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Mark Milsome Foundation

This foundation was inspired by the achievements, character and unique nature of our respected friend and colleague, Mark Milsome

News, Press, Media

Launch of Latest Health and Safety Survey

We are pleased to announce the launch of our latest health and safety survey today!

As the 6th anniversary of Mark’s death approaches and the industry prepares itself for a full return to work after the strikes, our goal is to ensure that all crew are returning to a safe work environment and that employers are committed to improving on-set safety. 

We have joined forces with Bectu to conduct an all important new survey regarding the safety of all cast and crew working in the UK film and TV industry. The survey, entitled “A Few Minutes for Mark,” is of great significance, as its findings will help us evaluate whether conditions have improved since our last survey, thereby helping to inform our future advocacy efforts. 

We invite all on-set crew who work within the UK film and TV industry to dedicate a few minutes in honour of Mark and share their insights on the safety measures in place on productions that they have worked on.

Please share the link to the survey with all of your colleagues in the film and TV industry. bit.ly/fewminsformark

This survey is being launched on Friday 27th October and closes at 9am on Monday 13th  November, 2023 and the survey results are being published ahead of Mark’s 6th anniversary on 18th November.

We sincerely appreciate all of your support and interest in the Foundation’s work.

Mark’s Gift 2023

Every year the Foundation gifts £2000 to someone we believe Mark would have wanted to support. This plays an important part in our commitment to help young people break into the industry. 

We are pleased to announce that Zara Trott has been selected as the recipient of Mark’s Gift 2023. 
 
Zara, a recent film school graduate from the University of Westminster, is embarking on her first filmmaking project as a producer since completing her degree. Collaborating with fellow University of Westminster graduates and friends, she is working on a short film, entitled ‘Salt Line’. 
 
The film is an interrogation into matters of the heart and the lengths we go to for love and acceptance. This story creates a haunting portrayal of two individuals navigating the complexities of their relationship against the backdrop of a world turned against faith. We follow Connolly who tries to reconcile his feelings for Tim but loses himself in the process. Set in a fictional seaside English town during the 60s, Salt Line explores themes of morality, sexuality, and faith.
 
Mark’s Gift will enable Zara and her crew to bring this moving film to life and help all involved achieve their filmmaking aspirations.

Zara Trott says: “Mark Gift will help fund the first short film I am producing outside of academia. ‘Salt Line’ is not only special to me because of the nature of the script, a film about the challenges of faith and love, but also because it’s a film being made by young creatives who are kickstarting their professional careers. Thanks to Mark Gift’s we are all able to be creative and make something we really care about.”

Mark Milsome Foundation Joins HSE’s Working Minds Campaign on World Mental Health Day


On this World Mental Health Day, the Mark Milsome Foundation is excited to announce its partnership with the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Working Minds campaign. In a collective effort to combat work-related stress and prioritise mental health, the Foundation are now joining other Working Minds partners across different industries to raise awareness of the support available and the campaign’s key messages.

In an industry known for its fast-paced, often unpredictable nature, the film & TV industry faces unique challenges. Freelancers, self-employed individuals, and those on fixed-term contracts frequently deal with uncertainty, irregular and long working hours, and work-related stress, potentially leading to safety issues. A recent survey by the Film and TV Charity, titled the Looking Glass ’22, revealed that only 11% of participants considered the industry a mentally healthy place to work.

The Working Minds campaign emphasises the critical need for employers to address work-related stress and mental health. Regardless of a company’s size or nature, it is legally obligated to assess and mitigate stress-related risks and support employees’ mental well-being.

This collaboration between the Mark Milsome Foundation, HSE, and other partners underlines the growing recognition of the importance of mental health in the workplace. By joining the Working Minds campaign, these organisations are taking concrete steps to create safer and more supportive environments. World Mental Health Day serves as an important reminder of the ongoing need to address work-related stress and prioritise the well-being of all workers in the UK.

Samantha Wainstein, our Chair, says: “At the heart of our mission is the commitment to make film and TV sets safe for all cast and crew, by advocating for better health and safety practice across the industry and collaborating with partners to raise awareness about key issues that need to be addressed. A fundamental part of our advocacy is emphasising the importance of wellbeing and happiness on set, as this plays an integral role in ensuring the safety of both cast and crew.”
 
The Foundation’s Level 2 Production Safety Passport Course (Screenskills) has a dedicated chapter on Mental Health and Well-being, further highlighting our commitment to promoting mental health awareness and support in the industry. 

Please click here to view HSE’s press release about the campaign.

