Filming and TV production halt to be lifted with state guidelines to be issued on Monday.
In a video conference with the Netflix director and other industry leaders, Governor Gavin Newsom said California would release guidelines next Monday that would allow film and TV production to begin again in certain counties that meet specific state criteria.
TODAY: Governor @GavinNewsom will host a virtual roundtable with Californians who work in the film and television industry for his Economic Recovery & Reinvention Listening Tour.
🎥Watch live @ 2:45 PM.https://t.co/613AAwVCcD
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) May 20, 2020
Hollywood has experienced its own Great Depression since the pandemic hit. The entertainment industry ceased all filming, production and performances since the shutdown in March, which has resulted in billions of dollars in losses. Prior to the meeting, L.A. County Board of Supervisors chair, Kathryn Barger, reported that the majority of the industry’s 890,000 workers are currently unemployed due to the crisis.
With production resuming in places like Spain, South Korea, Sweden and Iceland, there are now models and measures in place that could provide a template for California to use as soon as companies and counties get the go-ahead.
Production is part of ‘Stage 3’ of the reopening plan that the state has drawn up. However, as with all state-wide restrictions, counties that are able to meet requirements sooner will be permitted to switch the lights on ahead of schedule. These include meeting requirements for testing and medical resources as well as the rate of new cases.
Currently, Los Angeles County has a higher share of COVID-19 cases and will likely be one of the last counties to be ready to begin filming.
“We have increasing cases in the L.A. area, and so because of that it is going to have some delays in the Los Angeles region… I don’t want to say that it is going to be a switch on as quickly as it might be in other areas,” said Ann O’Leary, the governor’s chief of staff.
During the call, there was a discussion around how the cost of the new measures would impact the industry, resulting in businesses moving elsewhere. This was followed by a pitch for tax breaks that would attract more business which Newsom seemed to take onboard.
“I appreciate the need for this state to be more competitive in this space,” Newsom said. “We cannot rest on our laurels.”
Meanwhile, SAG is promoting self-filming with additional compensation.
Featured Image: Christian Joudrey