As New Zealand adapts to alert levels in response to COVID 19, Screen Auckland is in advanced planning for the industry’s return to screen production work.
In conjunction with national authorities including WorkSafe and ScreenSafe, we are focusing on how safety on set can be assured and once that is clear, how we can expedite permits for film shoots in the weeks ahead.
Screen Auckland is working remotely, and will consider and facilitate the approval of permits to film in Auckland Council public places throughout Alert Levels 3, 2, and 1.
But there are some new permit requirements under all alert levels in response to COVID-19:
1. Until further notice, ALL filming on public space in Auckland now requires a permit – including those which previously didn’t because they were deemed “low impact”.
2. ALL projects will need to register their production with ScreenSafe before a permit application will be considered. The website registration is not yet available (as at 5 May), so those who wish to start production under Alert Level 3 should submit COVID-19 specific protocols, health and safety plans and a site-specific plan to [email protected] for auditing.
3. Filming applications for the Auckland region will not be processed without evidence of pre-registration in addition to the usual Health and Safety and Risk Assessment plans that must be submitted to Screen Auckland.
Screen production now has a WorkSafe-approved standard that takes COVID 19 into account, similar to the one for construction. The development of other essential health and safety resources – including protocols and a COVID 19 production toolkit – designed to mitigate risks for crew and public was led by ScreenSafe, with funding from New Zealand Film Commission and input from industry groups, Screen Auckland, ATEED and other regional film offices.
Information on the endorsed ScreenSafe Health and Safety Covid-19 Standard and the ScreenSafe Health and Safety Covid-19 Protocols can be found here.
All Health and Safety Plan and Risk Assessment templates can be found here.
As before, public liability insurance with $5 million coverage is a minimum requirement of Auckland Council for all permitted filming activity in public open space.
Permit applications will be fast-tracked as much as possible, but the new process will ensure guidelines are communicated to those involved in any shoot.
If you have any questions about permits under COVID-19 conditions, or general feasibility please contact [email protected] or [email protected] (mob 021 721 407)
Screen facilitation updates relating to COVID-19 will continue to be added to this website.
This is an unprecedented situation that will continue to evolve, so keeping in regular contact over the weeks ahead will help us all work through the changes together.