Breaking News
As Los Angeles Restarts TV and Film Production; Safety Protocols For Scenes, Studios, and Audiences Revealed
Today, Los Angeles County can begin film and television production under the guidelines and regulations set forth during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
The news of the restart comes with some harsh news that on Thursday, L.A. County’s Department of Public Health reported 1,857 new confirmed coronavirus cases. However, while it was the largest single-day number of new cases announced by the county during the pandemic, health officials said about 600 of those cases were the result of a backlog in the reporting of test results. As well, the city of Long Beach and Pasadena, have their own health departments, combined to confirm an additional 84 cases. That gave the county 1,941 new confirmed cases.
In a statement from Universal Filmed Entertainment Group Chairman Donna Langley who was part of the Entertainment Industry Task Force on the protocols, she expressed on Thursday:“Today’s release of safety protocols for film and television production marks a significant step in getting our industry back to work in Los Angeles County. On behalf of all us at NBCUniversal, we thank the County Board of Supervisors and Mayor Garcetti for their continued commitment to the economic recovery of our region, and the County Public Health Department for their tireless efforts to help protect the health of our community. Teams across the Studios, production companies, guilds, and unions in every facet of our business have shown, and will continue to show, innovation and creativity in bringing film, television and digital production safely back to Los Angeles.”
In terms of your favorite soaps returning and what they may look like when production does begin again, here is what we know thus far via Deadline.
As to what rules and regulations performers, crew, producers and show would have to follow; some of these are noted below:
– All shared clothing, wigs, prosthetics and equipment must be disinfected before reuse.
– In offices and editing areas, workstations much be at least 6 feet apart.
– Breaks must be staggered to allow for social distancing, and they must be frequent to allow for hand washing.
– Eating is prohibited anywhere beyond designated areas to ensure cast and crew wear masks as much as possible.
– Each worker should have their own tools (and not share them) whenever possible.
– Date, time and participants in all production sessions must be recorded to allow for contact tracing.
– Productions requiring audiences must sit those in attendance at least 6 feet apart.
– Where possible, all workspaces shall have one-directional traffic to limit close contact.
– Production units or meetings should be broken down into the smallest feasible groups.
– All scripts, contracts or music sheets should be shared digitally or individually assigned to each worker.
– Sets, production spaces and the entire facility must be cleaned daily, with restrooms and other high traffic areas cleaned more frequently.
– All trucks and other vehicles must de disinfected after each use.
Photo: JPI
In terms of the shooting of scenes”
– Health checks for all vendors and employees when they arrive on set
– All cast must wash and sanitize their hands before each scene and not touch their face.
– Large crowd scenes should be avoided.
– All location filming must occur between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., whenever possible.
– All cast and crew should stay on location during filming, even during breaks.
– Locations should be completely secure to prevent public access.
– In permitting, productions that consist of entirely virtual/remote filming and recording should be prioritized when possible.
– Small closed indoor spaces without proper ventilation should not be used.
– Hands-on assistance with wardrobe, hair and makeup should only be provided when cast cannot do it themselves.
– Cast and crew involved must sanitize their hands before each hands-on styling or wardrobe session.
– Actors should stay as silent as possible during the application of makeup.
As for food and drinks on set:
– No buffets.
– No communal beverage service, such as coffee pots
– All cast and crew must sanitize their hands before eating.
– Any foot brought in by individuals must be labeled and not shared.
– If water is served from communal dispensers, the levers and buttons by which they operate must be cleaned after each use.
As for size of studio audiences:
– Studio audience members can include paid staff, and must be seated at least 6 feet from each other and wear face coverings whenever feasible. Audiences should be limited to 100 people or 25 percent of the maximum occupancy of the space (whichever is smaller).
So what do you think The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless, General Hospital and Days of our Lives might look like in scenes under these COVID-19 guidelines? Comment below.
How are they going to act out Love scenes.? .
My grandmother thinks the producers will go back to some of the rules put in place by the Hays Commission. For example: no two people sharing the same bed, no two people kissing at all and so forth.
hi Elsie –
that is a good thing..
Soap love/sex scenes are really bad, I mean really bad..
those scenes are more-so comic than gooey.
not sexy, nope, just so not right..
best not having sex scenes iiissshhh bad..
Will be like Hogan’s Heroes!
They are not!
It can be done, but will require more work and protocols. I think scripts may have to be reworked and camera angles to make us think actors are closer than they are.
This is going to make soaps look extremely different. Think about how many love scenes there are, and then double that for how many scenes include characters just hugging, sitting at the same table, shaking hands, making arrests, etc. I wonder if these new guidelines will force soaps to write-in a pandemic storyline in order to explain the change in behaviour.
