Pre-Production

COVID-19 Protocols

Safety Training

  • All crew must attend COVID safety training workshops and crew drills during pre-production. It is incumbent on all crew members to thoroughly study and practice these safety protocols in advance of production.

Casting & Rehearsals

  • In-person auditions and callbacks are discouraged. If an in-person audition should take place, doing the audition outdoors is recommended, and any face-covering and physical distancing rules must be observed.
  • Casting local actors is encouraged, to reduce the risks and complications of bringing in people from outside of town.
  • For rehearsals, any face-covering and physical distancing rules must be observed for all involved.
  • Students are encouraged to have more rehearsal time with actors, to minimize the amount of rehearsing during the production day.

Location Scouting

  • Favor virtual scouting to minimize in-person scouting. 
  • Select known, controllable locations wherever possible. 
  • Report all in-person location scouts to the Head of Production in advance, including the address and the names of attendees.
  • Treat locations as if they are infected and use PPE accordingly. Do not touch items native to the location while scouting.
  • Have as much conversation outdoors as possible.
  • Give special consideration to size and space when assessing a location. Assume that you’ll need twice the amount of space than normal to accommodate the additional safety protocols.
  • Give special consideration to the ability to create a secure perimeter, so that there can be a controlled work area for the production. 
  • Assess: Is the location inhabited? Are any residents in a vulnerable category? Are any residents currently quarantined due to COVID exposure, posing a potential risk to cast and crew? 
  • Inquire if the location has any COVID safety protocols (e.g., mandatory use of face-coverings) that will need to be followed by the crew.
  • Use digital copies of paperwork to acquire signatures.

Tech Scouting

  • Report all tech scouts to the Head of Production in advance, including the address and the names of attendees.
  • Treat locations as if they are infected and use PPE accordingly. Do not touch items native to the location while scouting unless absolutely necessary.
  • Have as much conversation outdoors as possible.
  • Try to maximize space and air flow when selecting spaces.
  • Create a plan for maintaining a secure perimeter at the location for a controlled, closed work area, free from outsiders to the production.
  • Create a sanitization plan for the location: 
    • What surfaces need disinfecting? 
    • Who will be responsible for doing this? 
    • When and how frequently will it occur? 
  • Map out spaces for:
    • Parking – assuming more vehicles than usual;
    • Outdoor reception checkpoint – for clock-in and deliveries;
    • Base camp – which should not be moved during the day; 
    • Green room for first team – as close to set as possible;
    • Set(s) – where scenes will be shot;
    • Team spaces – for each department to work and stage gear;
    • Outdoor mask-free zone – with room for physical distancing;
    • Lunch – with room for physical distancing.
  • Assess and determine:
    • If any spaces will make physical distancing difficult for the necessary cast/crew;
    • Access to bathrooms and hand-washing/sanitizing stations;
    • Signage needs – e.g., directions to the reception checkpoint; directions to hand-washing stations; safety guidelines.
    • Whether any special considerations need to be made regarding air flow and/or HVAC, especially in Zone A areas.
    • How COVID might impact the emergency plan — e.g., the ability for people to evacuate or congregate.

Director’s Prep

  • All casting and locations must be locked prior to Director’s Prep.
  • Producer must present a robust safety plan for each location, using the COVID Addendum to the Location Hazard Assessment form.
  • Producer must present a robust safety plan for the execution of each individual set-up.
  • Prep faculty signs an authorization form if the show demonstrates a robust plan. May require follow-up action items to be addressed before green light.

Green Light Meeting

  • Producer presents relevant planning documents and authorization forms to the Head of Production in order to secure a green light.
  • Producer provides a list of cast, crew, and volunteers. Nobody else will be authorized to be in Zone B.

Production Meeting

  • Be sure to address COVID protocols in the meeting.
  • Holding the production meeting virtually or outdoors is recommended, especially on productions with larger crew sizes.