MMF Fundraisers

The Foundation extends its heartfelt gratitude to the individuals and organisations that have been fundraising for us.  On September 10th, Jack Mealing and Seb Barraclough successfully completed the London to Brighton Cycle Ride, successfully raising funds for the Foundation. Looking ahead, there are exciting events on the horizon, including a hike in the Forest of Dean on November 18th organised by Mad Dog Casting, the eagerly awaited Santa Fun Run facilitated by Pinewood Studios in December, and Andy ‘Elvis’ McGovern’s London Marathon run in April 2024.

We really appreciate the incredible dedication and unwavering support from all those participating. These initiatives are a vital part of generating funds for the Foundation, with every contribution directly helping to further our mission: to promote better health and safety practices on all film and TV sets, as well as providing opportunities for young individuals in the industry. Your contributions play a pivotal role in helping us achieve our goals.

Please donate to these fundraisers by clicking here.

Thank you so much for your support.

 

 

 

Foot in the Door Trainees 2023-24

The Foundation is excited to be kicking off the new academic year with three new Foot in the Door trainees. We welcome Stephanie Chao, Lily Coney and Louie Walters to the MMF family and look forward to the year ahead with them. They started the mentorship programme on Tuesday and have had an action-packed week so far at Panavision, where they were joined by former MMF alumni Daisy Allen and Scott Nolan. Their week featured a first aid course run by First Aid Matters and a camera workshop held by trustees and veterans of the film industry, Phil Sindall and Dermot Hickey.

Looking ahead, the trainees will soon be paired with mentors who will provide regular guidance, support, and invaluable industry insights. Furthermore, the Foundation will continue to offer ongoing training and support in various ways. This includes mentorship and support from MMF Trustee and FiD alumni Daisy Allen and the Foundation’s secretary, Mona Benjamin. Together, they will cover essential topics such as handling bullying, accounting, maintaining well-being, and exploring job opportunities.

This scheme plays an important part in fulfilling a core part of the Foundation’s mission – to help young people get a foot in the door of film and TV industry. Its primary objective is to bridge the gap between full-time education and careers in the film and TV industry with a particular focus on those who may not have otherwise had the chance to access training, gain experience, or benefit from mentorship opportunities.

If you are interested in mentoring our trainees or providing work experience opportunities please email secretary@markmilsomefoundation.com

Rory Kinnear Urges Film Courses to Include Production Safety Passport in their Curriculum

 

 

As colleges begin preparations for the new academic year, the Foundation is launching a campaign, led by our Patron Rory Kinnear, urging them to include a health and safety course in their curriculum. By offering the MMF course to educational institutions at a discounted rate, our goal is to ensure widespread accessibility, thereby empowering and protecting new entrants into the film and TV industry.

To facilitate this effort, each college will have access to a specially designed dashboard to track progress and monitor course completion. The course delivers a level II Production Safety Passport which is valid for 5 years from ScreenSkills and aims to ensure that no crew, production or cast member is ever injured or killed again. As Rory emphasises,  “No one should die for a shot. And nor should it even be a possibility ever again.”

According to Jon Wardle, Director, National Film and Television School “It is by far the most engaging, modern and relevant Health and Safety course for students we have found.”

Sean Savage (Game of Thrones) says “The Mark MIlsome Health and Safety course is the best thing to happen to UK film crew for a long long time.”

Andrew Dunn. BSC. AMPAS. BAFTA. (Gosford Park, Precious, Crazy Stupid Love, The Butler) urges “all of you to complete the MMF Online Health & Safety Course, it will prove invaluable to you and deliver a long, happy and safe journey along your chosen route to filmic nirvana.”

To learn more about the Foundation’s efforts to encourage schools to adopt our course, please visit www.mmfonlinetraining.com/education

Mark’s Gift 2023

Calling for submissions!
Every year, on Mark’s birthday, the Foundation gifts £2,000 to someone we believe Mark would have wanted to support. In Mark’s 60th birthday this year, we hope to provide the opportunity to apply to a larger group of individuals including those that are not known to us. To be eligible for the gift, applicants must be starting their career in film and TV, have a keen interest in the camera department and have a specific film project in mind that they are seeking funding for.

If you are interested and think that you might meet the application criteria, please email contact@markmilsomefoundation.com for an application form.

Doug Milsome Cinematography Lab

 

Huge congratulations to Doug Milsome!

