Task Force To Explore Film Industry Safety In Age Of Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES, CA — Councilman Mitch O'Farrell Wednesday introduced a motion to create a task force that would report on the safest ways for on- location filming to resume in Los Angeles, once the COVID-19 emergency orders are relaxed or lifted.

The "Bringing Back Hollywood Task Force" would be responsible for preparing reports on best practices to once again safely film in the city.

"I want to ensure that all levels of our economy return to a sense of normalcy as quickly and safely as possible -- especially our signature entertainment industry -- with all the necessary precautions to protect the health and wellbeing of our workforce," O'Farrell said. "This pandemic has brought the entire industry to a halt and we must prepare for a brisk, but refined and thoughtful, plan to bring Hollywood back once it is safe for productions to resume."

The motion requests the nonprofit FilmLA and the Office of Citywide Filming to prepare recommendations for forming the task force with industry experts, city departments and, if possible, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The task force would report to the City Council's Health, Education, Neighborhoods, Parks, Arts and River Committee within 30 days of its creation.

The motion requests FilmLA to prepare a report of best practices for on-location filming that takes into consideration the close proximity in which actors and production crews work on a film set.

FilmLA would also work with the city's General Services Department to prepare a report on how to design protocols on he use of city facilities for film locations. This would take into account the health, safety and welfare of productions and their crews as well as the city employees of the publicly owned buildings being used.

Calls to FilmLA were not immediately returned.

City News Service