ScreenSafe – Screen Industry Guidance – Omicron Phase 3 Update

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1 March 2022

Last week New Zealand entered Phase 3 of the Omicron outbreak. We now have thousands of new daily cases and this is expected to increase over the next month or so.

The intention of Phase 3 is to ease the pressure on Government testing and contact tracing. The focus will be on protecting the vulnerable while ensuring the health system and key supply chains remain operational and that our economy keeps moving.

The most common symptoms for the Omicron variant are a sore or scratchy throat, and a runny nose. If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, you should continue to get tested and stay at home until you have received a negative test result.

With changes happening daily ScreenSafe will cover off the major changes as they come to hand but recommends all productions to keep informed. For regular updates please check: https://covid19.govt.nz/

The key changes are:

 

Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) will become the primary form of testing

You will no longer require a PCR test to confirm your COVID-19 RAT diagnosis. RATs will now be available from GPs, participating pharmacies and community collection sites (https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19/), and they are now freely available to buy online.

Only confirmed cases and their household contacts are required to isolate

People who test positive for COVID-19 and those in their households need to isolate for 10 days, but can now self-release after day 10, provided any testing and symptoms requirements are met. Household contacts must test on days 3 and 10.

If you are told you are a close contact, you do not need to isolate, but should monitor for any symptoms. Please get a test if symptoms develop.

The relaxation of close contact rules are a huge and important change for our industry as it means you do not need to shut down a whole production if any cast or crew test positive.

Please note – continued adherence to ScreenSafe Red Level guidelines is highly recommended for the safety of cast and crew and to avoid unnecessary business disruption:

  • Mask wearing and good hygiene protocols is crucial
  • Practice strict adherence to working bubbles
  • Practice good physical distancing
  • Work from home if possible
  • Avoid ride-sharing

A new self-investigation tool will be launched, with contact tracing teams to focus on high-risk exposure events and locations

Positive cases will need to do their own work in regards to contact tracing. A self-investigation tool is in the works, but is not live as of today.

Vaccinated Kiwis arriving from Australia and the rest of the world will no longer need to self-isolate

From 11:59pm on Wednesday 2 March 2022, fully vaccinated New Zealanders arriving from Australia will no longer need to self-isolate.

From 11.59pm on Friday 4 March this will be extended to include fully vaccinated New Zealand travellers from the rest of the world.

* More details information will be released in the next few days.

Sincerely,
The ScreenSafe COVID-19 Group, Email: info@screensafe.co.nz

Thank you to NZFC and NZOA for their funding support of these COVID-19 reviews.

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Director’s Toolkit with Paul Murphy – Wellington

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Gain insights into the craft of directing in this two-day workshop with experienced director Paul Murphy.

Paul will share his approach to directing narrative drama, drawing on his well-established background in the New Zealand screen industry. He will provide participants with insight into grass roots filmmaking, covering development, pre-production, shooting and post.

The Directors Toolkit aims to establish a professional approach to directing and underline the keys to good work.

Workshop Details:

When:
Saturday 2 April, 9:30am – 5pm
Sunday 3 April, 9:30am – 4pm

Where: Taia Studios, 4 Bay Road, Kilbirnie, Wellington 6022

Cost:
Member – Free
Non-member – $79 (billed upon selection)

Includes tea/coffee and lunch.

Our Payment and Cancellation Policy

About Paul Murphy

Paul grew up amongst the creative chaos of Blerta. His father, Geoff Murphy, and uncle Bruno Lawrence became key role models that guided his future in film. What began with helping out turned into working professionally on films like Goodbye Pork Pie, Carry Me Back and UTU. In the late 80’s he was a key grip for television and feature film, including Lord of the Rings and King Kong.

In 2000, he wrote and directed the short film SOX. He went on to direct on The Tribe and Sensing Murder. His first feature film, NZ Box Office hit Second-Hand Wedding, competed at the Shanghai International Film Festival. It picked up Best Female in a Leading Role and Best Female in a Supporting Role at the 2008 Qantas NZ Film and Television awards.

