UK Film And TV Industry Set To Relax Covid-19 Production Protocols In Line With Boris Johnson’s ‘Living With Covid’ Plan

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: The UK film and TV industry’s stringent Covid-19 protocols are to be relaxed in line with Boris Johnson’s Living With Covid plan, which will see an end to virtually all mandated restrictions.Adrian Wootton, CEO of The British Film Commission (BFC), which governs the protocols for film and high-end TV, told Deadline a consultation will take place in due course in relation to his organization’s Working Safely During Covid-19 in Film and High-end TV Drama Production guidance.This guidance, which isn’t legally binding but acts as a framework, sets out best practice in areas such as travel, mask-wearing, equipment and first aid.Meanwhile, Deadline understands consultation is underway on an eighth version of the wider TV sector’s pan-industry guidelines, which governs other genres such as entertainment, comedy and reality.Both sets of guidelines will likely be updated to take into account broader societal changes in terms of living with Covid, and moving forwards they will still feature some form of  best practice for TV production, Deadline understands.Some producers have already started relaxing protocols in anticipation of the move, with one senior source working on a big budget U.S.

drama filming in the UK telling Deadline cast and crew have dropped their number of weekly tests from three to two, along with the requirement to wear masks outdoors while on set.Along with the £500M ($680M) Film & TV Production Restart Scheme, the protocols, which were forged by a cross-section of industry figures, are recognized as having been crucial for getting production up-and-running again after the first lockdown’s near-total shutdown.But implementing them is time-costly and tends to add around 20% to a show’s budget,