Creative problem solving is the producer’s craft. So what better time for producers to shine?
PSN has drawn from its experience with producers of foreign productions to compile a list of considerations related to pandemic precautions necessary for a safe set. We encourage producers to work through these considerations with our PSN partners to better anticipate how production requisites can shape their creative and impact their costs.
Need more context? Have a read of our recent LBB Influencer article, Industry Upended: How Creative is Adapting to Production.
Pre-Production
Terms
-Government change to Health and Safety protocol may necessitate a budget update.
-Insurance policies – excepting some government-sponsored initiatives – will not provide cover for costs or liabilities related to COVID-19 so the studio / client / agency will bear responsibility for such costs.
-The production service company will be reimbursed for unavoidable and demonstrated third-party costs, its own services, calculated operating costs, and profit (MU) in case of a studio / client / agency cancellation of an awarded production. The same cost considerations will apply proportionately in case of a studio / client / agency postponement of the production.
-The production service company will act in good faith of its agreement with the studio / client / agency to keep them informed of any risks to project completion during conception, planning, scheduling, and execution.
Office
-Additional couriers.
-Health and Safety risk assessment.
-Video conferencing.
-Paperless apps.
-Production coordinator dedicated to COVID-19 administrative matters.
-Further consider:
- Preparing a ‘Production treatment’ defining approach and backup plan.
- Simplified creative reducing needed number of shots / locations.
- Adapting voice-to-camera scripts for boom mic wherever possible.
- Sufficient 1st AD days to prep remote shooting workflow and delivery of transcoded rushes with director and clients.
- Itemized budgeting that facilitates client cost supervision of pandemic-related items such as Health and Safety requisites, staggered schedules, overtime, etc.
Scout / Recce
-Additional library fees.
-Self drive crew fuel, parking, mileage.
-PPE determined by Health and Safety Supervisor.
Casting
-More days for virtual casting.
-Additional prep and full recall day.
-Casting assistants to help coordinate online sharing of self-tapes.
-Tech costs for platform uploads / sharing.
-Further consider:
- Hire of backup talent in case of illness.
Main Unit
-Certified Health and Safety Supervisor on prep / pre-light / build days.
-Health and Safety Manager with sanitizing staff and security.
-Unit medic and thermometers for temperature checks.
-Further consider:
- Advantage of pre-light and set dressing days.
- Key crew on standby.
Production
Main Unit
-Production coordinator dedicated to COVID-19 administrative matters.
-Certified Health and Safety Supervisor.
-Health and Safety Manager with sanitizing staff and security.
-Unit medic and thermometers for temperature checks.
-Self drive crew fuel, parking, mileage.
-Multiple monitors and virtual video village to permit viewing without crowding.
-Data transfer / connectivity for remote viewing.
-Additional time for cleaning of all equipment, props, wardrobe, hair and MU supplies and cost for any replacement / disposable materials.
-Time to clear set for sanitization breaks and equipment staging (pods).
-Regular replacement of disposable PPE during filming day.
-Further consider:
- Cleaning teams for deep clean and/or anti-viral fogging treatment at end of each day.
- Additional location marshals / security to ensure human traffic flow and compliance with talent/crew holding areas, medic checkpoint, and departmental zones.
- Additional shoot days to prevent excessive hours that weaken immune systems. A well-rested crew is a healthy and alert crew.
- Staggering lighting / grip / crane crew schedules to set-up and strike equipment safely.
- Additional time for costume shop and returns plus cost for non-returnable items.
- Separate and additional MU and wardrobe vans and/or expanded area with tents.
- Additional honeywagons and hand washing stations.
- Additional location kid including bins, bags, paper towels, soap, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, barrier tape, floor markers, signage, cones, crowd barriers.
- Time and space for social distancing and breathing breaks where crew may remove masks temporarily at no risk to others.
- Isolation housing talent and irreplaceable crew.
- Camera operator with DoP remote to mitigate replacement risk.
- Use of swing crews.
- Intimacy coordinators to comfort actors performing w/o distancing.
- Hiring all crew for shoot duration to increase isolation from others.
- Additional transport permitting distancing in vehicle.
- Additional parking space for more vehicles parked at a distance.
- Hazardous waste collection.
The above is a working document we will fine-tune with input from our PSN Partners and producers they work with. Please send your suggestions to michael (at) productionservicenetwork.com.
