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‘Slates for Sarah’ campaign pays tribute to film worker killed by train

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A social media campaign to pay tribute to Sarah Jones, the camera assistant who died in Georgia last week, has gone viral, drawing an outpouring of support from crew members around the world.

Sarah Jones, 27, was struck and killed by a freight train Thursday during filming of the Gregg Allman biopic “Midnight Rider” in Savannah. Seven other crew members also were injured in the incident.

To honor Jones, her friends and family have launched a “Slates for Sarah” social media campaign, prompting crew members to post comments and pictures of Sarah’s name written on film slates on Facebook and Twitter.

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A “Slates for Sarah” Facebook page already has drawn more than 17,000 likes with photos and comments coming from crews across the nation, as well as Canada, Spain, Italy and Puerto Rico.

Crew members of the “Hoke” FX pilot shooting in Miami posted a photo of themselves holding up a slate with Sarah’s name on the clapper.

PHOTOS: Notable deaths of 2014

“Dearest Sarah, may you rest in peace. Your brothers and sisters in Miami,” the caption reads.

“I was moved to tears last night by the outpouring of love and support in the pictures of slates,’’ wrote one former script supervisor. “I woke up with Sarah on my mind.”

The Facebook page also includes a link to a petition calling on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize Jones in this weekend’s Oscar In Memorium tribute. (A spokesperson for the Academy did not respond to a request for comment.)

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Supporters also took to Twitter to pay their respects.

Nina Dobrev, star of CW show “The Vampire Diaries,” on which Jones worked, tweeted a #SlatesforSarah photo collage to her Instagram, with members of the cast and crew holding up slates. Her caption: “Sarah Jones had the most beautiful smile that lit up our set for years #SlatesForSarah #RIP.”

Meanwhile, members of the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600, took to wearing black arm bands in a show of solidarity.

“This is an issue that needs to be talked about and needs to be brought out in the open because it was something that was completely avoidable,” said Steven Poster, president of the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600.

The guild plans a candlelight vigil in Los Angeles next week following a memorial service for Jones in Atlanta this weekend, he said.

“We need to come together as a family and mourn this,” he said.

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