CAMERAS START ROLLING AGAIN
Reality dawns on the film industry, but money needs to be made. COVID-19 safety protocols have been set for actors and the crew so that the show can go on.
AP
Make-up artists work on a model for ‘Phygital Edition’, India's first digital fashion week, in October 2020. It livestreamed the spring-summer collections by more than 40 designers under the banner of Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week.
The entertainment industry is facing the reality that COVID-19 is not leaving us anytime soon.
But money still needs to be made. Creativity still needs to be turned into something tangible — essentially, the show must go on for the sake of many intertwined industries.
Five major US movie guilds have formulated a plan to get the ball rolling again in Hollywood. The Directors Guild of America (DGA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and the Basic Crafts, and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) released “The Safe Way Forward”, a report on COVID-19 safety guidelines to be maintained on set.
According to the white paper, there should be constant testing of cast and crew to ensure their safety. “A central focus is the protection of performers, who are among the most vulnerable on set given they are not always able to observe physical distancing or wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when cameras are rolling,” the report added.
After Batman star Robert Pattinson (left) tested positive for COVID-19, the cast and crew that came in contact with him were forced to go under quarantine.
However, the authorities have said they’re prepared for these scenarios.
In May, Lyndsay Duthie, CEO of the Production Guild of Great Britain, told Variety: “Wanting to return to work, everyone has embraced the comprehensive measures required of them. And, as a result, many productions have been back on set and filming safely for weeks already. Where we have seen productions abroad where a cast or crew member has tested positive, precautions have been taken as required to enable them to start filming again as soon as they had the all clear.”
Bollywood has also begun their slow return to work, but with smaller teams and — of course — crew being in the required PPE.
According to guidelines by the Producers Guild of India, there will be no more elaborate dance routines or scenes requiring large crowds, constant sterilisation and some restrictions on cast members aged 60 and above.
AP
A model poses for a film to be showcased online during Lotus make-up India Fashion week in New Delhi, in October 2020.
In August, cinema owners, producers and film exhibitors from India took to Twitter to urge the government to re-open theatres that have been shut for the last six months.
Streaming sites have been the place to go for movie releases and UAE movie distributors told Gulf News in May that the two entities can co-exist during the current crisis.
“For the current scenario, it is fine. It’s about survival. After all, a producer borrows money to make films and there’s a lot of money at stake,” said Anish Wadhwa, the local distributor and founder of Home Screen Entertainment and Simply South. “But post-COVID, it’s only fair that movies will release in cinemas because movies are supposed to be watched and enjoyed on big screens.”
The fashion industry is heading back to regular programming too, with runways shows back on with appropriate social distancing measure. In July, Dolce & Gabbana held its spring 2021 menswear collection show in Italy with fewer guests, strict protocols and more.
In late September and early October, 88 brands – including Dior, Balmain and Chanel – showcased their collections a Paris Fashion Week in a mix of live and digital shows.