for actors and crew members whilst on set. There are growing calls for health and safety to be made a priority.

Featuring Rory Kinnear (Patron), Andra (Founder), her daughter, Alice and Samantha Wainstein, (Chair). 

In the words of Chris Ross (President, British Society of Cinematographers):

“There have been too many incidences and close calls. The industry is scaling up in a way that has never been before. If the status quo stays the same there will be more injuries there will be more deaths and I’ll be back here in 20 years time having the same conversation.”

Six years ago today, Mark Milsome, the cherished husband, father, friend, mentor, and colleague was killed whilst filming a car stunt on a set in Ghana. His death serves as a poignant reminder of the critical importance of strictly adhering to health and safety guidelines in the film industry. The Mark Milsome Foundation was established in memory of Mark driven by two guiding principles at its core

One crucial aspect of our mission is dedicated to ensuring that no one on a film set loses their life for the sake of a shot again. We are committed to advocating for safer sets, tirelessly working until substantial and effective change is realised. Additionally, inspired by Mark’s dedication, another vital aspect of our mission focuses on supporting and mentoring young talent, helping them break into the film industry. Much like Mark did during his lifetime, we aim to provide opportunities and guidance for aspiring individuals seeking a foothold in the film and TV industry.