"Working Man": Producing Films during a Pandemic

The film industry, like many others, has been dramatically impacted by the pandemic, with filming and movie theater shutdowns and complex Covid protocols increasing costs, impacting shooting schedules, and disrupting filming logistics and budgets. Producers and studios are working hard to prevent their films from becoming coronavirus hotspots. Despite the optimism of new vaccines, it seems likely that film and TV series sets will look very different for the foreseeable future.

I’ll be discussing both the challenges and opportunities of producing during the pandemic with producers Clark Peterson (Oscar-winning film “Monster”) and Lovell Holder (Indie romance “Some Freaks”) on Feb. 4th at 8PM ET, as well as exploring their powerful film “Working Man” starring Talia Shire and Peter Gerety. Clark and Lovell will join me in a fireside chat about the journey to produce the film and the challenges and silver lining of releasing “Working Man” during the pandemic. Variety has called “Working Man” one of the "Best Under-the-Radar Films of 2020".

Join us for this interesting, engaging conversation on Feb. 4 at 8PM ET by clicking here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89654468246?pwd=cW5PY3NyamJNaGhEbFdhb2Q0cG5vQT09 Passcode: 016244

Please also message us here if you plan to join the event, and we’ll send a private complimentary screening link to view the film.

To maintain safety, a new rulebook has been developed for pandemic productions, especially large blockbusters, including electronic temperature checks, routine swap tests, daily safety briefings, precise ventilation, special hygiene measures (sinks, sanitizer stations, and readily available face masks), social distancing by assigning cast and crews to different colored-coded zones, and “set bubbles” with isolation quarantine accommodations to limit exposure to the outside world. The film “Jurassic World: Dominion”, a larger production than most, wrapped a month-long shoot in November 2020 at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom, with all these Covid-19 protocols in place—including approximately 90 additional sinks, 200 hand sanitizer stations, and an estimated 50,000 Covid swab tests completed throughout the shoot—extra expenses costing millions of dollars.

The entertainment industry is already a very complex and labor-intensive process requiring multiple hands—from actors, directors, producers, and extras, to hair and makeup artists and catering staff, so it’s rendered even more complicated by Covid-19. For TV shows and mini-series , this can be even more challenging because seasons are shot over a longer time period. The pandemic has also created some unforeseen opportunities regarding film releases, a silver lining to the massive challenges of the pandemic, which I’ll be discussing with Clark and Lovell.

Here's a link to the "Working Man" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ygmuf1nyfk

Dealing with powerful, timely issues like unemployment and mental health, the Chicago Sun-Times has called “Working Man” “quietly magnificent and deeply resonant…it’s some of the most powerful acting seen in any movie this year." The film is available to watch on Showtime and on-demand through Amazon and Apple. If you message us here, we’ll send a private complimentary screening link to view the film. And use this Zoom link to join on Feb. 4th at 8PM ET: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89654468246?pwd=cW5PY3NyamJNaGhEbFdhb2Q0cG5vQT09 Passcode: 016244. As part of our conversation, Clark and Lovell will share clips from the film, as well as new projects they are working on, and relate what they have each learned by adapting to the new demands and obstacles that now impact the entertainment industry.

This program is co-sponsored by the Princeton Club of New York, Princeton Association of New York City, Princeton Arts Alumni, Princeton in Hollywood, and Princeton Club of Southern California.