As production resumes amid the pandemic, a new role is causing confusion and consternation.
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The difference with TV is that everyones watching and theyd really like to know whenSuccessionis coming back.
There is no official title for this position,nor any specific requirements to hold it.
That ambiguity has led to confusion and an array of CCOs with varying backgrounds.
Other productions hire CCOs with no training beyond a two-hour online course.
But everyone wants to keep the show on the road.
Vulture spoke with some of the people trying to figure out how.
I set up an area for everyone to line up in the morning for temperature checks.
I put up little 6-foot markers so people keep social distance.
Generally we have assistants that walk around with you know those super-soaker squirt guns?
The big cannon ones?
They have those, full of hand sanitizer.
Theyll walk through doing all the tables and chairs and communal areas.
Some productions are very proactive.
Some are a little lax.
Some think that having a PA do all that work is going to save everything but its hard.
People will continuously pull their mask down, forget they have it off.
Then you find tight-knit groups of people smoking together, and its like, Whatare you guys doing?
Apparently four people two from the crew and two cast members later died from COVID.
Its a good feeling being back to work, but jobs work differently now.
There is no such thing as a real, verified COVID Officer certification.
Its just something made up to, I guess, generate revenue.
These certificates are to create a way for people with no medical background to get involved.
Thats honestly been one of the hugest drawbacks.
Productions are using these COVID teams because theyre the cheapest option.
The kids walking around, wiping things down theyre not the issue.
Its the people at the heads of these teams.
Theyll say things that are totally mythical, and dont seem to know theres no science behind it.
Production said that the governor had issued a waiver for this person, so they didnt have to quarantine.
I emailed asking for documentation, and they wrote back saying the governors office doesnt provide documentation on this.
So this talent came to set walked into a public building and up to the floor with no mask.
And the whole crew is standing there like, Whats happening right now.
I was scheduled for two more jobs with them, but after that, I was summarily disinvited.
I took two courses.
One was given by the City of Atlanta I did it online, of course.
It was free but it was super basic.
Then I took one that L.A. County had for $50.
COVID compliance is expensive and laborious ifyou do it right.
Ive had friends who were on sets where they didnt even take temperatures.
I was like, Wait,what?
And testing is extremely expensive.
Everyones coming up with their own rules.
Some productions are going overboard with protections others I wouldnt touch with a 10-foot pole.
A traveling production can be safer.
But we keep it within the bubble.
What is hurting productions is when crew members go out and live their life.
We have a checklist linked to our daily call sheet.
You get an email and answer basic questions: Have you had a cold?
Have you had any of these symptoms?
Just because they took a one-hour course.
Were supposed to be kept 6 feet apart on set.
Not once has she separated people.
Shes on her phone most of the time.
Then she disappears from set.
No one knows where she is.
She has these COVID PAs that walk around in fluorescent vests, but they dont enforce anything.
These are kids they just hired off the street.
Theyre supposed to be cleaning high-touch areas, but no ones doing that.
Theres not much you’re free to do except say something but technically, thats not my job.
I told the producers, This is a problem.
Once the crew sees shes not taking her job seriously, theyre not going to take her seriously.
Theyre not going to take the protocol seriously.
Someones going to get sick and well be shut down again.
But the reality is they dont know exactly what she should be doing and theyre busy doingtheirjobs.
So theyre not really running behind her.
She seems to be her own boss.
One of my jobs as CCO is finding the testing company.
You have to know how to screen these labs.
The showFor Lifewas shut down due to inaccurate testing.
People came up positive, but it turned out the lab made errors.
I can tell when theyre annoyed and Im like,thats not the lab for me.
Thats why you cant just take one, quick $50 course.
Those people are winding up in circumstances where they dont have the necessary knowledge.
So at least we have that educational forum to help.
So I have some understanding, but I know my limitations.
I sure as heck am not going to medically assess someone.
Were all anxiously waiting for the labor unions to create a training program for this position.
It seems like theyre taking their time.
Some arent doing their due diligence to ensure their CCOs are up to par.
Some are trying to get away with some things.
No testing, nothing.
Thats when the producer purposefully hires an inadequately trained CCO, just so that the setappearssafe.
These stories have been edited and condensed.
9/25: This piece has been updated to clarify the timeline regarding a productions pre-shutdown COVID cases.
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