First TV cameraman killed during stunt scene while filming BBC drama Black Earth Rising

A prominent cameraman was killed while filming a vehicle stunt for a BBC drama, an investigation was heard.

A Land Rover veered off course and struck Mark Milsome while filming in Ghana, West Africa, for the BBC and Netflix drama production Black Earth Rising.

At the scene, a four-by-four vehicle was destined to go up a ramp before rolling over on its side, but the stunt went horribly wrong, West London Coroner’s Court heard.

Shocked crew members watched in horror as the vehicle slammed into the father of a 51-year-old, the investigation said.

At the hearing it was reported that the Land Rover did not have a working speedometer and people on set thought the driver had been driving “uncomfortably fast”.

It was also said that there were no safety instructions for the crew at the scene, the stunt driver and the arranger were generally unknown to the crew.

Having a manned camera close to the stunt was also against a risk assessment, the hearing was told.

Multiple cameras were used to film the shot, but only one was manned, the coroner heard.

Dean Byfield, an assistant director who has worked on popular shows like Holby City, Whitechapel, and Line of Duty, was on set at the time.

He told the investigation that it was “shocking and unexpected” when the car veered off its route towards Mr. Milsome.

The maneuver, he said, was not what was planned in the trick rehearsals.

By showing the direction of the Land Rover Defender across the ramp with two notebooks, Mr. Byfield showed that the vehicle was intended to approach a ramp at a side angle and cause it to roll off.

But instead he approached at an angle closer to head-on and went down the ramp.

He said, “He shot in the completely wrong direction.”

Byfield said the Land Rover deviated from its planned route on approach before returning to the correct course.

Byfield said: “On the route along the track, at some distance from the mound, it seemed to go a little to the left and then adjusted to its center line, but on the directly immediate approach of 30 meters or 20 meters, it is difficult to measure distances. ” then he was on the actual course that had been rehearsed. “

The assistant director was also questioned about other aspects of the shoot, including how the decision was made to add a manned camera to the shoot.

When asked about having a manned camera in the first place, he said: “Given every discussion we’ve had about the trajectory of the vehicle, the expected behavior of the vehicle, I didn’t think this was strange.

“I didn’t think it was a bad decision or a bad direction. I’ve been in situations where I felt that and said something to someone. I didn’t feel uncomfortable with the proposal. I understand that no one else felt that either.”

It was investigated by Milsome’s family attorney, Adrian Waterman QC, who revealed a number of potential problems, including a lack of safety instructions and a broken speedometer.

Said: “So you have unknown stunt arranger, unknown driver, in the event, even though you didn’t know, broken speedometer, you put manned camera contrary to risk assessment, yeah – looking Do you think it would have been better if Would it have been a safety briefing and these things came up?

Mr. Byflield replied, “If these things had come up, that’s in hindsight. I don’t know, sir.

He also said that he was unaware that someone had been tasked with getting Mr. Milsome out of the way.

The court also heard about an “unusual” delay caused by the stunt arranger who had to meet with the driver before the shooting began.

Byfield explained how stunt organizer John Smith spent several minutes talking to the driver.

He said, “It took me about 10 minutes and for me, you talk to your team members and they know what they are doing, so it was unusual.”

“Unusual to the point that after several minutes Hugo Blick, our director, came over and asked me what was going on, so I radioed John, who said ‘a couple more minutes.’

“I don’t know what they were talking about, but it took a long time.”

The investigation also heard tributes from Mr. Milsome’s wife, sister and father.

His sister Sarah Harrison said, “I could spend hours talking about Mark, telling you how talented, funny, smart, loving and caring he was, but if you had only known him for five minutes you would know.”

He added that “it should be impossible” for a person to die in a “modern industry”.

“Even after three years, the impact of his death is still devastating.”

Mark’s father, Doug Milsome, an accomplished cinematographer who has worked with top directors including Stanley Kubrick, also spoke at the investigation.

He said: “Although my wife and I have had three very dark years, we have not yet reached a point where we can talk about Mark’s death without being overwhelmed by emotion.

“I have shot Bond movies and death defying action sequences much more complex than the ones that killed my son.

“The standards of the producers and the stunt team, those who make key decisions, should never have allowed Mark to die that night, a fact.”

The investigation continues.