The weekend before the February 20 train accident that killed camera assistant Sarah Jones, Midnight Riderproducer Jody Savin made controversial public comments at a meeting of local production crew in which she touted her company’s methods and complained about the Savannah film commission for keeping a close watch on her previous film, CBGB.
Savin, who is married to Midnight Rider directorRandall Miller and co-owns their Unclaimed Freight production company, was an invited guest speaker at a 
February 16 meeting held by the Savannah Women In Film and Television (SWIFT). Savannah-based hair stylist JC Davis was in attendance with about 30 others including local production crew, many of whom were seeking to work on the upcomingMidnight Rider production. According to her, Savin “went on to talk about CBGB and was bitching about how our former film commissioner Jay Self kept showing up to set, telling her she couldn’t do this, she couldn’t do that and that she was so glad he was no longer film commissioner. [Savin] said, ‘We make movies by our own rules.’ ” Deadline has talked to other attendees who also corroborate the comments made by Savin at the event.
February 16 meeting held by the Savannah Women In Film and Television (SWIFT). Savannah-based hair stylist JC Davis was in attendance with about 30 others including local production crew, many of whom were seeking to work on the upcomingMidnight Rider production. According to her, Savin “went on to talk about CBGB and was bitching about how our former film commissioner Jay Self kept showing up to set, telling her she couldn’t do this, she couldn’t do that and that she was so glad he was no longer film commissioner. [Savin] said, ‘We make movies by our own rules.’ ” Deadline has talked to other attendees who also corroborate the comments made by Savin at the event.
Savin’s comments during the hourlong chat reportedly left some of those in attendance unsettled. “A lot of people felt insulted by the whole thing. It was very negative toward a lot of people who work in this town,” another attendee present at the event told Deadline. “Savin seemed proud of the fact that she was able to get crew cheaply. It was more about the bottom line. A lot of women wanted to work on it but I think after meeting a lot walked away and thought. ‘I wouldn’t work on that show.’ “
Four days after the SWIFT event, the crew of Midnight Rider began filming on the remote Doctortown Trestle outside of Savannah. Jones, 27, was killed in a train collision that left seven others injured. The production was halted days later as state and federal investigations launched to determine which parties are responsible. Last week Deadline broke the news that director Miller was looking to resume filming on the Gregg Allman biopic in Los Angeles eyeing a potential June shoot. A campaign calling for LA-based crew to boycott the production has now racked up 5,700 members on Facebook.
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