LONDON — After consultation with its members, UK Screen Alliance (www.ukscreenalliance.co.uk) has decided that its COVID-19 guidance for post production & VFX is no longer necessary and has been withdrawn. The guidance went above and beyond the recommendations issued by the UK government.
In June 2020, UK Screen Alliance, in consultation with companies from the post & VFX sectors, and industry bodies BFI, BFC, Pact and BECTU, published “Guidance for Safe Working in VFX and Post-Production during the Pandemic,” which provided a framework for companies as they transitioned back to on-premises working with client attendance. The substantial risk to health at the beginning of the pandemic has since receded.
The UK Government has removed all remaining legal restrictions relating to COVID-19 in England. Legal restrictions in Northern Ireland had already been removed, although they remain in Scotland and Wales, but these are likely to be phased out in the coming weeks. The various COVID guidance documents developed for filming by the British Film Commission (BFC), the UK broadcasters and Pact will remain in place, as they are a condition of the Production Restart insurance scheme.
“Throughout the pandemic, post and VFX companies have continued to work and our guidance helped them navigate the risks to health and business continuity,” says UK Screen Alliance, CEO, Neil Hatton. “We never thought in 2020 that we would need it for so long, but we always said we would withdraw it at the earliest opportunity. That time has now come and as long as everyone exercises personal responsibility as advised by government, we can all work safely in a manner that is close to normal.”