CMU School of Drama


Friday, October 02, 2020

Filming halted on Vancouver TV productions due to COVID-19 testing delays

www.citynews1130.com: Just weeks after filming resumed, some major productions have been halted around Vancouver because of delays in processing COVID-19 tests.

NEWS 1130 has independently confirmed that Riverdale and Batwoman have had production temporarily suspended due to this issue.

9 comments:

Akshatha Srivastava said...

I think delaying the filming was a good call by the producers and Vancouver TV. I have noticed that as many industries are starting to open up again in full swing, numbers have been growing at a scary rate. These shows will definitely take a huge financial hit from having to delay production however I think that is a lot better than having a potential COVID outbreak that can halt production and put people's lives at risk. I have also heard a lot about testing coming back with false positives or false negatives with rapid testing increasing the chance of false results coming back. I do think the struggling industry is very much hurting the economy and the thousands of people that are employed by this company. I am curious in how these large companies are treating their employees during this pandemic and hope there has not been mass layoffs. I also hope that employees will be treated well once this pandemic is over and are not overworked by companies that want to make up for the financial loss they have experienced.

Hadley Holcomb said...

Even though the delay will cause many problems in the industry, the delay was the right thing to do. Without being sure about whether or not the cast and crew are safe there is no way for the companies to ethically continue their work. I am sure that this delay will put both financial stress on the companies and time stress on their schedules. However, taking the time to make sure that they are protecting their employees is very important. It will mean a disappointment for fans of the shows, and personally I see some of my favorites on the list of those affected. But, I would so much rather see a headline about a delay in filming than a headline about a halt in filming due to a cover case or outbreak among the cast and crew because of negligence and haste. So while I know that it will annoy both the fans and the companies I hope that they will take every precaution in ensuring the safety and health of their employees during the break and during filming.

Taylor Boston said...

While a delay was the right thing to do, I am equal parts not surprised and also just over hearing news like this. It is interesting that this was due to testing delays though. I'm not sure why they think that they could potentially get large amounts of tests done in a timely fashion when they can't even do that for universities and other such places. However it's slightly better to read about the halting of a filming due to testing delays as opposed to hearing that people have gotten sick. I haven't really seen people chomping at the bit for new tv shows (instead I have seen people going through years of backlogs and just diving into old shows) so I think that companies should take the time to wait for more tests instead of attempting to push forward when they hear the slightest news that they can get away with filming. The last line of the article made me pause because the idea of several fully casted and staffed shows working in an area means an increase of foot traffic which means a potential increase of virus spreading, so I am happy to hear they halted filming.

Unknown said...

I think it was absolutely the correct decision to pause production in order to get COVID-19 testing back and completely correctly. While obviously it will be frustrating to have to deal with this, it is likely the best decision in the long run. It is inevitable that as each industry begins to return back to some type of normal, there will be issues and elements that do not go perfectly from the start. However, it is promising to see that instead of just pushing forward, the Vancouver industry is in close contact with the Canadian government and working to help ensure that COVID-19 is not further spread. Hopefully, these issues with testing delays do not persist and there is increased speed and efficiency in the future, but overall it does seem like the right decisions are being made. I do hope that as the entertainment industry begins to come back in the United States, that the same caution and patience is exercised.

Bridget G said...

I think it was absolutely the correct decision to pause production in order to get COVID-19 testing back and completely correctly. While obviously it will be frustrating to have to deal with this, it is likely the best decision in the long run. It is inevitable that as each industry begins to return back to some type of normal, there will be issues and elements that do not go perfectly from the start. However, it is promising to see that instead of just pushing forward, the Vancouver industry is in close contact with the Canadian government and working to help ensure that COVID-19 is not further spread. Hopefully, these issues with testing delays do not persist and there is increased speed and efficiency in the future, but overall it does seem like the right decisions are being made. I do hope that as the entertainment industry begins to come back in the United States, that the same caution and patience is exercised.

Kanvi Shah said...

As much as I want this plague to leave our world, it is good to know that people are still taking it seriously. I feel like I’ve read one too many things about industries opening and then “relaxing restrictions,” only to feel the repercussions right away. Here, however, we have a fantastic example of responsible participation in society. The urgency to get filming again is apparent - 95% of the artists in that area are employed by these companies. But health and safety is and should always be the priority, which was the case here. Delay of coronavirus test results is a frustrating experience that I’m sure one too many Americans has shared in now - but it’s a real problem that people need to accept. These studios are setting a great example for their fan base, showing them that being reckless and not waiting for something like test results isn’t worth even the tens of thousands of jobs that come out of the industry in that area.

mia zurovac said...

The show must go on? I never truly felt the deep meaning of that saying before now, where it feels like this virus is a never ending hole. In school, our rehearsals and even our show has to go online. And I’d never thought I’d be living through a time where my life would have to be put on hold because of a virus that is cascading around the entire world. It’s really crazy to think about and above all even scarier to comprehend. We all pray and hope for the moment where this all dies down, the world goes back to normal, and we get to physically be in a space together again. It’s crazy to think how going outside or hugging your friends is now deemed as luxury. I will never take the small things for granted anymore. The show must go on, even if that means remotely, we must stay strong for our audiences.

Megan Hanna said...

I did have many concerns when I heard filming was starting back up again because there are so many people in close contact, many who can’t wear a mask during filming. The good thing is all of the productions seem to have many restrictions and are taking serious precautions to resume filming, such as mandatory quarantine, testing, masks, and separated green rooms. COVID hasn’t gotten any better in the US and there are many risks having the large cast and crew travel to another country. It was definitely the right call for them to halt production before they receive their test results in order to keep everyone safe. If even one person tests positive, it can spread like wildfire to the entire team. I wonder how long this situation will last and how it’s affecting production timelines. Hopefully, companies continue to prioritize safety rather than the end product.

Allison Gerecke said...

Every time I see some news piece about mass rapid testing for certain groups or industries, it strikes me in a weird way. The pro sports teams especially, but now also TV sets. The article doesn’t mention the number of people getting tested or how frequently, but the ‘tens of thousands’ of workers in there gives a pretty clear idea. It just feels weirdly unethical to decide ‘okay, this group of people is important enough that they need to be tested daily’, particularly in the various facets of the entertainment industry, while others are struggling to get tested in their daily lives, despite being potentially more high risk. I guess the issue is about money, and groups with more money can afford to buy up tests, but now they seem to be running into issues with that large number. I don’t know. I’m glad that film workers were able to return to their jobs, at least for a while, and I’m glad rapid testing is becoming more viable. I just wish we were focusing more on a country-wide initiative rather than going group by group, starting with the richest. But that’s not really surprising, is it.