The entertainment industry has released its blueprint for resuming production amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 22-page “white paper” was delivered Monday to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office and will also be delivered to California Gov. Gavin Newsom along with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
The document contains dozens of recommendations, highlighted by the need for physical distancing.
“Limiting face-to-face contact with others is the best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” the report said. “Cast and crew must practice physical distancing whenever possible. Physical distancing involves maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from any other person at all times, except when doing so is incompatible with one’s job duties. Cast and crew should avoid congregating in groups. When practical, separate work locations into zones to facilitate physical distancing.”
Other recommendations include a recommendation for actors to wear personal protective equipment.
“The number of people involved in close proximity with a performer should be kept to a minimum whenever possible,” the paper said. “If a performer requires work by more than one make-up artist/hairstylist, make-up artists/hairstylists should observe appropriate PPE requirements, and both performer and make-up artist/hairstylist should observe hand hygiene practices immediately after completing the task.”
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All cast and crew will be required to participate in daily symptom monitoring prior to arriving on set or at their workspace, the report said: “Recommended options include electronic survey, manual screening and/or temperature spot-checks. Productions shall emphasize and reinforce to all cast and crew that working while sick with symptoms of COVID-19 is not permitted.”
The recommendations include an autonomous COVID-19 Compliance Officer(s) with specialized training and responsibility and authority for COVID-19 safety compliance and enforcement will be in the workplace to address issues as they arise.
“Specific duties and responsibilities of the COVID-19 Compliance Officer(s) may include, but are not limited to, overseeing and monitoring physical distancing, testing, symptom monitoring, disinfecting protocols, and PPE education, protocols and adherence and such other duties as may be determined by the employer,” it added. “A COVID-19 Compliance Officer shall be accessible in the workplace at all times during work hours and all personnel should have access to the COVID-19 Compliance Officer(s). All cast and crew shall be informed who the COVID-19 Compliance Officer is and how to contact him or her.”
The white paper is the result of a collaborative effort by the The Industry-Wide Labor Management Safety Committee Task Force, which is made up of production companies, unions and guilds to provide governments with a set of guidelines to safely resume production.
The task force of around 50 participants was put together by the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee, a long-established entity that deals with safety and training concerns related to production. The committee includes by safety, physical production and labor relations executives from the major studios and union reps from SAG-AFTRA, DGA and IATSE. It was organized through the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.