The South African film and TV sector is finally able to resume operation under the guidelines of the level 4 of the national lockdown.
On March 4, the Commercial Producers Association announced that it will open for business following level 4 Covid-19 restrictions.
“The CPA is pleased to announce that our industry is, once again, open for business!” the statement said.
The South African Government has permitted filming under level 4 regulations from Monday, May 4, 2020.
However, there are certain restrictions that have been put in place. These are strict industry protocols that must be adhered to at all times.
The number of people on set has been limited to 50, and according to the CPA, these rules are “non-negotiable and need to be followed under all circumstances”.
In the outlined guidelines, which were published by the government, it read that broadcasters may elect to resume content production based on risk assessment.
"Broadcasters must limit production to content that can be produced with minimal risk i.e telenovelas shot in a studio environment that are easier to handle than location shoots and broadcasters must identify solutions to ensure the protection of performers and production crew".
It continued to say that each broadcaster must work closely with the respective production companies and the relevant industry bodies to determine the most appropriate "return to work" strategy and feasible implementation dates.
The statement ends by saying: “We look forward to our industry getting back on its feet in the coming weeks and thank everyone who has been involved in the process. It has truly been a great team effort and we appreciate all the work that has gone into it."
On Twitter, director Thabang Moleya, who was excited about getting back in the studio, shared a tweet following the reopening of production for "Gomora", which airs on Mzansi Magic.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/lulu_hela?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lulu_hela #GomoraMzansi #LockAndLoad pic.twitter.com/l60nNXLBgq
— Thabang Moleya (@Teabagg)