Yesterday, members of the AICP Midwest held their second townhall, discussing the best practices for the safety of crew and everyone on set while filming. With the Chicago Film Office scheduled to begin issuing permits for filming on June 15, this was an important meeting as the Chicago film and TV industry prepares to get back to work.
In attendance were:
Moderators:
Qadree Holmes – Founder / Executive Producer Quriosity Productions
Marsie Wallach – Freelance Line Producer
Panel:
Tim Harris – DGA 1st AD
Sean Hennessy – Manager – Commercial & Corporate-Educational Contracts SAG-AFTRA Chicago
Kate Levinson – Founder – Levinson Locations
Theresa Khouri – Acting Central Region Director – ICG Local 600
Bradley Matthys – President – IATSE Local 476 Motion Picture Studio Mechanics
Jules Tomko – Gaffer / President – Essanay Studios
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A topic that permeated each subject was cost. The group acknowledged productions are going to be more expensive in the wake of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
Chicago-based Robert Stockwell asked, “At the intersection of safety and money, budgets have gotten smaller my entire career, how will we be able to AFFORD to be safe? Also, in regards to social equity how can we protect an industry that largely segregates along socioeconomic, gender, and racial lines? Big question, but our budgets have contracted massively, how do we pay for this when most brands/agencies don’t want to spend the money?”
