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Leading figures in the UK film production sector said Variety Fridays that continue to have absolute faith in the measures that are being taken to keep the cast and crew safe from COVID-19 on British sets. Production on “The Batman” has reportedly resumed at Warner Bros. studios in Leavesden, UK, albeit without the presence of star Robert Pattinson, according to the Daily Mail. On Thursday, Pattinson was diagnosed with COVID- 19 and has to isolate itself for 14 days.
The Mail report claims that director Matt Reeves is trying to finish most of the filming without Pattinson, including scenes with the actor’s body double. Variety Warner Bros. has been contacted for comment.
On Thursday, Ann Sarnoff, head of WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, declined to comment on details, citing privacy concerns.
Meanwhile, the UK industry is confident that crews are observing the COVID-19 protocols that were released by the British Film Commission in late May. “We know UK productions rigorously follow the BFC Guide with robust health and safety procedures, including strict testing regimes, so any coronavirus case can be quickly identified and proper self-isolation procedures applied,” Adrian Wootton, Executive Director of the British Film Commission and Film London, said Variety.
“We are confident that with all measures in place, any production will resume filming as soon as it is safe to do so. We also believe that this will not affect the continuity of production in the UK, precisely because we have such strong health and safety measures in place, allowing our high-end film and television sector to function again. “
“The behavior of the UK cast and crew has been exemplary,” said Lyndsay Duthie, CEO of the Production Guild of Great Britain. Variety. “Wanting to get back to work, everyone has taken the comprehensive measures required of them, and as a result, many productions have returned to set and been filmed safely for weeks. When we have seen productions abroad where a cast or crew member has tested positive, precautions have been taken to allow them to start filming again as soon as they are clear on everything. “
The UK crew has also had access to free training modules offering practical advice on staying safe in the context of the pandemic provided by ScreenSkills, and some 20,000 people have already used it. “Productions have taken this issue very seriously and we know that everyone is working hard to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks during filming,” said ScreenSkills CEO Seetha Kumar. Variety. “We collaborate with industry and health and safety experts to develop a free basic coronavirus awareness online on production training to support available guidance.”
Additionally, the Production Guild is working on a tailored program targeting senior production staff who are taking on a COVID supervisor role, which will be announced next week. “This will be a definitive guide to standardizing this vital new area in production to world-class standards,” said Duthie.
ScreenSkills is also running a safe comeback to set up seminars to share the experience of those who have already returned to pre-production or production and are developing more advanced training. “None of this removes the threat of people getting sick, but recognizes that everyone can play their part in trying to prevent outbreaks on set or on location,” said Kumar.
There’s also the issue of crew morale taking a hit when a high-profile member of the team, like Pattinson, is diagnosed with the virus, shortly after resuming stagnant production. “Production teams are tough as proven and will always find innovative ways to move forward,” says Duthie. “I think it’s more of a feeling of frustration when we’ve all worked so hard to meet comprehensive measures.”
Although it is not immediately clear what type of insurance “The Batman” has, it is unlikely that COVID-19 will be covered by any existing policy. “What we’re seeing is all insurers are making sure there is specific wording to exclude COVID coverage,” said Kris Barnfather, senior account executive at Eggar Forrester Insurance. Variety.
Production of “The Batman” draws on the UK government’s $ 647 million movie and television insurance fund that was announced in July. The fund is available for all productions where at least 50% of the budget is spent in the UK. Eligible productions will receive compensation for costs caused by coronavirus delays up to a value of 20% of the production budget. The productions abandoned by coronavirus will be covered up to 70% of the production budget. There is a total production claim limit of $ 6.65 million.
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