News|June 4, 2020
COVID-19 Safety Measures
At Starling Productions, we’ve practiced safety on set before safety was cool.
Every job starts with a mandatory daily safety meeting for clients, cast and crew — whether it’s a team of two or fifty. While I pride myself on keeping it light, and even a little fun — safety is serious business. Having earned numerous safety certifications including a union Safety Passport, safety measures have always been a point of pride for me. Last year while doing production work for Charter Communications / Spectrum, the executives from their corporate offices thanked me for the safety meeting and for making it fun and interesting. It illustrated to me that our clients, cast and crew truly do care about safety on set too.
Now that safety is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it’s important to explain the procedures and tools we’ve added to our safety plans. I make a point to empower everyone on set, from the intern to executive, that we’re all responsible and accountable for safety. Every voice is heard when it comes to safety, now more than ever.
While COVID-19 has changed many processes for our industry, I’m proud that safety and health protocols have always been of the highest importance at Starling Productions. So, as we all return to work, we are confident that the combination of our existing safety programs and new protocols will make it simple and easy for us to jump in and get back to work!
The steps we’re taking in addition to the typical safety measures we’ve used for years are:
All clients, cast and crew will be encouraged to wear masks when appropriate, mandatory for some positions and keep appropriate social distance while on set according to current CDC and official local health guidelines.
All of our cameras, lighting, audio and other equipment will be cleaned and sanitized before and after every shoot. The viewfinders of our cameras have chamois eyepiece protectors, which are replaced daily or anytime anyone other than the camera operator puts their eye into the viewfinder.
No-Touch Temperature checks will be used to test to all clients, cast and crew at the beginning of every shoot day and offered throughout the day for anyone requesting a recheck according to current CDC and official local health guidelines.
Walkie talkies and headsets will be disinfected before and after every job.
Our Safety Kit will be outfitted with enough hand sanitizer, nitrile gloves and masks for the entire duration of the shoot.
Safety is nothing new to us. We’re excited to get back to work with fully packed safety kits.