Midnight Rider (film)

Midnight Rider
Directed byRandall Miller
Screenplay by
  • Randall Miller
  • Jody Savin
Based onMy Cross to Bear
by Gregg Allman
Produced by
  • Randall Miller
  • Jody Savin
Starring
CinematographyMike Ozier
Production
companies
  • Film Allman LLC
  • Unclaimed Freight Productions
Distributed byOpen Road Films
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Midnight Rider, also known as Midnight Rider: The Gregg Allman Story,[1] is a cancelled American biographical drama film. Director Randall Miller co-wrote the screenplay with Jody Savin, based on the autobiography My Cross to Bear by the singer Gregg Allman.[2] Miller and Savin were also the producers. The film was to star William Hurt, Tyson Ritter, Zoey Deutch, Eliza Dushku, and Wyatt Russell.

On February 20, 2014, the first day of filming, the crew was on an active railroad trestle bridge, high over the Altamaha River in Wayne County, Georgia. Due to criminal negligence by the producers of the film, second assistant camerawoman Sarah Jones was killed when she was struck by a CSX freight train that arrived on the trestle. Seven other crew members were also hurt, one seriously.[3][4] Production was suspended the following week[5] and multiple investigations into the incident were undertaken with several yet to be resolved[as of?]. Miller, Savin, executive producer Jay Sedrish, and first assistant director Hillary Schwartz were charged with involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespass[6] as well as being cited by OSHA for "serious" and "willful" safety violations.[7][8] On March 9, 2015, Miller pled guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing and received a 10-year sentence, of which he served one year, followed by probation. Sedrish was also convicted of felony involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing via a plea bargain and sentenced to 10 years of probation. The charges against Savin were dropped as part of the plea agreement with her husband and business partner Randall Miller.[9]

Film Allman LLC, referenced in multiple lawsuits, is the production company created by Randall Miller, Jody Savin and Brad Rosenberger in the state of Georgia specifically for the production of Midnight Rider. Unclaimed Freight Productions is Miller and Savin's parent California production company.[10]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Variety 2013-11-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Open-Road was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference varietyfeb20 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference nydlfeb22 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Yamato, Jen; Busch, Anita (February 26, 2014). "'Midnight Rider' Suspends Filming Following Train Death; Production Company Issues Statement". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference charged was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference OSHA 2014-8-14 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Busch, Anita; Yamato, Jen (September 29, 2014). "'Midnight Rider': 1st Assistant Director Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  9. ^ Johnson, Ted (March 9, 2015). "'Midnight Rider' Trial: Executive Producer Jay Sedrish Won't Serve Jail Time". Variety. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  10. ^ Johnson, Ted (August 14, 2014). "U.S. Department of Labor Cites 'Midnight Rider' Production for 'Willful and Serious' Safety Violations". Variety. Archived from the original on May 19, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2017.