Hopefully, the make-up dept will be out.
And we can finally see the [real] and not the phoney person.
they/actors have become quite phoney especially age-wise.
I noticed; Michael from Y&R during an online broadcast
he looked his age- with thinning grey hair
it was the 1st time he looked real without that dead racoon on his head..
and the same goes for others / be your age!!!
they All looked great being themselves online during the lockdown.
And- Maurice/Sonny- he also looked stud with his thinning grey hair..
I prefer the real deal, not the phoney looking.
looking forward to the return !
SuOOO
I tend to agree with you but a lot of people dont want to see the real thing. They want the actors made up, looking young and more romantic, so to speak.
I did see Michael, so I know what you mean there. Except for the younger actors, I bet Victor is the only one we see who looks the same in real life as he does in feel life.
These soaps are D.O.A. Just let them RIP. They had a good run.
I agree. How are scenes going to be played out with social distanting and mask wearing still a very necessary part of everyday life. It has been so long since I have watched, that I don’t even know what is going on anymore. They served their purpose. Now I think it is time to move on. And the way I was addicted to both Y&R and B&B, I never thought I would here those words come out of my mouth.
well–
the cameras can do ummmm I’ m call it tricks.
cameras can make things/people seem closer even if further apart.
the actors can be standing 6ft. apart but will appear to be close..
Sounds like the Gestapo will be in charge of getting Soaps started again…..
Sounds like people who care about the health and safety of actors and entertainment technicians are in charge, to me. What good does it do to restart soaps (or any TV or movies) if everyone immediately gets sick? In my state, 1400+ people were newly diagnosed positive yesterday. Better safe than sorry! Stay safe, everyone, and best wishes to the folks in L.A. going back to work so we have entertainment.
Agreed! It is all about money! LA has nothing without the entertainment industry and these fans have NO LIFE.
Grow up and start thinking like a responsible adult! The health of each of the actors and others working on the sets of Soaps is more important than your childish need to see your favorites in romantic scenes all the time.
Would you like it better if everyone employed becomes quite ill? MORON.
Does anyone have any idea about when Y&R is resuming production? I keep reading about B&B but nothing about Y&R.
There will be more communications and dialog s from a distance, which probably good for social distance, not so much for camera view. However, 20 yrs ago filming wasn’t as good as today’s digital process, so it should be a creative way. Interesting to see this play out from fans view. I am glad to take story’s anyway it safe and on network.
Is GH the only show that regularly shoots scenes outdoors? That “park” area on the Prospect lot will probably be used a lot.
To save money, shows have heavily relied on restaurant and bar scenes the past few years. That’s likely to change temporarily as the use of extras in background tables is likely discouraged.
Sets have gotten smaller in the past decade, but look to the larger ones with multiple segments to get used more. On GH, for example, The hospital hub, Sonny’s living room/patio and the Q foyer/living room allow for distance and more cast to be present in each scene.
A larger question is if the shows all ignore the pandemic.
One would hope that shows used the downtime to be prepared for these expected guidelines.
They just need to start safe and do the best they can do and if they wanna be like real life then wear masksit wouldn’t bother me
If it comes to that, just cancel them all. It will come down to the decision of the network, ultimitely.
The soaps have been on life support for years. Soaps can not be the same with actors 6 ft apart! Are victor and nikki, Brooke and ridge going to shake hands? May work for GH, they can all just shoot each other.
The best will be the actors doing their own hair and makeup,funny. Now with the BLM movement sponsors will dictate the fate of the shows. Pull the plug already and put us out of or misery, life will go on!
No kissing I hope
And not to mention no more cat fights or good old fashioned slaps in face. What is a soap opera without a catfight or a face slap. I think the soaps should finally go the way of the dinosaur. RIP. It was fun while it lasted. The only thing I want to know is the outcome of Sharon’s cancer surgery
Breaking News
51st Daytime Emmys: Eric Braeden, Scott Clifton, Thorsten Kaye, John McCook and Eric Martsolf Score Lead Actor Nominations
Ahead of the full list of 51st annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations to be revealed tomorrow on Friday, April 19th, Extra’s Melvin Roberts unveiled the nominations in the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actor.
Going for gold are Eric Braeden (Victor, The Young and the Restless), Scott Clifton (Liam, The Bold and the Beautiful), John McCook (Eric, The Bold and the Beautiful), Thorsten Kaye (Ridge, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Eric Martsolf (Brady, Days of our Lives).
All five of the nominees are previous Daytime Emmy winners, with Eric Martsolf the only won in the group to have won his previous Emmy for work in the Supporting Actor category.