It is a pleasure for the Foundation to announce that the University of Hertfordshire have recently opened up a new facility for their Film & TV students and have dedicated it to Mark’s father, Doug Milsome. The Doug Milsome Cinematography Lab consists of a state-of-the-art 4K projection screening theatre with 7.2.1 Dolby Atmos surround audio and 4K Blue-Ray UHD playback. There are also 6 HD wall mounted monitors around a new room, each with its own HDM1 & SDI input that can repeat the image from the projector, for teaching purposes and to help students practise and improve their camera skills. 

Photo above shows Doug at the room dedication event. 

 

Mark Milsome Memorial Cup 2023

 

The Mark Milsome Memorial Cup 2023 took place last Saturday 20th May at AFC Wimbledon’s Cherry Records Stadium. The sun shone and a great day was had by all!

Huge congratulations to Trooper FC for winning the Cup, to Gershwin FC for securing 2nd place and to Middle Earth Wanderers for coming third.

 

 

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the sponsors  – Bickers Action, Panavision, Facilities by ADF, Panalux, Camera Revolution, ACO, Pholex, Bloodline Effects, Green Voltage, Audiolink – whose generous support made this event possible.

Furthermore, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who organised, supported and participated in the match. Your contributions ensured the resounding success of MMMC 23.

All the proceeds from this event will go to the Foundation and play a crucial role in supporting our cause which is to advocate for better health and safety practice and help young people get a foot in the door of the film and TV industry.

 

After ‘Rust’ shooting, California moves closer to impose film set safety rules

(Article from the LA Times)

California legislators are advancing a bill aimed at codifying film set safety rules in the wake of the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Since the 2021 fatal shooting of Hutchins by actor Alec Baldwin on the New Mexico set of the low-budget western “Rust,” there have been several failed attempts either to ban ammunition or establish safety rules.

However, unions and studio representatives have been working on amendments to a new California measure, Senate Bill 735, which late Wednesday received unanimous bipartisan support at a hearing of the Senate Labor Committee and moved one step closer to the governor’s desk.

The proposed legislation is a narrower attempt at imposing legal safety requirements on film production than previous bills, and would create the first state regulations around the use of firearms and live ammunition on film and TV sets.

The new rules wouldn’t preclude the use of real guns or blanks, but would require prop masters or armorers handling weapons to have a specified state permit and complete training in firearms, as well as have certain federal documents for the possession of weapons. The use of live ammunition on sets would be prohibited, except in limited cases.

Introduced in February by Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), chair of the Senate Labor Committee, the bill also would establish a safety pilot program for productions that have received California state tax credits.

Under the program, a safety advisor would be hired to assess any risks associated with filming, conduct daily safety meetings and provide a post-production safety evaluation report to the Industry Wide Labor Management Safety Committee, which establishes safety guidelines for Hollywood. The program would run from July 2025 to June 2030.

“While other industries also have significant dangerous situations in the workplace, very few have as many and as varied threats all in one place — and where using firearms is a common part of the job,” Cortese said in a statement. “It is a credit to film studios and their unions that they were willing to come together for the greater good.”

The Motion Picture Assn., which represents Hollywood studios, isn’t opposing the bill.

“There are a few little things to fix, to iron out, and we are moving forward,” Melissa Patack, vice president of the MPA, said in Wednesday’s hearing. “This is something that will create a landmark pilot program for a safety advisor and also incorporate our best practices into law on the safe handling of prop firearms and blank ammunition.”

Under the proposed legislation, cast and crew working near guns would also need training and prop masters or armorers could have no other duties while preparing to use firearms.

In the case of the “Rust” armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed worked both in assisting the props department as well as being in charge of the weapons. The “Rust” production denied wrongdoing. Both Baldwin and Gutierrez Reed have pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter.

Producers of the movie were set to resume filming at Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana on Thursday.

“The safety advisory/risk assessment has always been our goal,” said Thom Davis, president of the Entertainment Union Coalition, which includes SAG-AFTRA, the DGA and other unions backing the bill.
A similar framework is used in other countries, he said.

“This year, we hope the major production studios will fully join with us in this historic initiative to once again make California a leader in the workplace,” Davis added.

Last year, unions and the MPA backed rival bills that ultimately failed to advance because of disagreements. .

One sticking point had been the scope of the role of the safety advisor. In a previous iteration of the legislation, every production would have required a set supervisor for safety with the power to shut down productions.

In the new bill, only productions receiving state tax credits would be required to retain a safety advisor with the power to shut down production in rare circumstances, according to the revised language of SB 735.

At least one trade group is opposed to the bill.

