Blumhouse Productions Planning For Film Shoot on Universal Lot As COVID-19 Pandemic Drags On

Blumhouse will reportedly shoot a small-budget film despite no guaranteed insurance

Hollywood is itching to get back to work as these pandemic re-openings start to unfold. Some creatives, like producer Jason Blum, are jumping in with much fervor, as a source close to Universal Pictures says his genre-focused company is planning a shoot on the studio’s lot.

“Blumhouse productions, specifically, are typically smaller and require a lighter crew, shorter shoots and limited location work,” said the source. “[It’s] part of the reason we can consider a fully on-location production on the studio’s sprawling lot.”

That’s not to say that Blumhouse and Universal won’t be enforcing safety procedures. The cast and crew would reportedly stay in a nearby hotel and more risk-averse features – like craft services – would be eliminated.

“Blumhouse and Universal aren’t moving forward with any plans until we get the green light from city, county and public-health officials,” the source added. “None of this preproduction planning work is being conducted on the lot itself. A small team of filmmakers and studio executives are currently working on those plans remotely. Safety of everyone involved is a huge priority, and nobody wants to rush into anything.”

And rushing into things they shan’t, as California is still under a stay-at-home order outside of essential businesses. The state has moved into the very beginning of Phase 2 of their Pandemic Roadmap, which focuses on reopening low-risk workplaces. However, industry sets and studios are not included in that classification.

So, despite that eagerness, it might be a while before Blumhouse’s new project actually starts filming.

“There will be a lot we’ll be able to learn from this when the time comes as we think about starting up other productions,” said the source.

The Insurance Question

The biggest surprise over this announcement is that the reportedly $6.5-million-budgeted film will start production without insurance.

Multiple insurance companies are refusing to cover the reopening of businesses, including film projects, with coronavirus-related stoppages as a remaining liability. Given the hundreds of claims for stopped productions processed over the past few weeks, insurance companies are awarding coverage on a very case-by-case basis.

While Blumhouse may have the backing of Universal, a Big Six studio, to help them out if production stalls, many other independent projects do not have that sort of safety net. The Hollywood Reporter describes insurance as an utmost necessity, especially for productions who require bank financing and completion bonds to secure their funding.

Many critics are comparing this situation to the post-9/11 era, when insurers refused to provide productions with terrorism insurance. At that time, the MPAA and IFTA joined other industries to pressure Congress into passing the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which “required insurers to cover a percentage of losses in the event of terrorism.” Some representatives, such as Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Carol Maloney (D-NY) are working on efforts to pass similar bills through Congress right now, but others are worried it will face partisan pushback.

Novel Coronavirus Update

The novel coronavirus, resulting in the COVID-19 disease, has affected governments and industries all throughout the world. As of this writing, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports just over 1.48 million cases within the United States, including over 89,000 related deaths. The World Health Organization reports over 4.6 million cases of the virus worldwide (100,000 of which are new) and more than 312,000 deaths.

Keep abreast on our reporting of the outbreak as it pertains to the entertainment industry here. You can also watch IndieWire’s listing for more frequent updates. Stay inside, stay healthy, and stay safe.

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