Getting Film Rolling Once Again During COVID-19 Pandemic

We have experienced many firsts in the last few months as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect nearly every aspect of our daily lives. The City of Santa Clarita Film Office continues to take a measured approach to reopen as the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issues new health orders to slow the spread of the Novel Coronavirus.
In June, the County of Los Angeles sent out specific reopening protocols for Music, Television and Film Productions, which directly apply to filming in Santa Clarita. The new protocols include workplace policies to protect employee health, measures to ensure social distancing and restrict contact with the public. Currently, the City’s Film Office – which is responsible for processing filming applications and issuing permits – is taking applications in compliance with the health protocols.
It is paramount these productions continue to uphold the high safety standards as filming in Santa Clarita remains an integral part of the City’s local economy, contributing over $30 million in positive economic impact annually. Since 2002, the Film Office has been a valuable resource for productions, offering affordable and quality-driven assistance to make filming in Santa Clarita convenient and enjoyable while balancing the needs of the community’s residents and businesses.
Film productions vary greatly from one to the next. Large film and television productions can easily have upwards of 200 hundred crew members, while smaller productions can have fewer than 10. Safety protocols set forth by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health were created with detailed cooperation from members of the entertainment industry, including labor unions, studios, producers and film offices. These guidelines range from requirements for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and social distancing to specific safety plans for each workplace. The protocols (which are online at www.FilmSantaClarita.com) also cover the range of production activity from filming on sound stages, movie ranches and on-location, focusing on safety for cast and crew as well as the public. The Santa Clarita Film Office conditions a completed protocol checklist detailing compliance with the Health Order prior to the issuance of a permit.
Santa Clarita is certainly no stranger to filming. Numerous productions ranging from Blockbuster features, Oscar-winning movies, Super Bowl commercials, top-rated television and independent projects continually choose to select Santa Clarita as their filming destination. Filming in Santa Clarita has its roots in the earliest days of silent films, through the golden era of television, through to today where the emergence of streaming services and web-based media add to the appetite for content. Filming not only contributes millions of dollars to the local economy but also employs thousands of local residents.
For a list of what has filmed in Santa Clarita, please visit the City’s website at www.FilmSantaClarita.com or visit the City’s Instagram @FilmSantaClarita.com.

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