As the health crisis became an undeniable concern by mid-March, abruptly shutting down TV productions may have been a difficult decision, but logistically, it was pretty basic to pull off. Just send everybody home. But as studios prepare to go to the opposite direction and resume filming in the coming months, producers are finding themselves facing a complex series of questions and hurdles with no easy answers. With the virus still actively being spread, and a vaccine probably far away, actors and crew members will face a considerable risk by returning to work.
In a new report from The Guardian, the BBC has revealed its unorthodox plans to address the seemingly insurmountable health concerns and hopefully bring “flashy dramas” and reality TV back to the masses who are growing tired of watching shows featuring awkward Zoom calls and webcam footage. One of the options includes putting Strictly Come Dancing participants into long-term isolation together and filming without a studio announce. Another is, well, playing a little fast-and-loose with social-distancing guidelines:
[Head of BBC Drama Commissioning Piers] Wenger said the BBC was also looking at ways to film new episodes while observing social distancing rules by looking to the Australian television industry: “There are ways of cheating, actors being close enough together to act in a scene. Neighbours are experimenting with different ways of shooting while social distancing is in place.”
While the BBC continues to look for solutions to roll out fresh content, it’s also prepared to simply abandon series like Line of Duty, which features high-profile actors and directors whose schedules are booked years in advance.
Meanwhile, Hollywood showrunners are also facing similar concerns as they prepare to face a new normal that could also include quarantining cast and crews “like a drama camp.” But before things can even reach that phase, numerous actors, producers, and crew members have been citing the availability of fast, daily testing as the top priority before productions resume, according to Deadline. Given America’s significant lag in testing, Hollywood productions could be looking at a much longer delay than their British counterparts.
(Via The Guardian & Deadline)