Overview

In the spring of 2020, as COVID-19 cases surged in the U.S., TV and film production studios shut their doors. Faced with an uncertain future as the pandemic unfolded, the cast and crew of major productions were sidelined and it was unclear when exactly they would safely return to work. In June 2020, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers put together an industry-wide task force that created a set of recommendations focused on the safe resumption of TV and motion picture productions.

Situation

The recommendations, developed in collaboration with unions such as the Screen Actors Guild and Directors Guild of America, outlined guidance regarding protective measures to be implemented, including regular cast and crew health screening, diagnostic testing, use of personal protective equipment, cleaning and disinfecting, and steps that should be taken if and when a cast or crew member contracts COVID-19. One important problem was the absence of an easy-to-implement technology solution that studios could use to roll-out and manage the protocols necessary to keep cast and crew safe while working

Wayne Morris, an award-winning producer of films like Rush Hour and Miami Vice, stepped in and saw an opportunity to help. He began sketching out ideas for a solution that could be scaled and used by production companies across the TV and film industry. For Morris, the vision was about creating a safer work environment and making it easier for cast and crew members to manage their day-to-day work. After creating some initial concepts, Wayne hired Cantina to collaborate on the details and help him create a functional technology solution that would address these critical needs.

As the film and television industry came to a complete standstill during the first several weeks of COVID-19, I immediately thought about ways to get us back to work safely but I needed help accelerating the process. That’s where Cantina came in; the team quickly transformed my ideas into reality. Within two and a half months, I had something I could put into my cast and crew’s hands and get back to work. Now not only have we put our production back on track, but other studios are also signing on to use Proscenium. It’s a game-changer.

Results

In less than 10 weeks, Cantina designed, built, branded, and launched a solution called Proscenium. Proscenium is a flexible and scalable workforce safety platform that is accompanied by a mobile app for cast and crew. It can be used at any TV or film production location, and includes daily health screenings, contactless food ordering and pick-up, virtual meetings, COVID-19 safety notifications, and access to critical documents, including call sheets, site maps, zone assignments, and script sides, all focused on keeping cast and crew safe and productive. The platform includes a robust and securitized administrative interface for directors and production managers to communicate with cast and crew, and to help ensure that all personnel are adhering to the necessary safety guidelines to minimize the risk of COVID-19.

Proscenium is garnering the attention of major TV and film production companies, and is currently being used by the cast and crew of the award-winning TV series David Makes Man on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Proscenium is bringing new meaning to the phrase “The Show Must Go On!”