British Film Commission updates COVID-19 production guidance in line with UK Government policy

Today, the British Film Commission, in consultation with industry, has updated its Working Safely During COVID-19 in Film and High-end TV Drama Production guidance, to reflect UK Government’s Living with COVID-19  plan.

The revised guidance aims to help productions in continuing to manage the risk of COVID-19 as part of their Health and Safety considerations and provides advice on sensible precautions to take to support their cast and crew, including advice on Mental Health and Wellbeing on set. The British Film Commission will continue to review this guidance in line with changes to Government regulations and the evolution of industry practices.

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of the British Film Commission said:
“As the world learns to live with COVID-19, the BFC’s Working Safely During COVID-19 in Film and High-end TV Drama Production guidance remains an essential tool in keeping crew and cast safe and productions working. This guidance has been instrumental in enabling our sector to continue working throughout the pandemic. Its practices are established and observed, and in many cases voluntarily exceeded, by studios and productions, who all seek to keep the safety, health and mental wellbeing of cast, crew and community a key priority. We will continue to update this guidance and keep it under review in consultation with Government and our industry partners.”

BFC’s Working Safely During COVID-19 in Film and High-end TV Drama Production guidance was originally created in Spring 2020 by the British Film Commission in consultation with crew and crew representatives, UK and US film and HETV production executives, industry bodies in all four nations of the UK and in consultation with the UK Government, UK Health Security Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

Used alongside the productions’ own COVID-19 protocols and production-specific risk assessment, it is intended to provide high- level guidance to manage COVID-19 specific risk in producing film and high-end TV drama in the UK.

Productions based in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales should additionally check for the relevant devolved Government guidance as it may be different to that set out by the UK Government. In addition, productions should always consider whether there are local restrictions in place where they are filming.

–ENDS–

For further press information, please contact:
Haylie Read, Head of PR and Marketing, British Film Commission
E: haylie.read@britishfilmcommission.org.uk
M: +44 (0)7787 254 250

Notes to Editors

About the British Film Commission’s Working Safely During COVID-19 in Film and High-end TV Drama Production guidance:

BFC’s Working Safely During COVID-19 in Film and High-end TV Drama Production guidance was originally created in Spring 2020 by the British Film Commission in consultation with crew and crew representatives, industry bodies, unions and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and in consultation with UK Government, UK Health Security Agency and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

From version 13.0 onwards, this guidance builds on Government’s Living with COVID-19 plan, and in some areas advises measures which may go beyond those set out in Government guidance. Readers should also be aware of any requirements made by devolved Governments which are different to those set out by the UK Government.

Download the latest version of the guidance.

About the British Film Commission:

The British Film Commission (BFC) is the UK Government’s national organisation responsible for international film and television production in the UK. Funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for International Trade and the BFI, the BFC leads on:

• Maximising and supporting the production of major international feature film and high-end television in the UK;
• Strengthening and promoting the UK’s film and television infrastructure;
• Liaising between the Government and the film and television industry on policy issues that impact on production.

With offices in the UK and the US, the BFC provides free tailored production support at the highest level, from the earliest stages of development through to post-production, including guidance on the UK’s lucrative film and television tax reliefs and assistance with sourcing key crew, talent, facilities and locations.

The BFC has industry sponsors who form the membership of the agency’s innovative public/private partnership: Angels Costumes, Bray Film Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, Harbottle & Lewis, HBO, Movie Makers, Netflix, Pinewood Studios, Saffery Champness, Warner Bros., 3 Mills Studios, BBC Studios, DNEG, Elstree Studios, FirstStage Studios, Framestore, MPC, The Bottle Yard Studios and Working Title.

The BFC is the national division of Film London.

www.britishfilmcommission.org.uk
Twitter: @FilmInUK_BFC
Linkedin: British Film Commission

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