header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 29
1928 - Little dam victim, thought unidentified & buried in SCV, actually ID'd & buried in Chatsworth [story]
Newhall Cowboys


| Monday, May 25, 2020
cameras
Actors from “Reno 911” mill about the set in between scenes during a February shoot outside the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, down the street from City Hall. Less than six weeks later, the entire industry was shut down due to restrictions from the L.A. County Department of Public Health. The industry is now working to see how the industry could safely return to work. | Photo: Gilbert Bernal / The Signal.

 

It was less than six months ago that cameras were rolling on film and TV productions all over the SCV, but it seems like much, much longer.

The January issue of the Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal hosted a roundtable discussion with a few of the leaders in the SCV filming industry.

One of the topics was another record-breaking year in terms of filming revenue for the city of Santa Clarita, which has prided itself on being a home to world-class productions decades before the famed “Thirty Mile Zone,” or TMZ as it’s now commonly referred to, was created. (The TMZ refers to the area stretching about 30 miles out from the intersection of West Beverly and North La Cienega boulevards, and Santa Clarita is included in this territory.)

The following month, the Oscars celebrated a handful of SCV productions that were nominated, including “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “Ad Astra,” which were both filmed locally.

And then March 20, the filming industry, like countless others, came to a grinding halt.

“People are trying to come up with plans for filming,” said Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, who’s also hosted several productions at his home. “When you have these large sets with 100-plus people at any given time, ‘How do you still function?’” he said, citing the issue all of the big-budget production managers are dealing with at the moment.

Changes coming

Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected Monday to announce new, long-anticipated guidelines for how safe filming can resume, although as of this past week, there’s been no date given for when it could reopen.

The impacts so far have been numerous, to people’s livelihood, to fresh content and to future productions, and that’s not expected to stop any time soon.

“There haven’t been any specific timelines, yet,” said FilmLA President Paul Audley, who also noted that as an agency contracting with the city and county of Los Angeles to permit, promote and retain filming, the agency would follow its cue from the Public Health Department. He also acknowledged lots of conversations from the guilds and unions that are discussing their own guidelines, as well, during the hiatus.

“Everybody is looking at everyone else in the world in trying to figure out what’s safe and what’s best for reopening the industry,” Audley said.

Looking for examples

In terms of emerging industry standards for filming, the British Broadcasting Company released guidelines this past Monday for how filming could safely resume for the broadcaster, which operates through a royal charter in the United Kingdom from tax revenues.

The 15-page document covers everything from how information about fighting COVID-19 should be displayed to how to introduce and identify someone who might be at “high risk,” for the person’s protection to encouragement on limiting the number of people involved in a production.

“Key considerations should be: minimize workers needed on site to complete the work activity; maximize technology to enable roles and activities to be done from home and remotely wherever possible; segregate people within the working area to minimize close contact and maintain social distancing as far as possible,” according to the initial BBC guidelines. (The guidelines can be found at bit.ly/FilmingGuidelines.)

And while one might expect the background scenes and support staff to notice a difference in operations, BBC officials are also asking for changes in the on-screen production, also, in the new guidelines.

“Changes to script and scenes to take into account social distancing,” according to the guidelines, which also call for a greater use of “‘green screens’ to ‘down the line’ to support minimizing numbers on production.”

The release also calls for boom or fixed mics to avoid contact and maintain a 6-foot distance, as well as call for performers to, when possible, do their own makeup, in addition to limiting the application of any on-set touch-ups of makeup. The document even mentions smaller details like not to “directly hand over outfits from wardrobe to actors/presenters.”

And in Santa Clarita ….

Evan Thomason, who took part in the now seemingly long-ago Business Journal roundtable as economic development associate for Santa Clarita, who oversees the city’s Film Office, has been leading a crew that was working from home for about two months of the county’s “Safer at Home” order.

Last year, the city brought in an estimated $36 million in revenue to city coffers through impacts associated with filming, which is one of the reasons his team is looking forward to the safe return of the industry.

If the initial discussions bear out, what we could see on our streaming devices the same time next year could be very different indeed, based on what Thomason heard during a more recent roundtable call with agencies similar to his own from around the world.

In addition to the United Kingdom, China and Australia appear to be slightly ahead on the return to filming timeline.

“They’re not writing scenes where people have to be intimate or next to each other … They’re using camera tricks to cheat on proximity,” Thomason said, sharing a few of the suggestions that came from the international call.

“We’re waiting to see like everyone else,” Thomason said. “So when L.A. County allows that particular (permit) use again, we are fully prepared to start issuing permits.”

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1928 - Little dam victim, thought unidentified & buried in SCV, actually ID'd & buried in Chatsworth [story]
Newhall Cowboys
Los Angeles County Public Works is updating the Los Angeles County Bicycle Master Plan.
April 16:  County Bicycle Master Plan Virtual Community Meeting
College of the Canyons mens golf got back on track during its return to conference play on Monday, carding a five-man score of 370 to top the eight-team field at Brookside Golf Course and maintain its unblemished conference mark.
Cougars Win Again, Keep Conference Streak
Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector, reminds property owners that the second installment of the 2023-24 Annual Secured Property Taxes becomes  delinquent if not received by 5 p.m. Pacific Time or United States Postal Service postmarked on or before Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
County Treasurer Reminds Property Owners of April 10 Due Date
Local nonprofit Fostering Youth Independence is seeking “Allies” to support Santa Clarita youth who are aging out of the L.A. County foster care system.
April 16: FYI Seeks Volunteers To Pair With Local Foster Youth
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health today unveiled the latest L.A. County Health Survey, which gathers vital data on health behaviors, conditions, neighborhood settings, and the needs of L.A .County residents, informing future public health policies and programs.
Public Health Unveils the 2023 L.A. County Health Survey Findings
Due to the projected rain forecast, Eggstravaganza will now be held indoors at the Canyon Country Community Center beginning promptly at 10 a.m. on March 30.
March 30: Eggstravaganza Now Being Held Indoors at Canyon Country Community Center
To support the mental health of California's young people, the California Department of Public Health awarded $25 million to 28 tribal and community-based organizations across the state.
California Announces $25 Million in Awards for Youth Mental Health
The College of the Canyons Athletic Department will host a dedication ceremony to unveil the Michele Jenkins Softball Team Room in honor of the longtime board member and ardent softball program supporter’s nearly 40 years of service to the district.
April 16: COC to Host Michele Jenkins Team Room Dedication Ceremony
PFLAG Santa Clarita has announced the establishment of the Peggy and Jeff Stabile PFLAG SCV Scholarship. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to LGBTQIA+ students pursuing higher education and committed to advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights and promoting diversity and inclusion.
PFLAG SCV Announces Stabile PFLAG Scholarship
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
SCVNews.com