Pelican Production was busy in March.
They were leasing all the needed equipment for as many as eight productions on the books, tooling up to get underway.
Then came the shutdown and all of the work Pelican was engaged in came to roaring stop.
Silence since then.
So when owner Dolph Federico heard about the film industry in New Orleans getting the green light in July, he knew it was time to get things rolling, again.
But before any sets can get built, lights hanged, actors called, and cameras roll, the local film business has to stock up on supplies to ensure there won’t be a coronavirus outbreak on a film set.
Chris Stelly, with Louisiana Economic Development’s executive group, told the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate: “All the unions and guilds are working out comprehensive, granular, in-the-weeds protocols on how to handle everything from craft services to crowd scenes.”
Stelly continued: “How do you handle large crowds? Will more of those types of scenes be done in post-production? How does hair and make-up engage with actors? What is the layout of sets? Things will look different.”
When the paper asked Carroll Morton with the New Orleans Film Office, she said the city is drafting its own protocols stated film sets and location shoots will be a lot different after the shutdown is lifted.