HELPING OUR PEOPLE STAY SAFE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

As we return to production after lockdown, the safety of our cast, crew and contributors is our highest priority. In order to ensure the health and safety of our people during the continued pandemic we have carefully assessed the risks of COVID-19 during production with reference to government and industry guidance.

In order to reduce those risks identified, as far as reasonably practicable, we will implement a package of control measures that will be in place during all stages of our productions.

How we are keeping people safe:

We are focusing on the following areas to ensure we can manage the risks of infection from COVID-19, carrying out specific assessments where necessary.

IN OUR OFFICES:

Our staff is working from home unless access to the office is absolutely necessary. When returning to the office:

• Increased frequency of handwashing – whenever accessing the office.
• Workstations arranged to ensure 2m distance and avoiding face-to-face.
• Provision of hand gel, wipes and disinfectant for hands, keyboards, phones, printers.
• Open doors/windows regularly to ventilate space.
• Clear desk policies to help with ensuring a hygienic workplace.
• Avoid sharing personal objects such as pens and share digital copies rather than printouts.
• Meetings to be held digitally or outdoors as much as possible.
• Sanitise incoming items.

IN OUR PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES ON LOCATION:

• Keep the team as small as possible and minimise the number of crew/agency/cast on set at any one time.
• Reducing the number of people each person has contact with by using fixed teams.
• Ventilation to be kept during shoot, as well as increased hand-washing.
• The team is provided with masks, face shields and disposable gloves.
• Hydroalcoholic gel, medical grade alcohol disposable wipes (70%) and 70% Alcohol solution (suitable for both skin and surfaces) is available during shoot, as well as portable UV Disinfection device for small tools.
• Paper and printouts avoided during shoot. Documents to be circulated digitally only.
• Managing the sharing of work equipment which is key to production from cameras and tripods to lighting. Focusing on good hygiene and managing potential issues with touch-points:
  • Increase hand-washing, limit the number of people handling items, follow process for safe handling of items, wipe down cards and card cases on handover.
  • Sanitising wipes (70%) and Alcohol solution (70%) available during the shoot.
• No catering provided. Each team member to bring their own drinks, foods and cutlery. No unwrapped food or snacks to be left out.
• All waste to be disposed of properly in closed bags/containers.
• Any high contact surfaces to be cleaned during the shoot.
• Cast and crew must not share personal items, e.g. phones/iPads, chargers, pens, and to take responsibility for regularly disinfecting their own equipment.
• All crew to adhere to any safety guidelines or notices given on the day.
• Compliance will be monitored and if required people will be reminded of the new COVID-19 working practices (such as social distancing).

Interviews and studio shoots

• Social distancing – Interviews to be filmed on tele lenses only, which allow a greater distance between the camera team and the interviewee.
• Interviewees to enter the shooting space only when they are required for the actual shoot. During set-up time only the reduced team occupies the space.
• Microphones are disinfected between each interview.
• When a Lavalier / Lapel microphone is necessary:
  • It will be disinfected between each interview and once more at the start of the interview by a team member wearing gloves and using Medical Grade Wipes (70%).
  • Limit close proximity - Instructions will be provided to the Interviewee so they can place the lapel microphone themselves, to avoid close proximity.
  • If close proximity can't be avoided and a team member has to assist the interviewee with the adjustment of the microphone, the team member will wear gloves, FFP2 mask/face shield.
• Make-up: only used when strictly necessary and applied with single-use sponges by the interviewees themselves following instructions. If close proximity can't be avoided a team member will wear gloves, mask/face shield. Makeup kit is kept in sealable bags and disinfected/sterilised on UV device as appropriate.
• Interviewees will receive all documentation and releases to be signed digitally to avoid paper and pens.

Travel:

• Seeking to minimise travel requirements and follow social distancing principles within travel arrangements, wherever possible.
• When transport is provided by external companies, request cleaning protocol and driver's use of mask policy.
• Keeping the number of passenger as reduced as possible.
• Ventilation in vehicle, hand sanitizers and masks during trip.

Hired equipment

• When equipment is provided by external companies, their Covid-19 protocols are requested in advance. We allow extra time to process deliveries and disinfection.

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