Yesterday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Department of Public Health announced that it will now allow film and television crews to continue filming. According to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, film and television production could resume “effective this Friday,” 12th June. Dr. Barbara Ferrer assured that the California Department of Public Health Department would release safety guidelines and requirements today, Thursday about film productions at a press conference, as well as guidelines for other businesses such as gyms, movie theaters, and museums, which will also be allowed to open on Friday. “Music, TV and film production may resume in California, recommended no sooner than 12th June, 2020, and subject to approval by the county public health officers within the jurisdictions of operations,” the department said. “To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, productions, cast, crew, and other industry workers should abide by safety protocols agreed by labor and management, which may be further enhanced by county public health officers."
Movie theaters closed in mid-March to help curb the numbers, and movie and television production also ground to a halt. Companies have laid off and furloughed employees and executives have taken pay cuts as the industry works to outlast the shutdown. While Hollywood’s Industry-Wide Safety Committee released a white paper last week outlining general safety protocols, Hollywood guilds and studios must still reach an agreement on safety protocols about specific production departments such as cinematography, hair, and makeup. Studios will also have to tailor both general and craft-specific guidelines to their particular productions, which could require adjustments depending on the scenes involved.
The recommendations for production took longer than Newsom had previously indicated. The governor said 20th May that the state planned to issue guidelines soon that would allow many counties to resume production, but union leaders at the time said the move was still at works. The paper calls for dramatic changes to what had previously been routine practices in the film and TV industry, which was booming before the pandemic because of the demand for content by multiple streaming services. The shutdown drew focus to long-standing problems with hygiene and sanitation on film sets, including a lack of hand-washing stations. The task force’s recommendations include using individually packaged meals instead of buffet tables, allowing live audiences only when they wear masks and remain a safe distance apart, and requiring a COVID-19 compliance officer on every set.
Among the chief recommendations are mandatory coronavirus testing of cast and crew, including temperature screening, and supplying personal protective equipment. Other recommendations include organizing departments into smaller groups, staggering call times, and using remote-monitoring technology to reduce the number of people on set. Hair and makeup artists are asked to minimize time spent in direct contact with performers, while also using protective equipment and proper hygiene. Auditions should be done virtually as often as possible, according to the protocols. If a performer must audition in person and without a mask, there should be plexiglass or other barriers between the actors and the casting team.c
Music, TV and film production may resume in California, recommended no sooner than 12th June, 2020, and subject to approval by the county public health officers within the jurisdictions of operations. To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, productions, cast, crew, and other industry workers should abide by safety protocols agreed by labor and management, which may be further enhanced by county public health officers.” Department of Public Health
