Initial commercial production was temporarily halted in Southern California because of the outbreak of coronavirus outbreaks in the region, with immediate effect. The main studios and streamers, meanwhile, are already on a production hiatus in Southern California until mid-January. The agreement to stop local commercial production was announced tonight by SAG-AFTRA, the Producer Guild of America and the Joint Policy Committee of the Association of National Advertisers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies.
“Southern California hospitals are facing a crisis like we’ve never seen before,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “Patients are dying in ambulances waiting for treatment because the hospital’s emergency rooms are full. This is not a safe environment for personal production right now. “
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David White, the union’s national executive director, said that “Even setting aside the risk of acquiring Covid on set – a risk we’ve done a lot to mitigate through our security protocols – production on set always presents some risk of injuries, whether due to a maneuver that went wrong, equipment failure or a fall in the garden. At the moment, with few or no hospital beds available, it is difficult to understand how an injured worker on the set should seek treatment. I would like to thank JPC and PGA for their efforts to strengthen security measures for everyone, and we recognize and appreciate the large studios and other producers who have proactively stepped up and postponed their production during this emergency. “
White added that “It is very difficult to say now when the situation can improve, but we are monitoring it closely and will ensure that our members have the information they need to make the best possible decisions to protect themselves and our community.”
In a message to their members, PGA presidents, Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, said: “We take the health and safety of our members, cast, team and community very seriously. As a result of Covid’s sudden increase and the hospital’s lack of capacity, we encourage everyone filming in Southern California to delay production until county health officials indicate that it is safe to resume. While we realize that these are difficult times and this is a difficult decision, producers must and must serve as leaders both in our productions and in the community at large. Hopefully, we’ll be back to work soon. “
Stacy Marcus, chief negotiator for the Joint Policy Committee, said that “commercial producers are strongly encouraged to reschedule their production in the Southern California area for a later date when the hospital’s capacity crisis subsides. It is simply too great a risk for executors, staff and industry personnel to continue production knowing that hospitals are in crisis mode and the number of cases continues to increase ”.