BRITISH FILM COMMISSION ISSUES SAFETY GUIDELINES AS PRODUCTION RESUMES

The British Film Commission released its safety guidelines as a step toward restarting film production amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The rules cover various aspects of production, including hair & makeup to set design and cinematography. “The industry is extremely keen to restart production as soon as possible, but not without a comprehensive road map for how to do it safely while the threat of Covid-19 still looms large,” Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of the BFC said in a statement. “Today’s guidance provides that reassurance, reflecting the latest government, technical and medical advice available. We will also update it on a regular basis, giving clarity on the latest measures recommended to ensure a safe shoot for cast, crew, and the wider public.”

The 44-page report follows weeks of discussions between the British Film Institute’s coronavirus task force and labor organizations, epidemiologists, and studios based in the U.K. and the United States. The guidelines are divided into separate sections, which review the new method of applying costume, hair, and makeup on actors without assistance from a department member. The BFC advises that each department receive additional time to complete their work while accounting for social distancing while tasking a member to regularly clean all equipment. 

Advised precautions include daily temperature and symptom checks of all cast and crew, specialized cleaners to disinfect sets, and pre-packaging food at craft services for each crew member, instead of food left in the open for the group as a whole. Intensive social distancing training and the practice of specific department safety on behalf of all cast and crew are also recommended, as British organization ScreenSkills roll out training courses in June to help with the process. The report also notes that the guidelines are not comprehensive or mandatory. However, the BFC strongly advises that filmmakers and studios use the guidelines as an aid when planning how to resume their film and television production.

Los Angeles County is scheduled to release its film and TV guidelines on Tuesday in hopes of an “immediate” restart on filming. However, major Hollywood productions are weeks, if not months, away from restarting due to the need to make specific plans for each project along with general concerns about insurance. Warner Bros.’s studio continues to weigh options to restart filming for productions such as “The Batman” and “Fantastic Beasts 3,” both of which are set to film in the U.K. Other Hollywood films set to shoot in Britain are Universal’s “Jurassic World: Dominion” and Disney’s remake of “The Little Mermaid.”