Film and TV production crews can recommence filming again – but the cast must stay socially distanced
There’s some good news for film and TV fans in the UK, as Film and television production in the UK are permitted to restart according to Screen Daily. The website has stated that production can recommence providing all involved abide by social distancing guidelines, which has been confirmed by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
The government has been making many changes of late with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting people can go back to work if they can’t work from home, to avoid public transport and follow the two metre social distancing guidelines, instructing “All workers who cannot work from home should travel to work if their workplace is open.”
Workplaces that do reopen – including screen productions – should “ensure employees can maintain a two-metre distance from others, and wash their hands regularly”, according to the Covid-19 guidelines on the government’s website.
Production has been derailed by the pandemic on various hit UK dramas including the likes of Peaky Blinders, Sex Education, Call The Midwife and Line Of Duty.
ITV has said Coronation Street only has enough episodes to last until the ‘early summer’, while the BBC has not said when EastEnders will run out of new shows.
Although this may be welcome news to film and TV fans, it could prove to be a difficult challenge for the cast and crew on set. The full Covid-19 Secure guidelines will be published later this week, and productions will have to comply fully with them to be allowed to restart. However, it could be very tricky for cast members to have their makeup applied, costumes altered, sound adjusted etc without coming in to close proximity of another. For example, Netflix’s THE WITCHER season 2 has had its production suspended due to the pandemic and it raises questions how some of the cast can effectively continue performing in their role. Take Henry Cavill for example who plays the titular character. As Geralt of Rivia, he has amber-coloured contact lenses he has to wear, battle scars painted on to his face and body, huge makeup transformation when he takes his elixirs, a white wig, complex costumes and the list could go on. It is hard to imagine that he would be able to achieve all of this by himself or with another individual two metres apart.
This is where the industry-wide guidelines and filming protocols will really have to play a part – ensuring cast and crew are safe during production. It certainly doesn’t seem as though it will be easy, but hopefully if PPE is more readily available, then production can commence safely. Film and TV productions have been shutdown in the UK since entering into lockdown on March 23rd.
Related post: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier given the green light to resume production
“The government is working closely with the screen sector to understand how different types of productions can comply with social distancing guidelines, and give confidence to people in the TV and film industries that there are safe ways in which they can return to work,” a DCMS spokesperson told Screen Daily.
It seems as some countries are starting to ease their lockdown rules, more productions will continue to get underway. Earlier this week, it was announced that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, has been given the green light to commence production once again from the middle of May. The series was one of the first major productions to halt filming in Prague last March due to the COVID-19 outbreak that paused many productions globally due to the pandemic. There was a lot of concern as to whether the slated release date of 2020 for Disney+ may be put back after losing so much time filming, however, the Czech Film Commission has announced in a new press release revealing that international productions will now officially be allowed to return to the Czech Republic from mid-May.
More details about the practicalities will be revealed after a new industry-wide consultation on new filming protocols and insurance closes this Friday.
How do you feel about film and TV production restarting in the UK? Do you think it is the right time to start filming again? As always, we like to know your thoughts, so leave a comment below, tweet us @filmandtvnow or drop us a comment on our Facebook page.
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