Entertainment Industry Unions and Studios Release “White Paper” Post-Pandemic Plan

Unions release 22-page “white paper” detailing recommendations for reopening protocols

Hollywood studios and production unions have released a 22-page-long “white paper” blueprint with recommendations on how to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic. It was delivered on Monday, June 2 to both New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health also received a copy of the blueprint.

The white paper was created by the Industry-Wide Labor Management Safety Committee Task Force, a collaboration between multiple production companies, unions and guilds. According to Variety, this particular IWLMSC task force consists of 50 or so participants from major studios and unions, including SAG-AFTRA, the DGA, and IATSE.

In a summarizing statement, SAG-AFTRA said:

This document is an initial set of principles and guidelines that we all agree form a relevant and realistic first step to protecting cast and crew in the reopening of the entertainment and media industry in its two largest markets. As we have reported previously, our draft protocols are being developed with advice and input from our epidemiologist and industrial sanitation experts, with guidance from member leaders, staff, our fellow unions and labor relations and sanitation officials. Our protocols will be completed and released in the coming days.

The Recommendations

The guidelines say that PPE should be available to all cast and crew, and that sets should be designated into “zones”, if possible, to help aid in physical distancing. Electronic screening, manual screening, and temperature spot-checks are recommended to monitor the cast and crew. Productions are urged to frequently remind their workers that those who test positive for COVID-19 will not be allowed to continue working on-set. This is to prevent greater production delays, shutdowns, and new waves of the virus.

“…[T]he Committee is recommending that first, every member of the cast and crew be tested for active Covid-19 infection before their first day of work to ensure they are not shedding the virus,” said Thomas Schlamme and Russell Hollander, the President and National Executive Director of the DGA, respectively. “Cast and crew members should then be subject to regular testing protocols during the course of their work on the production.”

The white paper asks that social distancing be mandated at all possible times, “except when doing so is incompatible with one’s job duties.” An example would be make-up artists and hairstylists doing work on their performers, or the performers themselves interacting while on-set. In such cases, the white paper recommends the use of all available personal protective equipment (PPE), more frequent testing, and proper hand hygiene.

The blueprint also recommends the elimination of craft service buffets, suggesting a focus on snacks and individually-packaged meals instead.

A new role

The white paper suggests establishing the role(s) of a COVID-19 Compliance Officer, to help relay this information and enforce the guidelines on the sets. To quote the white paper:

Specific duties and responsibilities of the COVID-19 Compliance Officer(s) may include, but are not limited to, overseeing and monitoring physical distancing, testing, symptom monitoring, disinfecting protocols, and PPE education, protocols and adherence and such other duties as may be determined by the employer. A COVID-19 Compliance Officer shall be accessible in the workplace at all times during work hours and all personnel should have access to the COVID-19 Compliance Officer(s). All cast and crew shall be informed who the COVID-19 Compliance Officer is and how to contact him or her.

Concrete Solutions…?

As labeled above, these points are all just “suggestions” at this time. This white paper is not an official bill but rather just a set of guidelines given to help instigate legislation down the road. It also does not give a specific timeline nor monetary budget for what these changes will cost.

“The intent of this White Paper is to establish recommendations for governments to authorize the safe resumption of motion picture and television production activities within their jurisdiction,” the paper said. “These guiding principles may evolve over time.”

The Unions, Guilds, and other employers that are a part of this collaboration are also said to be working on extra protocols and safety regulations that will affect specific portions of the production pipeline. SAG-AFTRA in particular says they will release their protocols in the coming days.

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 1.8 million cases within the United States, including over 105,000 related deaths. The World Health Organization reports over 6.1 million cases of the virus worldwide (124,000 of which are new) and more than 376,000 deaths.

Keep abreast on our reporting of the outbreak as it pertains to the entertainment industry here. Stay inside if you can, stay healthy, and stay safe.

Leave your thoughts on the entertainment industry’s “white” paper recommending post-pandemic reopening protocols (via Variety) and this article below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more movie news can visit our Movie News Page and our Movie News Twitter Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Flipboard.