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Filmmaking techniques • 11min read
Filmmaking techniques • Written by Ellie Cameron-Krepp, Creative Community Manager
With the world in lockdown, we saw a huge jump in animation, motion design and post production work as clients and creatives adapted to creating content in the middle of a global health crisis. Now, with restrictions starting to ease (see our production map for the latest updates) we’re seeing countries opening back up for live production – with some rules and regulations, of course!
We’ve gathered information from our network of creators, plus official guidelines from government and film bodies to put together a collection of go-to guidelines to help you transition back to business and make your productions as safe as possible.
Disclaimer: Please note, any information or links published in this article are a guide only, and should not be relied upon as an official source. It is crucial that you regularly check the government or authority advice in the country or region you plan to undertake your work in.
It’s pretty straightforward – but productions should be kept as remote as possible, and face to face meetings should be avoided if they can. Whether you’re in pre-production, on set or in the edit suite, try to stick to video calls. Here are a few other tips:
Whether it’s your crew, your schedule or your concept – being agile is going to help ensure your work doesn’t go down the drain if there are impacts to your production
From the get-go, make sure you’re building flexibility into your production. Whether it’s your crew, schedule or concept – being agile is going to help ensure your production doesn’t fall apart if there are impacts due to the pandemic. Try to factor these tips into your pre-production:
Limiting the number of people on set and putting strict protocols in place is crucial to make sure you’re protecting the safety of your cast and crew. To protect the health of your team, we recommend:
Especially in regions with high numbers of cases, everyone arriving on set should have their temperature checked with a contactless thermometer, up to twice a day if necessary. You can even use stickers or similar identifiers to show who has passed this check.
In countries with tests available and short processing periods, testing could be considered for all shoot attendees, or for those (such as talent) that need to come into close contact with others.
Using personal protective equipment including face masks and gloves can be crucial in preventing the spread of germs, and is mandatory in many countries! Keep everyone protected with the following measures:
Implement a distance rule for everyone on set based on local guidelines
When it comes to physical/social distancing and the number of people allowed on set, ensure you understand any government guidelines first and foremost. Once you know your local rules, you can implement a number of methods for distancing, such as:
One of the most important things you can do on set and any production location (including offices etc) is maintain a high standard of hygiene & sanitization. At the bare minimum, ensure that everyone on set is frequently washing their hands and that all surfaces, gear etc is disinfected. Further steps that should be taken include:
Food safety is always important, but especially at the moment, and careful consideration is needed for catering protocols. The following is suggested:
Where possible, talent should undertake their own hair, wardrobe and makeup requirements. If hair, makeup or wardrobe teams are required, consider:
Depending on the scale of your production and local government guidelines, you will need to appoint someone to a health & safety role. This might be a health officer, an on-set nurse or an infection control office. For smaller productions, you might assign a producer or production assistant to be responsible for ensuring infection control. Work carefully to establish their roles and responsibilities and ensure they have any training required. Some tasks for this role might include:
Be transparent and ensure you communicate the COVID-19 risks of attending set, and the steps you’re taking to prevent them
COVID-19 has impacted everyone in different ways, so it’s important to make sure your team feels safe and comfortable throughout the production.
Filmmaking techniques • 11min read
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