Film Student Electrocuted on Movie Set

A student filmmaker was electrocuted on a movie set just outside Monticello, in Jasper County, Thursday night. Another student was seriously injured and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.

One of the members of the New York University Film School that was injured on a movie set in Jasper County is recovering at Grady.

Film student Chris Black came back to the abandoned house movie set to retrieve his vehicle that was used as a prop until a fatal accident shut down production.

"There was an electrical problem and two of them, I think it was a lighting crew, were electrocuted," said Black.

Authorities said three men ran electrical wiring around the home to light a night shoot with an power generator.

The Jasper County Sheriff's Officer said the crews set up "Cherry Picker" – a mechanical arm lift – on the road. They said the cherry picker got too close to the overhead electrical lines.

"The cherry picker went up into the electrical lines, which sent a charge through the wires that they were working with," said Jasper County Sheriff's Lt. Jerry Robinson.

Robinson said the first victim was standing approximately 50-yards away, handling the wires when he was shocked. That victim was airlifted to Grady Memorial. Robinson said the second victim was behind the house was also handling wires.

"The young man was at the end of the line, in the rear of the house, setting up lighting. He was taken to Jasper Memorial where he was pronounced DOA," said Robinson.

NYU spokesperson John Beckman released a statement saying, "This is the first time that anyone can recall a student being seriously injured, let alone killed, on the set of a student film. It comes as a great and grievous blow to our community."

"They are conceed about the kids. Some of the professors and counselors are coming down meet with them," said Robinson.

Officials with the sheriff's office said the NYU students involved in the movie production should be on the way back to New York in a day or two.

Authorities have not released the name of the injured student at Grady Memorial.

The student in the cherry picker at the time of the incident was uninjured.