Will Covid-19 accelerate the process to innovate the way we produce?

The COVID-19 pandemic struck amid a TV boom that yielded more than 500 original scripted series in 2019 in the US alone. Considering the high stakes for studios and streaming platforms alongside the sheer magnitude of production in commercials and advertising, there is ample incentive to collaboratively establish strict guidelines for safe production. We expect these practices to become the norm from the time quarantine is lifted. With physical distancing expected to be a part of our lives for the unforeseeable future production guidelines will change. What will these guidelines look like?

First of all, job sites must be safe. We have to make sure that talent and crew feel safe on set. Of course, there are the standard policies everyone is talking about: testing, body temperature checks, providing protective wear and sanitizers. Cleaner, less crowded work areas are a priority. Sets are going to be closed, there must be mandatory hygiene training, and medical staff will be present during production. Specific holding areas are created for clients, crew, and talent. Access to sets will be carefully scheduled and monitored. Castings will be done virtually, and talent may have to learn to apply their make-up while being consulted or coached by a make-up artist. These new safety protocols will significantly inflate the production budget. There is a thought that there might be a cost-benefit when it comes to having a remote workforce and streamlining the pre-production phase. That means that client, director, production company and agency will need to be involved earlier in the creative process allowing for faster and more efficient decision-making.

Another priority is to take a ‘less is more’ approach. We should minimize crew and the number of people on set. We must also examine travel — do we always have to travel far and wide? The price of plane tickets will go up, and we should be very conscious about the effect our carbon footprint has on climate change. As for ‘on set behavior’ — no more wastefulness! We must implement strict policies when it comes to the accumulation of water bottles and other disposable materials. People are talking about single-serving pre-wrapped meals, but we should look into alternatives, like single-serving done by a designated catering crew. All snacks and drinks from the catering table should be handed out by one designated catering crew member and pre-wrapped meals will not be necessary. Heads of departments will have to function more autonomously. In the post-COVID-19 production world, we must urge everyone to work with sustainable, recyclable, and animal-friendly materials whenever possible. The next point is a little more ambitious, but worth addressing, we will have to explore the use of clean and alternative energy sources.

An issue that has an even bigger financial impact on the budget is insurance. Unless a producer was able to extend their yearly production insurance, or you are a studio, it’s virtually impossible in this current climate to greenlight a production. Currently, completion bonds and insurance companies are not underwriting productions. Covering a loss on a shutdown of production because a cast member gets ill, could put a company out of business. Producers will be struggling to commit to a 200% + increase in insurance fees, which could still exclude COVID-19. Film, TV and commercial productions are important to local and state economies so this has to be figured out. Production windows in advertising are much shorter — therefore, the risks of exposure are lower. We expect that contract revisions to COVID related incidents will be made. MikeTeeve has actively taken part in these discussions as millions of people are eager to go back to work.

On the flip side, the positive effect the lockdown is having on the environment is undeniable. The planet desperately needed some breathing-space and within weeks it was thriving. There have been reports of people who can see the snow-covered mountain peaks from their apartment windows for the first time in their lives. The oceans no longer look murky, and a cacophony of birdsongs have become the new soundtrack to our daily walks. No traffic jams, no smog, bright blue skies — it’s a wonderful thing to live in a technicolor reality. These positive environmental outcomes of the lockdown make us aware of the irrefutable link between human activities and our planet’s health. They go hand in hand. MikeTeevee feels very strongly about their ideals regarding ‘greener’ and more sustainable productions. We want to make sure that we don’t fall back into old habits once the lockdown is lifted. We will work hard to implement these values and minimize the negative impact on the environment in the way we produce.

As a production company, we must fully understand and respect our responsibility to adhere to government guidelines — we look forward to seeing the official regulations set for our industry. But, at the same time, we strongly believe that this is an opportunity to innovate and reconsider the ways we’ve operated in the past. Our business is one of creative vision, innovation and collaboration, so we’d like to invite and encourage you to join the conversation. Please share your ideas on how our industry can continue to thrive more consciously. We hope that working together with this view in mind will propel us into a more stable future.