Many upcoming TV shows and movies have had their productions come to a halt because of COVID-19, but several of them have been resuming their operations. The highly anticipated shows that were supposed to premiere during the fall season have now been pushed back to spring of 2021.
The productions of the movies and shows have had to adopt new routines and procedures to reduce the risk of contracting the virus. They have adjusted their sets to have a greater amount of space for the casts and crew to uphold the social distancing rules. Apart from the shooting areas, the food, makeup, and hair services have had to limit personnel and reduce the makeup tools for each cast member to avoid sharing any products.
The producers have to focus on the state or country that they are filming in to follow the guidelines and restrictions the region has set in place.
The CW is one of the networks that has continued to film their shows in their usual set location of Vancouver. The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Arts (ACTRA) has created a pdf that includes all of the COVID-19 guidelines the productions should be implementing on their sets. It includes specific directions for stunts, wardrobe, auditions, and screenings.
“Riverdale” resumed its production on September 14 after the cast was forced to quarantine for two weeks. Since then, they have been working on season five and have even had to shut down once because of test results being delayed.
KJ Apa, who plays the lead role of Archie Andrews in Riverdale, posted a video on Instagram regarding one of the new things he has had to do for the show.
“Our new normal is washing our mouths before every take of a make-out scene,” said Kj Apa.
Another cast member that is said to be recurring this year in the show is Marisol Nichols that plays Hermione Lodge and has openly shared her experience as an actor in 2020. During her time in Vancouver, she posed an Instagram video on her story in which she showed her COVID test being done in her trailer.
All cast and crew members are required to take a test every three days to comply with the COVID-19 rules of Canada and monitor the production.
“Normally, we are all used to having a couple of days off and flying back to LA for the weekend but once you’re here that’s it, you can’t go and we had to quarantine for two weeks in the hotel room so it’s a lot,” said Marisol Nicholas, in an interview with ET.
The network CBS has also resumed their production and released the first episode of “Young Sheldon” in early November. Most of the film is done in Los Angeles, known as home to the film industry, and it has allowed shows and movies to continue their productions.
Annie Potts that has appeared in the “Ghostbusters” and is currently playing the grandmother in “Young Sheldon” shares the new additions to production.
“I feel really safe, the whole Warner Brothers lot looks like a surgical unit since everyone has the masks, gloves, and plastic. We are only allowed to take the mask off for 15 minutes while we are filming with each other but apart from that we wear our mask all the time even between takes,” said Anne Potts in an interview with The Real.
She has been able to return to work safely because of the precautions the Warner Brothers have taken and California’s guidelines.
The film industry has armed itself against COVID-19 and all the production sites are being closely monitored to provide a safe environment for the cast as well as the crew members.
