OCT 12 Production Bulletin - Phase 2 lead-up, first edition

Hello All,

Production Bulletins are back until Phase 2 is released! Other regularly scheduled Production updates will be sent as normal. The Bulletins will be sent weekly, and solely related to Phase 2 progress & clarifications.

If you have a request for clarification, a question, or have a suggested item you’d like the following week's Bulletin to cover, please reach out! We value your feedback and encourage you to share your experience and resources as we return to production.

Phase 2 Clarifications

Phase 2 Content:

We are trying as hard as possible to have Phase 2 in place for the start of Fall B.

Phase 2 negotiations have involved testing. We are working out the details of the frequency & extent of testing with the University and SAG especially as more testing becomes available.

We have drafted Phase 2 to be as expansive as possible. Our goal is to make “Phase 2” so inclusive that it will hold us until a vaccine is available. (In other words—Phase 2 is not an incremental improvement over Phase 1, anticipating further incremental Phases. We hope that won’t be necessary!)  

Phase 2 is aligned as closely as possible with film industry safety standards expressed in The Safe Way Forward in addition to University policy. (Please read The Safe Way Forward, not just for Columbia films but for what’s happening with production in the industry as a whole.)

Phase 2 Communications:

We will hold a student meetings when Phase 2 is released. Our goal is to announce the meetings in the same email as the final Phase 2 document/announcement.

If anyone wants to discuss production—anything production-related at all!—please reach out to me at [email protected]. Or Ann at [email protected]! We are always happy to discuss and field questions.

Phase 2 Process & Progress

Phase 1 Planning: mid March-late July

Research:

Feedback from “first movers” in the industry

Close tracking of University policy & operations developments (esp. low-density “Lab Model")

Peer School working group (initiated/led by Columbia)

Drafting Phase 1 text 

Draft finalized & sent to University & insurance partners for final approval; SAG consulted (approval attempted; issue with testing and role of HSM)

Phase 1 Release: late July/early August
Phase 2 Planning: first week of August - Present

Research:

Feedback from industry, tracking of The Safe Way Forward & industry response (esp. to testing)

Close tracking of University policy & operations developments (esp. testing, decisions on in-person University activity for the Fall)

Continued Peer School working group (initiated/led by Columbia)

Faculty discussions to coordinate Directing Exercises with Production protocols

Drafting Phase 2 text 

Student feedback requested at “Final Draft” stage (Sept 29)

Phase 2 Draft finalized and sent to University & insurance & SAG partners for approval (where we are now)

Production Testing Plan also drafted & sent (parallel track, tied to Phase 2 release) (where we are now)

Phase 2 Release: (hoping for) end of October

We’re all aiming for Fall B! But cannot guarantee the pace of the approval process. Note that Phase 2 will require more scrutiny and involves more operations & process solutions than Phase 1, given the testing involved. 

Jenny

Jenny Tromski

Director of Risk Management and Production Administration

School of the Arts

Film Program