COVID - 19 SAFETY PROCEDURES
PRODUCTION STATEMENT
In an effort to create as safe as possible of a working environment for our cast and production team, The Show Must Go On production process followed a very strict set of COVID - 19 safety protocols. In order to not only maintain safety, but to also educate our students about the process of working in the professional entertainment industry and the procedures followed on a professional film set, the production followed the COVID - 19 safety protocols outlined in the “Return to Work” Agreement set in place by SAG – AFTRA (the Screen Actors Union) as well the standards required by the Actor’s Equity Association (the Stage Actors Union), the Stage Director & Choreographer Society (the Stage Director’s Union), IATSE (the Theatre Technician / Scenic Artist’s Union), and the safety protocols implemented by the Chippewa Falls School District and Chippewa County Department of Health.
While the goal is always to produce as high quality of a production as possible, the production team prioritized the safety of the cast and production personnel at all times. Here is a brief description of the process that was followed:
- Performers and production personnel wore masks during all rehearsals and maintained a minimum space of 6 feet apart while rehearsing and during any down time they had on filming days. Symptom checks were completed at the beginning of every rehearsal and filming session.
- Masks were only removed when a single performer appeared on screen by themselves. During times when masks were removed, the rest of the production team and cast left the recording space and only the director (who wore both a KN95 mask and face shield during such moments) remained in the space while still maintaining a 15 foot minimum distance from the maskless performer. Masks were left on until recording started and were put back on immediately when filming of the sequence was complete.
- Due to the added safety concerns with singing as outlined by the Actor’s Equity Association and SAG - AFTRA, all of the performers you see on the screen are lip syncing to pre recorded audio of their own voices. The singing vocals were recorded with the performers fully masked and the production team maintained a minimum 6 foot distance from the performer(s) while monitoring the recording.
- All set pieces, props, and equipment were fully sanitized in between each performer following the guidelines recommended by IATSE.
We hope you will understand the limitations put on us with this year’s restrictions.
The safety and well being of our students is always a top priority for the current production team of the Chippewa Falls High School Musical and at no time has that been more important than during this year’s musical. Any questions about the protocols followed can be addressed to the production’s director / production designer, Nate Plummer at info@stagedoorunlocked.com