Paul followed it up with rom-com Love Birds, starring Rhys Darby and Sally Hawkins. It won Best Director of a Foreign Film Audience award at the prestigious Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Festival in China. In 2020, Paul’s third film Lowdown Dirty Criminals was released in cinemas, a crime caper comedy with James Rolleston and Rebecca Gibney.

Having been around actors, artists and musicians his whole life, Paul prides himself on his ability to connect, communicate and create a safe environment for them to produce their best work.

To Apply

Applications Close: Thu 24 March, 1PM

Please complete the application form below and email your CV to tema@deganz.co.nz. Your CV should clearly list your credits and include relevant details, such as year of release, format, festival selection, commissioners and/or platforms where your work has publicly screened.

Places are limited – the Guild will select based on applications. We will email you to confirm.

Red Traffic Light Notes

For the safety of yourself and others:

  • A valid My Vaccine Pass is an entry requirement.
  • Face masks must be worn at the workshop.
  • Seating will allow for 1 metre physical distancing.
  • Please do not attend if you are sick with COVID-19, cold or flu symptoms or have been asked to self-isolate.

Rapid Antigen Testing: We will ask you to take a RAT when you arrive on the first day as an added health and safety measure. Please arrive 20-30 minutes before the start of the workshop to check-in and take your test in the waiting room. Once you return a negative test result, you will be allowed to attend the workshop. If you return a positive test result, you will need to go home to self-isolate and we will organise a refund of your ticket (for non-members).

Application Form

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Made possible with the financial support of the New Zealand Film Commission

NZFC

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Watch Giants on Māori Television

The first episode of new documentary series Giants premiered on Māori Television last week and is now available to watch On Demand. Co-edited by DEGANZ member Anthea Ede Smith, Scott Howard, Kaz Miley and Tara Durrant, Giants is a seven-part documentary series that takes a look at legacy, whakapapa, and heritage through the lens of different migrant communities in Aotearoa.

The series tells untold stories from Chinese, Punjabi, Filipino, African, and Samoan migrant communities in Aotearoa. It explores the idea that immigrants ‘stand on the shoulder of giants’, building upon the legacy and whakapapa of their tūpuna.

Episodes of Giants air on Māori Television on Fridays at 9:30pm. They will then become available On Demand.

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Nude Tuesday on the Market

Written by DEGANZ member Jackie van Beek and directed by fellow member Armağan Ballantyne, unique comedy Nude Tuesday was recently labelled a hidden gem after being promoted at the European Film Market in Berlin.

The film follows a conservative, middle-aged couple, played by Jackie van Beek and Damon Herriman, trying to save a failing marriage with a trip to a new-age relationship retreat rich in sexual liberation and extreme nudity.

Nude Tuesday goes further with its uniqueness by being shot entirely in a made-up language. It was then sent to a few comedians to add their own subtitles. British comedian Julia Davis produced one version of subtitles, whilst Australian comedians Celia Pacquola and Ronny Chieng produced another set. The film will be available with both sets of English subtitles.

Armağan told Deadline that speaking in a made-up language meant that the actors didn’t have to worry about getting their lines right. instead, they could “focus on the tone and emphasis of the emotional exchanges between each other”.

Moreover, in the edit, “We were able to speed up scenes we thought were too slow by literally just cutting out bits of dialogue, knowing that it wouldn’t have the remotest impact on the story” says Jackie.

Well done to Jackie and Armağan. The NZ release date for Nude Tuesday hasn’t been announced yet, but we’re curious as to what to expect out of its two sets of subtitles!

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Mystic Season 2 Now Streaming on TVNZ OnDemand

Congratulations to our members involved in bringing Mystic Season 2 to life, as the eight-episode series is now available to stream on TVNZ OnDemand. David Stubbs (DEGANZ) is the series producer, while fellow members Aidee Walker and Caroline Bell-Booth directed on the latest series. Meanwhile, DEGANZ members Kerri Roggio and Peter Roberts served as two of the four editors on the series.

Mystic is an international production between TVNZ and CBBC reaching audiences at home in New Zealand, the UK, Europe, