COVID Production Strategies
There are many facets to a great COVID-safe production plan, so we developed a few phases to getting there. It starts with:
Phase #1: Data Translatability - analyzing all of the recommended best practices across the US, World, and Unions.
Phase #2: Safety-Viz - a way to visualize and iterate a safety-plan using a to-scale scan of the location in a game engine. Real-time remote collaboration among Producers, 1st AD, COVID Safety Team, and the technical team allow for great iteration.
Phase #3: On-Set Mitgation - COVID Testing, PPE, Social Distancing devices, Hand-washing Stations, and other best practices on-set can be used to mitigate any risk and execute the plan established in the Safety-Viz.
SAFETY-VIZ
ICVR - Safety Tool
We collaborated with ICVR to create a valuable safety-tool that allows you to plan your production to scale utilizing LIDAR scans and real-time iteration. With scale-accurate zone creation and customizability for specific shot set-ups, you can plan a day’s production before even stepping on-set and then export the overheads for crew distribution.
Digital Film Tree - Safety Narratives
Expanding on the layouts created with ICVR’s safety tool, Digital Film Tree has developed narrative walkthroughs of these LIDAR-scanned locations, following key cast or crew personnel as they go through their process on-set. Whether it be an actor arriving on-location and having to go through the Hair and Make-Up, or a DP showing up and interacting with the director and other camera crew, these narratives help production iterate the best methods of set operation real-time, as well as act as an educational tool for this individual in the best way for them to approach their time on-set.
On-Set Tools
INOVATIV - PPE/Checkpoint
PPE is a basic need for productions that are re-starting. INOVATIV has stepped up and created new products that have bridged the gap between PPE distribution and people management. We were lucky enough to use the INOVATIV Checkpoint system on-set, which was a valuable tool when checking in the cast/crew ever morning for their daily entry procedure.
Set Buddy - Social Distancing
Social distancing is one of the key cornerstones of our safety plan. It turns out that it is also one of the hardest protocols to enforce. That’s where Set Buddy comes in - a social distancing device from Air Sheriff and Content Protection Experts. It alerts users when they get within 6 feet of someone outside of their programmable “pod”.
Other Key Adjustments
Crafty - Undercover Snacks
Early on, we discovered that the crafty table on-set was a huge source of COVID safety issues. Thus, we decided to make individual crafty bags that were available to our cast and crew instead. These were more COVID friendly and ended up working out well. Undercover Snacks was a huge element to our crafty bags as they balanced the line between an individually packaged COVID friendly snack and a healthy treat that our crew enjoyed.
COVID Testing
COVID Testing is the number one way to ensure a safe set. If everyone has tested negative for COVID, the likelihood that it’ll be brought on-set for possible exposure is incredibly low. Thus, we tested our crew weekly and tested our cast within 48 hours of being on-screen. We worked with UltimateDX and MiraDX, both LA based molecular labs, to facilitate and administer our testing.
