Producers of Hollywood blockbusters such as The Batman and the next Fantastic Beasts film have been awarded the go-ahead to restart after the UK government and health bodies signed off on coronavirus security rules filming.
The approval of these guidelines paves the way for the UK’s film and television production that is a high-end industry, which includes series that price #1m-plus per incident, for cameras rolling again possibly as July.
The resumption of production, which ground to a halt will be warmly welcomed streaming services by broadcasters and cinema owners facing a possible content drought.
It will also be welcome information to thousands of self-employed freelance film and TV employees, from directors and camera operators to prop makers and makeup artists, who have been qualified for government financial aid and trying hard to make ends meet.
The guidelines include rules on distancing, safety training, and temperature evaluations.
The document has been signed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive. It will be up to each production to decide how, and if, to restart filming.
The culture secretary, Oliver Dowden said”We’ve worked hard to support the business through these difficult times and I am delighted we have been able to agree on this measure forward towards obtaining the cameras rolling safely again.”
Warner Bros, which is starring The Batman starring Robert Pattinson in the title role — along with the next installment of this amazing Beasts franchise in the UK, is understood to be eager to resume production as soon as is possible. Significant productions in the UK include the big-budget series The Witcher of Netflix, and the movie Little Mermaid, which Disney halted filming at Pinewood Studios.
“This is a green light that indicates that the UK is open for business again for movie and high-end TV production,” said an industry source. “Many productions have to get up and running in the following two months or they won’t get made this year since they rely on summer weather and requirements.”
The creation of major films and TV shows was closed down because mid-March, when Line of Duty and Peaky Blinders, two of the most popular shows on British tv, were the first UK productions to suspend filming.
Last month, the UK’s biggest broadcasters, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky, consented guidelines endorsed by the DCMS to restart filming popular programs including Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, and Top Gear. Stocks of episodes of the country’s favorite soaps were quickly running out, despite broadcasters rationing them since the lockdown started in March.
The UK is one of the most significant movies and TV locations on the planet using a list #3.6bn spent on making more than 300 films and high-end TV productions this past year. The sum spent on film production from the UK hit #1.95bn, the second-highest on record, on 188 productions. The lion’s share of this, #1.4bn, was spent by major Hollywood studios making only 21 blockbusters, such as James Bond: No Time To Die and Sam Mendes’ 1917.
The streaming wars are currently proving to be the primary driver of a brand new manufacturing boom. High-end TV production shows costing over #1m an episode to make — soared by 29 percent last year to #1.66bn.
Last week, Cineworld, the world’s second-largest theater series with 128 venues in the UK and Ireland, said it plans to reopen in July as the authorities ease coronavirus lockdown steps.
Cineworld, which has 787 venues worldwide, is hoping to reopen in time for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, scheduled for release on 17 July, followed by the Disney blockbuster Mulan.
The chain has acknowledged the cinema-going encounter will change with physical distancing and hygiene principles.
“Cineworld has put in place procedures to ensure a safe and pleasurable cinema experience for its customers and employees,” the company stated.
Vue, one of Europe’s largest theatre operators, has also said it plans to reopen in July with measures including physically isolating family groups and staggering film times to reduce crowding.
Vue has previously said other measures could include reducing the capacity of each movie screening and controlling exits and entrances.
In Berlin, 1 theatre ripped seats out to make sure distancing between members of their crowd. Some theatre operators have set up plastic screens between chairs.
A small-scale reopening of cinemas in China in mid-March was abruptly halted by the authorities amid fears of another wave of coronavirus infections.
