A Hollywood Reporter article—about the on-location death of a camera assistant—has gone viral. The assistant, Sarah Jones was working on a professional shoot, not the sort of production of interest here.

Yet there is a connection. Moviemaking absorbs our attention. Whether we’re shooting a birthday party, a travelogue, or any kind of video, we may lose track of the “real world” while focusing on the action. There is something siren-like about looking the world through a camera.

For example, tourists shooting travel photos and videos  are frequently killed or injured.  Do a Google search for “people killed while taking pictures” and you’ll find sad examples, such as  Couple killed after falling off cliff in Portugal while taking selfie, Tourists Risking Their Lives  for the ‘Perfect Photo’ and  Don’t Fall, Grand Canyon.

While mobile moviemaking is surely safer than a lot of other activities, nevertheless develop the habit of asking yourself questions like: “Are there dangers here to me or my crew?” and “How can I make this shoot safer?”