COVID Production Procedures

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The following rules apply to on-campus and off-campus productions. Interior and exterior.

  • Depending on the parameters of your project, students may have to create a COVID safety plan for their production. After Production Services has reviewed your project, you will be informed if you need to create a COVID safety plan.  Example topics below. 
  • Filling out a Student Project Application (SPA) is required for all productions. This pertains to projects using cage equipment and/or your own equipment.
  • All productions must adhere to a minimum of one-week advance notice when filling out a SPA. Applications will be processed as quickly as possible.
  • All production participants must be vaccinated and one-shot boosted minimum. Participants aged 13-18 years old must be two-shot vaccinated at minimum. Working with minors under age 13 requires Production Services approval. The procedures for working with an unvaccinated CalArts student are below. You may not work with any unvaccinated people, adults/minors, who are not CalArts students.
  • Testing requirements. 
    • All production participants (crew, cast, collaborators) must test prior to the start of a production, including all CalArts and external participants. This applies to members of the same household who are working together.
    • Participants must have a negative antigen (rapid) test within 48 hours of the start of the production. All production Participants must test every two days during production.
    • Test results must be shared with Production Services prior to being cleared to start production.
    • See CalArts COVID info for testing options, including on campus rapid testing clinics on Tues, Wed or Thurs. Rapid tests are also available in the Student Health Office and the Production Services Office.
    • Testing is not required if you are working alone, with no other participants.
  • Students must copy/photograph any non-CalArts individual’s vaccination card as proof of vaccination. This must be in the student’s possession no more than 48 hours prior to the start of production. Students will be asked to provide this to Production Services prior to production start. 
  • If more than one person is working on a production, you must designate a crew member or individual who is responsible for implementing the COVID safety plan. 
  • Masking requirements. Per Institute policy, masks worn on campus and on productions, both interior, exterior and off campus, must be surgical grade, triple cloth, KN95 or N95. Do not use a cloth or homemade mask. The School of Film/Video production policy is different than the institute policy; masks are mandatory during all productions. If needed, you can get surgical masks for your production when you pick up equipment at the Cage. The only exception is while eating, drinking, or acting. Six feet of social distancing is recommended.
  • Appropriate and adequate Personal Protected Equipment (masks, hand sanitizer) must be provided to any crew/cast/participants who work on your production. You are responsible for this. Even if there are only two people. Disposable masks should be replaced each day. 
  • In the interest of the health of yourself, your cast and crew, you must limit the duration of workdays and consecutive workdays. Workdays should not exceed 10 hours, with a minimum 12-hour turnaround from wrap to next call. 
  • During COVID-19 conditions, any production with minors under age 13 requires Production Services approval.
  • Productions with Screen Actors Guild (SAG) members must follow the SAG COVID protocols. Contact Production Services for more information. Two weeks advanced notice, at a minimum, is required.
  • If a production has a participant who tests positive, it will be suspended until all participants have tested negative via a COVID test. Some participants may need to quarantine. Please notify Production Services (justinhogan@calarts.edu) and CalArts COVID Compliance (covidcompliance@calarts.edu) of any positive test results as soon as they’re known. 
  • If you have an exemption from being vaccinated by CalArts, you must follow the procedure below for your student production or if you are working on a student production.
    • All students who are not vaccinated must wear a face mask at all times and only take it off for eating and drinking. No unvaccinated students are allowed to act without a face mask.
    • All students who are not vaccinated or have an unvaccinated CalArts cast/crew member, must work with Production Services on their COVID safety plan at least two weeks prior to production.
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