Actors should wear face masks when they are not in front of the camera, hair-stylists and make-up artistes must wear PPEs and visitors or audience should not be allowed on sets, according to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) announced by the Centre on Sunday for resuming shooting of films and TV programmes.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the SOPs are prepared after taking into account the international experience and in consultation with the Ministries of Home Affairs (MHA) and Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
Shooting for films and TV serials was suspended following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, impacting the livelihood of tens of thousands of people working in the entertainment industry.
While no shooting will be allowed in containment zones, the SOPs said employees who are at higher risk, such as older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions, should not be exposed to frontline work requiring contact with the public. Production teams should ensure that only a minimum cast and crew is deployed during shooting.
Face covers or masks will be mandatory for the cast and crew, except for actors in front of the camera. Sharing of costumes, wigs and make-up items should be kept at a minimum while hair-stylists and make-up artists should use PPEs while artistes should be encouraged to do their hairstyling and make-up remotely with the help of professionals.
Personnel handling shared equipment should wear gloves while lapel mics may be avoided and never shared. The direct diaphragm of mics should also be avoided.
Physical distancing of at least six feet should be followed as far as possible at all locations -- shooting locations, sound recording studios, editing rooms etc -- at all times, while sitting, standing in queues, among others.
Scenes, sequences, set-ups, camera locations, positions of various crew members, seating arrangements, food and catering arrangements, staggered meal timings should be planned while giving due consideration to physical distancing norms.
Visitors should not be allowed on sets while the production team also should coordinate with local authorities to manage spectators during outdoor shootings.
Resting or stay-over facilities should be planned while adhering to physical distancing guidelines while staggered call and pack-up timings for different production units should be ensured by studios having multiple sets.
Common locations such as sets, cafeteria, make-up rooms, edit rooms, vanity vans, wash-rooms should be sanitised regularly. Sanitisation, to the extent possible, before and after the shoot should be done, the SOPs said.