Fireman's Fund Insurance Company Names Riskiest Film of 2007
NOVATO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
What is the riskiest movie of this year's crop of
Oscar(R)-nominated films? Movie-goers might be surprised.
Was it the western crime thriller "No Country for Old Men" or
"Michael Clayton" where a burned-out corporate law firm fixer is
targeted for assassination? Perhaps "Sweeney Todd" with its murderous
barber or the Russian mob flick "Eastern Promises"?
If you guessed one of these nominees, you wouldn't walk away with
a golden statuette. That's because it takes more than a criminal plot
to make a film hard to insure.
Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, the entertainment community's
veteran leader in insuring films produced by Hollywood production
companies, found that the toughest movie to insure in 2007 was not a
period epic, a crime thriller or a light-hearted comedy.
According to Fireman's Fund, the winner of this year's most risky
film is "Into the Wild," the Sean Penn-directed production about a
young man who abandons a normal lifestyle to explore the Alaskan
wilderness.
The movie was shot in several rugged locations of Utah, Montana,
North Dakota, Alaska, Oregon and Arizona - so medical concerns and
transit and care of equipment had to be addressed. Several scenes were
shot on cliffs and rocky ledges in the mountains and on whitewater
rapids, which can prove hazardous not only for actors, but for
cameramen and crew. In case of accidents or injuries, medics needed to
be on stand-by with access to helicopters for transport to a medical
facility.
The film also uses bears in several scenes. And, while the bears
are specially trained, there is always a risk to cast and crew when
using wildlife. In addition, Fireman's Fund had to consider potential
risks regarding transportation of the bears (moved in air-conditioned
RVs) and potential illnesses that could be spread by them to humans.
Finally, to capture the difference in seasons, the movie took a
six-week hiatus in shooting. This could have created potential
problems if the lead actors sustained illnesses or injuries - even
death - while away from the set.
Is there a least risky production among this year's nominees?
Fireman's Fund finds that "walk/talk" movies, where the actors are
shot in simple scenes and don't engage in activities much beyond
dialogue, are the easiest to insure. Of this year's nominees, "Lars
and the Real Girl" and "The Savages" fell into that category.
With an over 80-year history of insuring a majority of Hollywood
studio films, Fireman's Fund entertainment division is dedicated to
helping producers and studios achieve the artistic results they are
seeking, yet also ensuring they are filmed safely, finished on time
and on budget. Its 40-member team includes underwriters and loss
control experts who each have about 20 years of experience in the
entertainment field.
About Fireman's Fund
Fireman's Fund Insurance Company is a premier property and
casualty insurance company providing personal, commercial and
specialty insurance products nationwide. It is rated 'A+' by Standard
& Poor's Rating Services. Fireman's Fund is a member of the Allianz
Group (NYSE:AZ), one of the world's largest providers of insurance and
financial services. For additional information, visit
www.firemansfund.com.
Fireman's Fund
Susan Murdy, 415-899-3749
Copyright Business Wire 2008