The Alliance of Special Effects and Pyrotechnic Operators contends that the Industry Wide Labor Management Safety Committee is more qualified to implement and develop industry safety standards than the legislature, and that the bill could push more productions and their jobs out of the state, according to a letter seen by The Times.

Following Hutchins’ death, California legislators had announced plans to ban guns outright on film sets. However there was a backlash from armorers, some of whom called the effort “misguided.”

https://www.markmilsomefoundation.com/2023/04/21/21238/

Mark Milsome Memorial Cup 2023

 

We are excited to announce that the 2023 Mark Milsome Memorial Cup has been confirmed!

The football fundraiser, which comprises of teams made up of film & TV crews, is held every year in a bid to raise money for the Foundation. The event is taking place on 20th May at Cherry Records Stadium, home to AFC Wimbledon.

Qualifiers are being held this weekend on Sunday 16th April at The Hive, Barnet.

The seven teams competing in the Qualifiers are:

Middle-Earth Wanderers

Gershwin FC

BallGravia

Black Branch FC

Quiet Place Rangers

Troopers FC

Slimer FC

All the proceeds from this fundraiser will go to the Foundation and help fund our important mission – to advocate for better health and safety practice on all sets and help young people get a foot in the door of the film & TV industry. Thank you, to all those involved, for your support.

CVP announce event in support of the Foundation

 

CVP Shines a Light on the ‘Female Perspective’ with a gallery’ in Celebration of International Women’s Day

–   Exhibit showcases a special collection of photography in honour of the Mark Milsome Foundation –

London, United Kingdom – 6 March 2023 – CVP, one of Europe’s leading providers of professional video and broadcast solutions in Europe, is hosting a vibrant exhibition that showcases a stunning collection of photography by female cinematographers at The 

CVP | ARRI Creative Space on Charlotte Street, London, as part of a celebration of International Women’s Day on 8th March 2023.  

Entitled, ‘A Female Perspective – Gallery’, the exhibit which is free to attend, will run from the 6-10 March. During this time, the CVP | ARRI Creative Space will be transformed with a display of beautiful and powerful photographs from the Mark Milsome Foundation’s (MMF) latest charity calendar, under its Prints for Mark initiative. The 2023 calendar, titled “The Female Perspective” was shot by members of illuminatrix, a society of very talented UK-based female cinematographers. 

Prints for Mark seeks to honour the life of cinematographer Mark Milsome BSC through supporting young people as they enter the British film and television industry. Funds from this year’s calendar will enable the MMF to develop entry level positions, creating more diverse opportunities behind the scenes, whilst continuing to promote better health, safety and wellbeing practices for the industry.

Each print from this year’s calendar represents a unique feminine perspective from all walks of life with images focusing on politics, family and business, using high quality photographs shot all around the world.

Andra Milsome, founder of the Mark Milsome Foundation, said: “I would like to thank each and every one of these talented women who have helped us bring together this wonderful collection of inspiring photographs for the Mark Milsome Foundation’s 2023 Charity Calendar. This is an incredible way to honour the 5th year anniversary of Mark’s passing and his legacy, and to promote more equal opportunities in our industry. The Foundation would also like to thank CVP for hosting the exhibit at its ARRI Creative Space so that more people have access to these beautiful prints.”

Exhibition: A Female Perspective – Gallery

Dates: Monday 6th to Friday 10th March 

Time: Gallery open from 09:30 to 17:30

Location: CVP | ARRI Creative Space, 81 Charlotte Street, W1T 4PP, London

Find out more about the exhibit at:

https://cvp.com/events

To purchase the prints for Mark 2023 calendar, please visit: https://www.markmilsomefoundation.com/prints-for-mark-2023-calendar/ 

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Images can be downloaded here.

About CVP

With over 35 years of experience, CVP is one of the leading and largest independent resellers of production equipment for the Media and Entertainment sectors globally, with a comprehensive sales and support infrastructure in the UK and across Europe. The company prides itself on maintaining close relationships with key manufacturers such as ARRI, Blackmagic, Canon, RED and Sony acting as an extension of their teams. CVP uses its unrivalled technical and commercial knowledge and real-world expertise to listen to customers, understand their needs and deliver the right solution for them, with global first class service and exceptional customer experience. CVP offers creative consultation, sales advice, technical service provision and training.

For more information visit: cvp.com

About Mark Milsome Foundation

Mark Milsome, a talented camera operator was killed whilst filming a car stunt on location in Ghana in 2017. Five years have since passed during which time little has changed to improve the safety of crew and all those working in the British Film & Television Industry.

