Accident on set

emtiem · April 2008

Apparently stunt driver Dan Frey has had a big accident this morning whilst filming the Aston Martin chase in Italy; he lost control and apparently the car fell 20 metres down into Lake Garda:

He's been taken to hospital but has only superficial injuries, apparently.

http://www.repubblica.it/2008/04/sezioni/spettacoli_e_cultura/james-bond-garda/james-bond-garda/james-bond-garda.html

http://www.iltempo.it/adnkronos/?q=YToxOntzOjEyOiJ4bWxfZmlsZW5hbWUiO3M6MjE6IkFETjIwMDgwNDE5MTUxMDA1LnhtbCI7fQ==

walther p99 · April 2008

oh my god, i hope the cars ok : P

Tilly Masterson 007 · April 2008

Oh, Goodness!

Looks like thr car is doing a bunjee jump.

Alessandra · April 2008

emtiem I posted about this in the photo thread. The stuntman was saved by miracle, the accident was bad, really bad. My parents drove by the place earlier this evening and they said only looking at the guard rail was scary.

Anyway I posted a bit more details in the other thread. I think these people weren't prepared for the roads here

) Really, if you take a look at the photos I posted, which is where they're gonna film in the next few days, you'll realise what I mean. They had the accident in a place that isn't particularly bad to drive to actually.. so if they had problems there, I don't even want to imagine what will happen when they drive up Tremosine :O

Anyway the stuntman is fine.. and they showed footage from car being taken out of the water in national tv news tonight on Rai.. the black Aston Martin was an utter WRECK. It was scary! :O

Rest is in the other thread.

Higgins · April 2008

Hello Alessandra,

good to hearing from you again :x

Asp9mm · April 2008

blueman · April 2008

Glad the driver is okay. Hope he's up for another go at it, if needed (stunt people tend to be brass-balled, so I imagine he'll shrug and be fine with it

).

Loeffelholz · April 2008

Great news that he wasn't seriously hurt---or worse.

It'll make a great story for the 'Making Of' documentary when the fully loaded DVD finally comes out.

Alessandra · April 2008

Bondtoys wrote:

Hello Alessandra,

good to hearing from you again :x

Thank you!

The stuntman's ok but I highly doubt he'll do another scene like that, he is safe by miracle and I doubt doctors will give him permission to drive immediately. :O

Anyway today is a beautiful day here.. and they are not filming on road

)

) It's just their luck. Anyway the weather should be good from today on, and tomorrow they're closing the road again to film, so I think they'll finally manage to have some good footage with breathtaking views. And no stuntmen hurt

I'm afraid I posted in the other thread again though, as I was replying I added a few details about the accident and the set. Won't repeat here, I would never want to sound like a broken record

)

Higgins · April 2008

Asp9mm wrote:

Hey, your gf is at home, my wife is spending the money on vacation, so, it is my genuine right to flirt with a beautiful lady :x
Or is it, ASP9mm just a little jealousy :v

Thanks Alessandra for the report and looking for your updates.

Loeffelholz · April 2008

Apparently, the Aston was in the process of being delivered to the filming area in preparation for lensing, and it was raining at the time.

When they're actually shooting the chase, I trust it will be extremely well-rehearsed---and the weather more suitable---which ought to make this event less likely to repeat.

At any rate, it's a good job the driver will be okay. I'm sure he'll climb right back in the saddle B-)

EDIT: As is usually the case, facts tend to clarify themselves with time: The most recent article on MI6 indicates that the driver who crashed into the lake wasn't even a stuntman---he's a vehicle tester, which seems to buttress recent reports that filming was not under way at the time.

Sir Miles · April 2008

Loeffelholz wrote:

EDIT: As is usually the case, facts tend to clarify themselves with time: The most recent article on MI6 indicates that the driver who crashed into the lake wasn't even a stuntman---he's a vehicle tester, which seems to buttress recent reports that filming was not under way at the time.

Yes, but as the saying goes - "don't let the facts get in the way of a good story"

I'm glad nobody was hurt.

Alessandra · April 2008

Loeffelholz wrote:

Apparently, the Aston was in the process of being delivered to the filming area in preparation for lensing, and it was raining at the time.

When they're actually shooting the chase, I trust it will be extremely well-rehearsed---and the weather more suitable---which ought to make this event less likely to repeat.

At any rate, it's a good job the driver will be okay. I'm sure he'll climb right back in the saddle B-)

EDIT: As is usually the case, facts tend to clarify themselves with time: The most recent article on MI6 indicates that the driver who crashed into the lake wasn't even a stuntman---he's a vehicle tester, which seems to buttress recent reports that filming was not under way at the time.

I am not sure why there are strange things going around but

A)the driver involved was a stunt, and he wasn't an experienced stunt, which is part of the reason why he had an accident, that's what the police said

the road was closed purposedly for them to film. No traffic. So it was indeed during filming. Whether he was rehearsing or shooting the scene, nobody can know, but for sure it is during filming as they have the road only for themselves and closed to traffic for that purpose at specific times on specific days (And we have timetables to know when the road is closed as that is the ONLY one we have to go on the lake).