Photo: JPI
B&B could make it three years in a row as the reigning champs in the actor race, having won in 2022 with John McCook and 2023 with Thorsten Kaye.
In addition, as previously announced, the Michael Fairman Channel will play host to its 10th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations special featuring several of the nominees for the 51st annual Daytime Emmys which happens live tomorrow Friday, April 19th beginning at 8 pm ET/5pm PT.
Check out Extra’s announcement of this year’s Daytime Emmy nominees for Lead Actor, then let us know in the comment section, which of the five do you hope takes home the prize?
We’re honored to announce the @DaytimeEmmys nominees for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series:@EBraeden, @YandR_CBS@CliftonsNotes, @BandB_CBS@Iamthorstenkaye, @BandB_CBS
John McCook, @BandB_CBS@EricMartsolf, @DaysPeacock#DaytimeEmmys pic.twitter.com/2fWsxtWs3W— ExtraTV (@extratv) April 18, 2024
Breaking News
51st Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Set to Be Announced
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences revealed on Wednesday via X, that this year’s 51st annual Daytime Emmy Nominations are set to be announced in full on Friday, April 19th at 12 pm ET/9 am PT.
However, four of the top award category nominations will be revealed on Thursday, April 18th across four entertainment news programs to kick things off.
Those include this Thursday episodes of Access Hollywood, E! News, Entertainment Tonight and Extra. Over the past few years, NATAS has often let the syndicated entertainment news program handle the duties of revealing the top actor and actress in a daytime drama series, but we shall see which categories the shows unveil this year.
Photo/AP
As previously announced, the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be presented in ceremonies on Friday night, June 7th on CBS (8 – 10 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+*.
The awards will be back at The Bonaventure hotel in downtown Los Angeles, where (the delayed due to the actors and writers strike) 50th annual Daytime Emmy Awards were held back in December of 2023.
Look for the full nominations to be posted right here at Michael Fairman TV and you can follow along on Friday on the Daytime Emmys social platforms as well.
Photo: AP
The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of categories, including daytime dramas, talk shows, instructional programming, hosting, culinary, and legal/courtroom programs. In 2021, NATAS and the Television Academy jointly announced plans to realign the Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards to be organized by content genre, as opposed to program airtime.
The 51st Daytime Emmy Nominations will honor the work and achievement from the calendar year of 2023.
So, who would you like to see in the running for gold when the Daytime Emmy nominations in the key acting and show categories are revealed? Share your thoughts below.
Let the countdown begin! #DaytimeEmmys nominations are coming this Friday at noon ET, with a special sneak peek tomorrow on @accesshollywood @enews @etnow @extratv! pic.twitter.com/aL5PFYXBCL
— Daytime Emmys (@DaytimeEmmys) April 17, 2024
Breaking News
CBS Orders Michele Van Jean Soap Opera ‘The Gates’ to Series; Set to Debut January 2025
Great news! Soap fans are getting the first new daytime drama in 25 years with the news today that CBS has moved Michele Van Jean’s The Gates to a series order.
In addition, the show is set to bow in January 0f 2025, which means that it appears that the new soap will replace The Talk, which was just canceled and will end after its upcoming 15th season in December of 2024. No specific time period, or exact premiere date has been set as of yet.
In the premise of the The Gates it follows lives of a wealthy Black family who live in a luxurious gated community.
Photo: CBS
The Gates has Val Jean as its writer, showrunner and one of its executive producers. Soap fans know Val Jean’s work best for her work on the writing teams of General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful. Taking to X, Michele shared: “It’s go time” citing the news on the show coming to CBS in 2025 via Deadline.
Sheila Ducksworth, Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson and Kimberly Doebereiner will serve as executive producers on The Gates production team. The soap has been in development through a the joint venture between CBS Studios and the NAACP, which was established to help elevate a diverse range of voices and increase the visibility of Black artists.
The series will be produced by the CBS Studios/NAACP venture in partnership with P&G Studios, which is a division of Procter & Gamble, who used to be very big in the soap opera game.
Are you excited to know that we are truly getting the first new soap opera in over two and a half decades added to a network TV line-up? Comment below.
It’s go time! #TheGates
CBS Orders ‘The Gates’ To Series; Daytime Sudser To Debut In January https://t.co/75KJZWyh3l
— Michele Val Jean (@MicheleValJean) April 15, 2024
51st Daytime Emmys: Eric Braeden, Scott Clifton, Thorsten Kaye, John McCook and Eric Martsolf Score Lead Actor Nominations
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DAYS Alum Tanner Stine to Appear in ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ Starring Nicholas Chavez
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