On the 5th anniversary of Mark’s death, the Foundation is calling for long overdue cultural change to protect and empower the workforce, so such a tragedy never happens again. It is our goal that everyone working on a production should be provided with health and safety training. 

Mark Milsome Foundation Call to Action

MARK MILSOME FOUNDATION CALLS FOR CULTURAL CHANGE IN FILM AND TV INDUSTRY

The 5th anniversary of Mark Milsome’s tragic death on set approaches and “Nothing has changed” says MMF’s Chair Samantha Wainstein.

As the 5th anniversary of the tragic on-set death of respected British cameraman Mark Milsome approaches on 18th November 2022, Samantha Wainstein, Chair of MMF, the charitable foundation set up in his name, has called for long overdue cultural change to protect crews working in the British film and television industry:

“Mark was killed whilst filming a car stunt on location in Ghana in 2017. Five years have passed during which time nothing has changed to improve crew safety – we are marking this tragic date by demanding mandatory health and safety education for all working on set and behind the scenes.”

The Foundation is asking for the industry establishment, including BECTU, PACT, PGGB, and all industry guilds, to unite to create lasting change. Since its inception, MMF has had continual dialogue with crew. In 2020, it commissioned a detailed survey to gauge opinion on their working conditions and then created a Health and Safety Passport course in 2021. Whilst individual crew have responded positively to the course, as far as the established industry goes, nothing has changed.

“The powers that be can’t just treat policy on health and safety along with the wellbeing of their crews as a box-ticking exercise,” says Mark Milsome’s widow Andra. “The overall culture on sets needs to change for good. We are using the 5th anniversary as a call to action and I would like to echo the wise words of our esteemed patron, Rory Kinnear, whose own father Roy died on set: ‘No-one should die for the sake of a shot.’”

MMF will launch Black T-Week on 18th November, when film and television crews across the UK will honour their late colleague by wearing black T-shirts exclusively designed by celebrated cinematographer Benoit Delhomme. Benoit and Mark worked together on The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Theory of Everything and he has kindly lent his passion and talent to this important MMF initiative, creating a design with the simple yet powerful words, “Because Mark” and “Inspire Change”.

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The Mark Milsome Foundation was set up in 2018 to encourage and support young people wanting to enter and thrive in the film and television industry, particularly those from backgrounds who traditionally find it difficult to gain access due to lack of knowledge of the sector and lack of contacts. The cohort of MMF trainees who have successfully started working in the industry is testament to Mark’s legacy. The support the Foundation has received from major organisations, including the Association of Camera Operators, BAFTA, BSC, EON Productions, the Guild of British Camera Technicians, Mission Digital, Panavision, Arri Rental, Pinewood Studios, as well as on screen stars Emma Thompson, Daniel Craig, Eddie Redmayne, Colin Firth, Harrison Ford and most importantly, UK film and TV crew including Fabian Wagner, Andrew Dunn, Peter Robertson, James Layton, Sean Savage, Aaron Leach and Jack Plumridge, demonstrates the positive impact the Foundation is having. Inspiring, nurturing and protecting the next generation of talent is at the top of MMF’s mission list.

Mark Milsome Foundation Health & Safety course provides a SkillSet Level 2 safety passport, valid for 5 years. It takes 90 minutes, costs just £20 and all profits are gifted to the Foundation and Mark’s family. The course was created in response to a UK wide survey of film and tv crew that received close to 5000 comments and which found that current H&S education is virtually non-existent. It covers all the areas that failed Mark in Ghana, and attempts to protect and empower crew so that such accidents never occur again. The course has received widespread support and praise from all those that have taken it. Topics include Speaking Up, The Law, Working Hours, Health & Safety Abroad, Bullying and
Discrimination. The course is available here. https://www.mmfonlinetraining.com

Date issued: 26 October 2022
Press contact: Julia Jones, juliajonespr@icloud.com +44 (0)7768 263279

Foot in the Door 2022 and Mentors

We are very excited to announce our 2022 Foot in the Door trainees – Angie Ymeraj, Robert Oliver & Alfie Thompson. It’s great to have them as part of the Foundation. Head to the Education page on our website to find out more about their experience and availability! Alfie has worked on a range of productions including The Crown, Angie worked on The Winter King and Rob has previously worked on House of the Dragon. Our trainees are available to work and their details are available here: https://www.markmilsomefoundation.com/trainees/

We are very grateful to our new mentors Operators Peter Robertson, ACO and James Layton, ACO and 2nd AC Jack Plumridge. The mentors will provide their time, advice and expertise, which will be invaluable to the new trainees.

 

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