We May Be Headed Back to Work: Newsom Says TV and Film Production Can Begin June 12
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan last Friday for the reopening of film and television production in the state.
As part of a larger announcement about the current phase of California's reopening plans, the state Department of Public Health released a brief paragraph on beginning state film and TV productions.
Hollywood has been essentially shuttered since March, when the rapid spread of the coronavirus forced the U.S. into quarantine. During the current reopening phase, Stage 2, productions will still need approval from county public health officials.
The California Department of Public Health provides industry guidance for several other businesses and operations via their website.
The guidelines for production include:
"Music, TV, and film production may resume in California, recommended no sooner than June 12, 2020, and subject to approval by county public health officers within the jurisdictions of operations following their review of local epidemiological data including cases per 100,000 population, rate of test positivity, and local preparedness to support a health care surge, vulnerable populations, contact tracing, and testing. 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. Back office staff and management should adhere to Office Workspace guidelines published by the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Industrial Relations, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission."
According to Deadline, the reopening may still exclude Los Angeles county.
In late May, Newsom said he hoped to announce guidelines for reopening production by June, but the announcement was delayed when Newsom asked for additional time to refine the plans.
On June 1, the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee Task Force released its own set of guidelines for resuming production amid the coronavirus pandemic. The 22-page document addresses many on-set concerns, including the need for social distancing and routine cleaning, and calls for "an autonomous COVID-19 Compliance Officer" to oversee each production.
Check out our continuing coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