C)There's no way he went off track the way he did driving normally, and at a normal speed. That is not a dangerous part of the road and the fact this guy ended up in the water means he was also going at a speed which was much higher than average. Probably rehearsing if they weren't filming. However, ALL and I underline ALL reports here, including TV news at night which showed footage of the car being taken out of the water and completely wrecked after the accident, said they were indeed shooting a scene. I guess I'll get more appropriate/reliable information when I am around the set this week.

Whatever the case, for sure the accident took place during filming because as I said the road was closed to traffic for them to shoot. Whether the guy was just rehearsing or not, I cannot know. What's certain is that this happened during filming time and that the guy was an inexpert stunt. They better get some MUCH more experienced people for the scenes they are to shoot in Tremosine, because what happened here is absurd considering that part of the road isn't a dangerous one at all. The Tremosine one (which I posted photos for in the other thread) is MUCH more dangerous. It's one of the scariest places I've ever driven to, and given I'm Italian thus used to crazyness when driving, and to extreme driving conditions, plus a local here on lake Garda, I guess I said it all

)

Higgins · April 2008

Hello Alessandra,

thanks for keeping us updated here. I am also happy to hear, that the driver has been rescued in agreeable condition. Here in Germany, there is very little news on the accident, only a 2-liner in several online news, so it is good to have a local agent on place.

always yours M.

emtiem · April 2008

The BBC have a short video and some shots of the car- it really is wrecked; he was very lucky. Looks like it rolled and hit the water on its roof:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7356916.stm

emtiem · April 2008

Alessandra wrote:

A)the driver involved was a stunt, and he wasn't an experienced stunt, which is part of the reason why he had an accident, that's what the police said

Sounds a bit more likely that he wasn't, as mi6.co.uk say.

Loeffelholz · April 2008

According to the driver's girlfriend, he's not a stuntman; he's a vehicle tester. I'm sure the road was closed for filming, as you can't have 'civilian' traffic going by while shots are being blocked, etc.

The varying reports are interesting. I guess we'll have to wait for the DVD for the 'official version'

emtiem · April 2008

I'm just amazed he wasn't hurt more- the thing landed on its roof by the looks of it, and the railings actually went through the bodywork. Good thing Bond isn't driving a right-hand drive UK registered car in this scene otherwise the driver might have been worse off, by the looks of the BBC photos.

Looks like some very unsafe railings- they really shouldn't just break and impale cars like that. I'd think twice about driving along there if that's the level of thought that's gone into the roads.

Loeffelholz · April 2008

emtiem wrote:

I'm just amazed he wasn't hurt more- the thing landed on its roof by the looks of it, and the railings actually went through the bodywork. Good thing Bond isn't driving a right-hand drive UK registered car in this scene otherwise the driver might have been worse off, by the looks of the BBC photos.

Absolutely right; it's amazing it wasn't worse for him. Wasn't his time, apparently...if I were him, I think I'd go out and play the lottery, or something

Nightshooter · April 2008

Loeffelholz wrote:

emtiem wrote:

I'm just amazed he wasn't hurt more- the thing landed on its roof by the looks of it, and the railings actually went through the bodywork. Good thing Bond isn't driving a right-hand drive UK registered car in this scene otherwise the driver might have been worse off, by the looks of the BBC photos.

Absolutely right; it's amazing it wasn't worse for him. Wasn't his time, apparently...if I were him, I think I'd go out and play the lottery, or something

I wouldn't - he's already used up all his luck.

emtiem · April 2008

Yeah, here we go- he's a fella from Aston Martin who was looking after the cars- not a stuntman:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/21/wbond121.xml

Sounds terrifying- I amazed he's okay (although it can't be as much as 150ft down surely?).

Agent_M · April 2008

those can't be the poles from the railing surely! the car looks like a game of ker-plunk

Alessandra · April 2008

Looks like some very unsafe railings- they really shouldn't just break and impale cars like that. I'd think twice about driving along there if that's the level of thought that's gone into the roads.

Ahem emtiem.. those aren't the poles from the guard rail, what do you think, that we put poles in guard rails?!? Those are there to keep the car still, put afterwards! I saw the footage the same day the accident took place (tv news here had all the footage of images the bbc has now the day the accident happened) and when the car was taken away and taken out of the water there were no poles at all. Those are there to keep it still before they load it on the truck to take it away.

Again, whether this guy was ordered to replace someone for some reason or not remains unclear, but the road was closed for filming, so the accident did take place during filming. No idea whether he was rehearsing or what, but what's certan is that the accident happened because he was driving very, very fast (and you can see it from the car.. by the way I did say the day of the accident that the car was an utter wreck.. did you guys not believe me!??!?

)). No idea why he was driving at such speeds, but that doesn't happen if one is just moving the car from a place to another. So maybe he was rehearsing. As I said the day the accident took place, he indeed is safe by miracle.

Napoleon Plural · April 2008

"Who's the U-boat commander?"

