Studios and Unions Finalizing Return-to-Work Safety Protocols

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorThis is absolutely not a plug for the pandemic, but coronavirus-imposed health and safety protocols at the Venice Film Festival’s press conferences I attended today made for a welcome change.Typically, getting into and out of these briefings and Q&As with film talent features racing, jostling, jockeying for seats and bottlenecking.

As Hollywood producers continue to seek union approval to resume production, the Producers Guild of America has unveiled its latest health and safety guidelines for production amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The 56-page COVID-safety protocols for independent productions, created by the PGA’s production safety task force, use a “producers lens” to break down the guidelines from other unions and guilds as the industry returns to film and TV sets.

Covid-19 cases linked to the 2 Sisters chicken factory in Coupar Angus has risen by 11 to 199 over the weekend. NHS Tayside revealed the latest figures related to the outbreak on this afternoon (Monday).

David Robb Labor EditorThe Producers Guild of America has issued its protocols for the safe return to work on scripted and unscripted independent productions.The guidelines stress “regular testing” for COVID-19; workdays no longer than 10 hours; no COVID-related liability waivers; “absolutely no visitors” on set; the sanitizing of shared surfaces; proper ventilation in closed spaces, and remote working and videoconferencing whenever possible.See the full protocols here.“As fellow producers, we

Also Read: Hollywood Unions Release COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for Film, TV ProductionIn addition, a section is devoted to “red light” protocols, which are designed to guide producers “in the step-by-step process of determining if and when to shut down the production at any stage (pre-production, principal photography, post).”The full list of guidelines is available on the Producer’s Guild website.“The Production Safety Task Force has been a priority for us at the Guild and we’re grateful to

Dave McNary Film ReporterHollywood studios and unions are getting closer to a deal on safety regulations for returning to work following the shutdown of production due to the coronavirus, sources have said.Deadline Hollywood reported Friday that major issues are testing protocols, sick pay and travel to work sites with a source expressing cautious optimism that an agreement can by finalized by Labor Day, Sept.

David Robb Labor EditorEXCLUSIVE: Hollywood’s unions and management’s Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are “very close to an agreed upon framework for a safe return to work,” an industry source tells Deadline.Their ongoing negotiations cover a wide range of safety issues that were left unresolved by the protocols adopted in a “white paper” issued June 1 by the Industry-Wide Labor Management Safety Committee Task Force, and the “Safe Way Forward” guidelines issued June 12 by

“Our main message now to our customers is: Come back to the cinemas that you love, because they are safe and they are waiting for you.” So said Mooky Greidinger, CEO of Cineworld, during a virtual press conference last week, but he wasn’t just speaking for Cineworld, which owns Regal Theaters and is the second-largest cinema chain on the globe (behind AMC).

David Robb Labor EditorThe American Guild of Musical Artists and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society on Wednesday issued a detailed “playbook” for the safe return to work for opera and choral singers, ballet and modern dancers, choreographers, stage directors and theater staff.In a joint statement, the unions said their playbook (read it here) “presents a step-by-step approach to reopening built on five levels linked to the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community and allows for

Naman Ramachandran India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has published a comprehensive set of COVID-19 standard operating procedures aimed at allowing the resumption of media production.India has one of the world’s largest film industries, with well over 2,000 films produced per year in upto 50 languages.

Dade Hayes Finance EditorWith movie theaters finally lighting back up across much of the U.S., the National Association of Theatre Owners and its members are making a rare show of unity in support of CinemaSafe, a new set of health and safety protocols.The COVID-19 response codifies several measures undertaken by theaters and many other businesses, including face coverings for employees and moviegoers, social distancing, reduced capacity and concessions and electronic ticketing.NATO chief John

The National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) has been on the forefront of trying to ensure the theatrical experience survives the pandemic and the reopening that is set to begin in many places today. And while the organization has been trying to put forth the narrative that everything will bounce back and people are desperate to return to the cinema, NATO knows that people need reassurance that their safety is a top priority.

In the campaign to urge consumers to return to movie theaters — which reopen in earnest this weekend in the U.S. after a five-month shutdown — the National Association of Theatre Owners on Friday announced a nationwide set of health and safety protocols in the era of COVID-19 that include requiring masks.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaAs cinemas welcoming back audiences this summer, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is introducing a set of health protocols that it claims will keep customers safe from COVID-19.Dubbed “CinemaSafe,” the standards include asking patrons to social distance and wear masks, encouraging the purchase of tickets online, and making hand sanitizer more readily available.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” has implemented several new perks for its weary staff, including increased paid time off and a liberal medical leave policy, following a dramatic address from the daytime host on Monday.Staffers will receive five paid days off to use at their discretion, birthdays off, and paid time for doctors appointments and family matters, one source familiar with the series told Variety.

Keanu Reeves is hard at work filming The Matrix 4 in Berlin!

Naman Ramachandran Keanu Reeves has praised the safety protocols in place after Lana Wachowski’s “The Matrix 4” resumed filming in Berlin.“There’s some really thoughtful, effective protocols in place, and the rhythm of filmmaking has not been really impacted or interrupted, in the sense of filming,” Reeves told the Associated Press.