Working on set during COVID-19

So after months of quiet stillness in the film industry, everything is starting to blossom again, as if it’s spring rather than summer.

Being new in the industry is beyond difficult anyway, to be set back this way has played on my mental health a little. I was on a feature for a single day before lock down ensued. Also I was supposed to be working for a TV Channel, so I felt I was finally making my way slowly but surely. Then alas, COVID-19 hit and we stayed inside for safety. Being on a busy set was out of the question.

Being on a busy set was out of the question.

We definitely were not essential workers. A lot of us did not get any government funding or relief either. Thankfully for me I had my passive income running in and did not fret. The thing that bothered me about this is that everyone was sat at home, watching Netflix, TV, gaming, reading anything along those lines, its Art. It’s entertainment yet we were the ones missing out on any financial stability. Anyway, mini rant over.

I digress, so I got a call from a well known production company asking me if I was free next week to do a couple of days of stills, I was and I was so excited. Those moments where I thought I might be making a little tiny bit of traction in the industry to have it all come to a standstill for months, I assumed people would very quickly forget my name and I’d have to start from scratch. Again, mental health took a bit of a pounding.

We did an online COVID-19 chat about protocols and got a huge PDF outlining all the safety procedures. Normally I’d be on and in a set working around people all the time, but due to the bubbles in place I was only allowed to work outside, which was fine and made me feel safer through, what still is, an uncertain time. I can’t commend the team enough for how well thought out, executed and safe the day was.

I had my mask, hand wipes, own water bottle and didn’t touch anyone, or was even more than a meter within others space the whole day. It’s hard to talk with a mask on to direct the talent, so I ended up not wearing it but making sure I was out of their range before directing them.

It’s been a strange surreal experience but man I’m glad I didn’t start back from scratch, I think that would have destroyed a little part of me inside!

Also potential other work is starting to trickle in, conversations are happening, things are starting to move. It’s all so exciting and honestly, I cannot WAIT for next year when things go full steam ahead. I’m so happy I changed and expanded my career, it’s tough, like incredibly tough but awesome too.