COVID-safe shoots call for a new level of planning. Here’s what we’ve learned.
distillery recently delivered a social media campaign for Gifflar, a Swedish FMCG brand under Arden Foods. The production brief? Film on location with a number of families in typical everyday scenarios like working from home.
In this new normal, shoots call for a new level of planning. Keeping the cast and crew safe is one thing, keeping it COVID-safe is another. Gone are the days when you could put together a medium-sized shoot at the drop of the hat.
As brands have flocked online and to social media throughout the pandemic, looking for quick and easy marketing solutions, content studios in this space have been busy with briefs. The go-to? Often, it’s motion graphics, animation, and editing. Many have used the “record a virtual meeting” approach, having actors essentially film themselves as a lo-fi solution. The question of doing an actual shoot, is considered. But how easy is it to shoot in these times?
A COVID-safe shoot needs to run like a well-oiled machine
The global pandemic has no doubt shaken up the production industry. From video calls becoming the norm in broadcast TV to commercials using selfie or mobile video approaches, we’ve seen firsthand that the show does indeed go on. With guidance from production houses and unions like Bectu in mind, we went to work to film our latest client campaign.
Though we were looking at a medium-sized shoot with only around 25 people attending, we needed it to run like a well-oiled machine in order to deliver a great piece of work while keeping everyone safe.
We came up with very specific shooting strategies and guidelines from the very outset. This included casting real families so they wouldn’t have to socially distance on set, choosing locations that were spacious enough to accommodate all the added requirements, and explaining the tech setup - one that would allow our clients to view the filming process offsite. Underpinning all of this of course, was the decision to keep health and safety officers and paramedics on standby throughout the shoot. After exploring all of our options, we agreed on an approach before the pre-production meeting.
Key updates, every step of the way
Internal production meetings became even more important with this shoot. We organised them every day to ensure that, as things changed or were finalised, everyone was clear on the implications. This helped to keep the team and our client informed on what to expect, and aware of any adjustments to the filming approach along the way.
Meticulous location scouting
When it came to recce-ing our locations (visiting them before filming to make sure everything is ready for the big day), we added COVID-specific points on top of the project criteria. Together with the director and crew, we helped to identify any potential risks, preparing a record for insurance cover, and in this case, we included COVID-related risks as well.
Special processes and rules
On the shoot days themselves, our production crew organised temperature checks on arrival, we had sanitisation stations and scheduled hand sanitizing breaks, and all crew members wore personal protective equipment (PPE).
On location (at a house for one film and a park for another), only key crew were allowed in the shoot space, and all maintained social distancing guidelines. On the day we filmed at the park location, we had security on site to make sure the public were aware of cordoned-off areas. Crew members who needed to be in close proximity to the cast were required to wear visors and aprons.
Meanwhile, instead of the buffet tables that production crews are used to sharing on set, we organised mobile hot boxes for catering.
Lastly, the approval process was managed via a YouTube Live link, where our client could view our team filming in real time. To share feedback, they video called us via Google Meet.
As long as we’re willing to learn and adapt, it’s all still possible
As a producer, I’m a bit like a shepherd, taking the client, director, and account manager on the production journey with the rest of the crew. I relied on the Advertising Producers Association’s guidelines for COVID-19, which equipped me with a) the key information to give each party on the journey and b) space to oversee production with ease. Our robust production team made up of production managers and assistants was also well-versed in these guidelines.
While there are a lot of concerns around filming at the moment, and lots of new restrictions, it’s still possible to go out and film. I think it will be interesting to see how the current guidelines around filming evolve as the pandemic circumstances change. As a producer, however, my skill set is always evolving, and that’s one thing that’s not going to change. I think of the shift from broadcast to online - it always seems impossible until it’s done. And the way we’re readjusting our approach to filming due to COVID-19 proves just this.