Covid Constrictions: How the Coronavirus has Pressed Pause on the Film Industry - by Rosh Ilyas
COVID-19 has forced the world inside their homes, and we’re all sick of it. Social distancing rules and regulations have had a huge impact on the film and television industry. If there is one thing that we can rely on now, it’s watching our favourite films while sipping some tea, all cosy and snug in our living rooms.
Entertainment is a huge industry that is enjoyed worldwide; we all love watching different stories unfold on the big and the small screen. However, as the business struggles to keep afloat during lockdown, the virus has raised questions about the future of entertainment. Here are some examples of how the virus has made it difficult for different aspects of the film industry.
1) Producing Film Content
Filming itself has been a major issue at this time. The film production of blockbusters has been postponed due to the virus. Films such as Batman, James Bond: No Time to Die, and Marvel’s Doctor Strange sequel have all had their release dates pushed back to ensure production can be finished in time.
It’s likely that companies such as Disney see some difficulty, as they have an estimated 100 shows left in development due to the virus. Although the company is currently seeing success due to millions globally enjoying Disney+, it needs to be questioned whether Disney can keep their viewers engaged for long enough without uploading new productions. Personally, I think that Disney are one of the few companies that can hold onto their fanbase. Their older films are labelled as classics, which can definitely withstand the test of time. However, not many other institutions can say this about themselves, and it’s likely that companies like Warner Brothers will see a loss during this period.
If you think about how many people are needed on a film set, it’s understandable why film production has to stop. Runners, assistants, producers, directors, animators, stunt doubles, actors, makeup artists… I could go on and on! A film set is a busy place where communication is key. You simply cannot employ the 2m distance rule when everyone needs to be in close contact. Trust me, I’d love to see Batman fight his enemies behind a 2m marker but it probably wouldn’t translate well on screen.
2) The Future of Cinema Houses
Speaking of on screen; movie theatres are an industry that has already been struggling before the coronavirus hit. Social distancing rules have meant that all over the world, cinema houses have been forced to close down completely.
Illegal downloading usage has risen since the coronavirus hit. Piracy tracking franchise Muso revealed that there was a 60% increase in illegal streaming between February and March. Piracy has always hit movie theatres hard. If these statistics don’t decrease after lockdown ends, then the future of the movie theatre will be called into question.
Cinema houses are struggling even more now, but production houses have found ways around this. Universal and Disney released Trolls 2 and Onward digitally online and for purchase earlier due to the pandemic. This was a successful move for Universal, as they brought in $80m in the first three weeks, making more profit than the films predecessor. These profits convinced Jeff Shell, CEO of NBC Universal to state that Universal future films would be released in cinemas and home streaming sites at the same time. Cinema houses Odeon and Cineworld responded by banning Universal titles globally from their theatres for the foreseeable future.
This was definitely a dramatic move; however, I’m on the side of the movie theatres. It’s disheartening, but not surprising to see that profit is prioritised when such an integral part of the entertainment industry is on the rocks. The future of cinema is in turmoil. We all love going with our friends, partner, or our kids to the cinema. It’s a ritual in itself, choosing your popcorn, sitting down, turning your phone off, watching the trailers and then seeing an amazing story unfold on the big screen. Don’t get me wrong, I love my streaming services like anybody else, but do you really get the same feeling watching a new movie on a tiny laptop screen? Bigger cinema houses such as Odeon may recover, but the coronavirus may be the last thing to finish off smaller independent theatres.
3) Film Awards & Festivals
While streaming has affected the movie theatres, it has also made great changes to the awards and events circuit. For the first time ever, streamed films are going to be eligible for next years OSCAR nominations. Also earlier this year, we did see how some awards ceremonies were affected by the virus, and how they adhered to social distancing. The Japanese 43rd Academy Awards went ahead in March, but was a guest and media free event. Everyone’s favourite guilty pleasure, The Golden Razzberry Awards (The Razzies) was cancelled, and announced their ‘winners’ online instead.
Film festivals have been affected badly. Cannes Film Festival has been postponed for a while, but organisers have resisted announcing a full blown cancellation of the event. Similarly, Edinburgh Film Festival, originally set to go ahead in June, has been postponed with no date in sight. There has been no absolute cancellation of these festivals as of yet. It will be interesting to see if earlier awards ceremonies can be used as inspiration, to think of ways of delivering a successful event around the constrictions of the virus.
I put my hands up, I love looking at the fashion at these events! Cannes is always full of creative talent, and red carpet fashion is no exception. I can’t imagine that textures of chiffon, tulle and silk would resonate well through at home live streams. Film and fashion have long since been intertwined. It’s important to note that fashion designers depend on film industry events to showcase their creations. The coronavirus has definitely shown how creative industries all depend on each other, it would be a travesty to both the film and fashion industry if these festivals cannot go ahead in 2020.
4) Financial Security for Freelancers
Finally, we come to the welfare of creative freelancers. According to Screen Skills, almost half the people working in the UK screen industries are self employed. These freelancers are creative, talented people across the whole nation, who are losing work and struggling at this time. Bectu is a union for the UK creative industries. They conducted a survey of their members and found that 46% of respondents had lost money.
It’s a hard time for creatives at the moment, and it can be demoralising when you don’t have the opportunity to exercise your talents. With less freelancers hired to do work, less content is created and therefore, less films are produced. Unless you’re well known, getting work at this time will be difficult. Many freelancers who are just starting out in their careers will feel the full force of this period compared to those with more experience on their hands. Self employed creatives will be facing financial uncertainty at this time, and there is no shame in asking for support.
If you’re a creative freelancer in the UK finding lockdown difficult, I’ve included some links below with dedicated advice on how to get support during this time.
https://thefreelancekit.com/7-ways-for-freelancers-to-weather-the-covid19-storm
https://filmbirmingham.co.uk/2020/03/covid-19-advice-for-freelancers-working-in-film-and-tv/
https://www.bbc.com/freelancers/Coronavirus
https://www.ipse.co.uk/ipse-news/news-listing/coronavirus-ipse-activity-and-advice-freelancers.html
https://www.screenskills.com/insight/news/accessing-government-support-for-freelancers-in-covid-19-crisis/
