Progression in film and TV brought about by the pandemic

The last year has been one that no-one would want to repeat. The pandemic has hit so many hard, in their jobs and personal lives. As we near the end of the Government Roadmap here in the UK and many other countries making strides in their vaccination programs, we wanted to highlight some positive changes in the industry brought about by the pandemic. There aren’t many silver linings to the devastation it has caused, but we will focus on the few.

1. The improvement of virtual technology

As productions needed to minimise the number of people working on the features and the ability to film in desired locations significantly reduced, the ability to film was saved as a direct result of new virtual production technology. This technology uses intricate backgrounds to create a 3D space, it is seen as a significantly upgraded version of green screen because actors can easily interact with what is around them.

2. Filming locally

Many producers have their favourite filming “hotspots” but with restrictions on travel, filming has had to go ahead in areas that wouldn’t usually be the 1st choice. It has bought jobs and much needed money to different locations in a difficult time.

3. Brought health and safety to the forefront

Of course health and safety have always been important, but this is even more prevalent now. Producers are very aware that if they begin filming in a Covid hotspot and one of the cast or crew contract it, this can have dire consequences.

No doubt that COVID-19 had brought about unexpected challenges, but with the industry rising to tackle the issue it is exciting to see the development as it is happening.