COVID SECURE CAMERA CREW & EQUIPMENT HIRE
Bespoke WET HIRE To The FILM & TVIndustry
Arri CAMERAS Cooke & Zeiss LENSES Ronford Baker GRIP
CREWING SERVICES 2nd Unit DOP Camera OPERATOR 1st ASSISTANT CAMERA
2nd ASSISTANT CAMERA Camera TRAINEE
Covid-19 is here to stay, and at Manned Camera we’re as concerned for your health as we are for ours. That’s why we are implementing rigorous safety standards that will help protect all our crew, equipment, and clients, and make Manned Camera a Covid-19 Secure supplier.
You can be confident that when we provide crew or equipment every measure possible will have been taken to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission.
We are keeping up-to-date with the Film & TV Industry Covid-19 Guidance Papers being issued by our industry bodies, and will implement stringent safety measures for our camera teams on set. If we think that a working environment is not practical, and not safe, we will advise you accordingly.
At no point will we take on Wet Hire roles that compromise the health of our crew, or that of our clients.
Manned Camera COVID-19 Safety Measures
Wet Hire Specialists…
As Wet Hire specialists, we are in an almost unique position to be in complete control of our crew, equipment, and working environment. The result being that we are effectively able to manage our exposure risks, and by extension you can be confident that a Camera Department run by Manned Camera will help minimise the risks to everyone involved in filming.
Because our equipment, vehicles, and test and prep rooms are under our complete control, we are able to ensure the very most rigorous of cleaning regimes, guaranteeing that all of our equipment is thoroughly disinfected before, during and after each shoot. Additionally our appointment only premises, and dedicated unit vehicles, (both comprehensively stocked with PPE) are thoroughly sanitised on a regular basis.
Staff Training…
All Manned Camera supplied crew members will undergo pre-production training to ensure best practice is maintained throughout filming. Training will be updated continually in the light of industry body guidance and the evolving public health situation, helping maintain your production’s Covid-19 Secure status.
On Set Procedures…
In order to limit the risk of cross contamination, further demarkation of the roles and responsibilities of each crew member will be rigorously adhered to:
- 1st ACs will be provided with high quality LCS, range finding, and remote monitoring equipment
- Where possible, 1st ACs will take marks remotely, or with the help of their 2nd AC standing in for talent
- Only the camera operator will touch the view-finder eye-piece and camera handgrips
- Only the 1st AC and 2nd AC will touch the matte box and lenses
- Only the 2nd AC will touch the camera magazine and loading doors
- Camera magazines will be wiped down with disinfectant before being handed to DIT, and upon receipt from DIT
- Only 2nd AC and Camera Trainees will handle monitoring equipment
- Only Camera Trainees will handle batteries
Monitoring…
We’re also making efforts to ensure that there are no compromises to the wider crew’s safety when using our equipment: we now supply a Teradek Serv Pro and Link as standard with all our Teradek kits. This means that there will be fewer people crowding around monitors on set: with Serv up to 10 people can view a live feed on their iOS or Android device within a 1000ft range. This is ideal for scriptie, hair and makeup, art… They can all now have their own feed without having to sit at video village.
Additionally, we are able to supply multiple additional monitors, thereby allowing production to further demarcate boundaries between departments, and ensure greater than recommended social distancing is maintained.
Small Teams, Highly Trained Crew…
One of the most effective methods of reducing the transmission rates of Covid-19 is to limit the size of the social group with whom people interact. That’s why Manned Camera’s crew members are drawn from a small pool of individuals, who work together frequently. You can be sure that anyone who makes it on to our camera team roster will be very highly trained, and that we will have a thorough understanding of their personal situation. At no point do we want to risk our team members’ health, or that of their wider circle of friends or family. We believe that by understanding our crew members’ risk factors, both in and out of the working environment, we can make their time at work that much safer for everyone.
Appointment Only Premises…
Where possible, all meetings will be conducted remotely.
If in person meetings are vital, we will only be accepting visitors to our test and prep rooms by appointment, and then only on the condition that all visitors agree to adhere to our social distancing and hygiene policy.
Before being permitted entry, all visitors will be asked to permit a temperature check, and if they or any of their immediate social circle are demonstrating typical Covid-19 symptoms. Hand washing and sanitising facilities will be immediately available upon arrival.
We will not accept more visitors than can be safely accommodated within our premises (taking in to account the number of staff already present), and we will operate a one in one out policy to maintain the safe number.
Enhanced PPE…
There will be hand sanitiser and cleaning supplies available on every Magliner, and in the cab and rear load space of every Manned Camera unit vehicle. Additionally all Manned Camera supplied crew will be provided with two levels of PPE for their use on set. Where adequate social distancing measures are able to be guaranteed by production, our crew members will use face masks and gloves. Where social distancing cannot be guaranteed on set, we will insist that our crew members make use of Manned Camera provided respirators, gloves, face-shields, and protective clothing.
Sanitised and Quarantined Equipment…
All equipment entering Manned Camera’s premises will be checked and sanitised using disinfectant and alcohol after every use (including every item of cross hired equipment sourced from other providers), then labelled to indicate its cleanliness status. Equipment will then not be touched until use, or delivery/collection in the case of dry hire.
For equipment that needs to be prepared by our AC’s (or your own crew) prior to shoot dates, our aim is to ensure that all equipment supplied by Manned Camera will be prepared and available sufficiently in advance to allow for a 72 hour quarantine period before use. As we are able to control the maintenance and cleanliness regime, we can make sure that our equipment goes in to an effectively rolling state of quarantine after each use, meaning that it will be potentially be ready to go in very short time frames.
The exception to this rule will be equipment returning from dry hire. For our own safety we will apply for a 72 hour period quarantine after Dry Hire equipment has been returned.
Please note that this will mean that check in confirmations may take longer than is usually the case. Additionally, this may also mean that we are able to offer fewer available dates for equipment Dry Hire – as a result we advise you to pencil and confirm equipment earlier than you typically would.
Manned Camera Controlled Delivery and Unit Vehicles…
Manned Camera are able to supply camera unit vehicles alongside our crew and equipment. As a result we are able to guarantee the level of cleanliness and the provision of PPE within our vehicles. Manned Camera’s camera vans are able to act as mobile unit bases for camera team, thus easing the burden on location facilities needing to make provision for camera.
Our vehicles also help to ensure that Manned Camera crew members are able to arrive on location without recourse to public transport.
For a fee we will also be able to deliver and collect pre-quarantined Dry Hire equipment using our own vehicles.
During delivery and collection we will operate a “no contact” system.
- We will wear appropriate PPE during delivery and collection
- On delivery of equipment, it will be placed in safe areas away from clients, observing a minimum 2m distance from the recipient
- We will operate a no-signature photographic proof of delivery system
Covid Secure Courier Services…
Should our own vehicles be unavailable for delivery and collection, we will appoint only Covid Secure delivery services, operating under a single drop policy.