)

John Drake · April 2008

emtiem wrote:

Yeah, here we go- he's a fella from Aston Martin who was looking after the cars

I wonder if Aston Martin might be reconsidering his position now. What with him putting their £134,000 car 150 feet underwater. I'm glad the guy's OK though.

emtiem · April 2008

Alessandra wrote:

Looks like some very unsafe railings- they really shouldn't just break and impale cars like that. I'd think twice about driving along there if that's the level of thought that's gone into the roads.

Ahem emtiem.. those aren't the poles from the guard rail, what do you think, that we put poles in guard rails?!? Those are there to keep the car still, put afterwards! I saw the footage the same day the accident took place (tv news here had all the footage of images the bbc has now the day the accident happened) and when the car was taken away and taken out of the water there were no poles at all. Those are there to keep it still before they load it on the truck to take it away.

Er... look at the pictures again. When it's hanging from the rope being pulled from the water it has the poles sticking out of the sides. Here's a pic:
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00473/bond03_682_473399a.jpg

Or do the Italian authorities often stick rusty old poles at haphazard angles into crashed cars? 8-)

Alessandra wrote:

Again, whether this guy was ordered to replace someone for some reason or not remains unclear, but the road was closed for filming, so the accident did take place during filming.

Bit of a leap of logic there- just because he was driving along a road which was closed for filming doesn't mean that he was being filmed. Why not just believe the guy himself when he says that he was delivering the car to the set? He works for Aston Martin, he isn't a stuntman, he wasn't being filmed, he wasn't rehearsing anything. There's no mystery.

Alessandra wrote:

No idea whether he was rehearsing or what, but what's certan is that the accident happened because he was driving very, very fast (and you can see it from the car.. by the way I did say the day of the accident that the car was an utter wreck.. did you guys not believe me!??!? )). No idea why he was driving at such speeds, but that doesn't happen if one is just moving the car from a place to another.

Well he says he wasn't going fast as he was driving along with a Fiat (but then he may well say that!)- the car is wrecked but then that's what happens if a car falls from that great a height- you don't fall faster downwards just because you were driving fast horizontally!
I've no idea how it happened- it was raining so perhaps the massive tyres of a car like that (which mean less pressure on the road), coupled with the huge power, just got away from him. It's hard to tell. He wasn't stunt driving or rehearsing, though.

emtiem · April 2008

John Drake wrote:

emtiem wrote:

Yeah, here we go- he's a fella from Aston Martin who was looking after the cars

I wonder if Aston Martin might be reconsidering his position now. What with him putting their £134,000 car 150 feet underwater. I'm glad the guy's OK though.

I daresay they were sort of expecting them not to come back in great condition!

I know what you mean, though- I expect they'll send him on another driving course when he gets better!

John Drake · April 2008

Can you imagine being him and regaining conciousness at the bottom of the lake. "Hey, what's with all the fish? Oh S***."

Higgins · April 2008

Well, my vision of the accident is a bit like this: He's driving the beautiful narrow roads around the Garda Lake, it rains and he enjoys the fast turns. Even, if a Fiat was following him, man, I have seen drivers in Italy with underpowered Fiats and others racing similar streets like hell.
I am not sure, if the DBS has shifting paddles or a manual gearshift, but with these roads, slippery conditions and this car, shifting one or 2 gears down can lead to such a desaster, supposing, that the DSC has been switched off.

I have had a similar accident, which ended in a parking Jaguar and fortunately not in a lake like 20 years ago.

And I may be wrong, but the poles look a little bit like a mount for cameras etc, so, maybe the DBS was not driving "purely", it may have been prepared for closeups similar to the car in the Youtube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c8sSlF8hfM

emtiem · April 2008

Bondtoys wrote:

Well, my vision of the accident is a bit like this: He's driving the beautiful narrow roads around the Garda Lake, it rains and he enjoys the fast turns. Even, if a Fiat was following him, man, I have seen drivers in Italy with underpowered Fiats and others racing similar streets like hell.
I am not sure, if the DBS has shifting paddles or a manual gearshift, but with these roads, slippery conditions and this car, shifting one or 2 gears down can lead to such a desaster, supposing, that the ESP has been switched off.

I have had a similar accident, which ended in a parking Jaguar and fortunately not in a lake like 20 years ago.

Definitely- it's a very powerful car and once it has broken traction; well- you're out of luck. It's a manual shift- I've seen it happen with autos in similar cars where the box shifts up and surprises the driver, spinning the car, but not having much experience of big Astons I can't say how it happened. I'd guess that he was taking care of it, though- I doubt a guy from Aston would racing a customer car: especially one on which so much depends.

Bondtoys wrote:

And I may be wrong, but the poles look a little bit like a mount for cameras etc, so, maybe the DBS was not driving "purely", it may have been prepared for closeups similar to the car in the Youtube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c8sSlF8hfM

They're definitely the railings; you can even compare them with the railings still attached to the wall in this pic:
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00473/bond02_682_473397a.jpg

Higgins · April 2008

emtiem wrote:

They're definitely the railings; you can even compare them with the railings still attached to the wall in this pic:
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00473/bond02_682_473397a.jpg

ah, good pic emtien, sorry

terrible pic
on the upper right corner you can still see the damaged rail, without the horizontal part (which is now obviously in the DBS

)

Accident on set

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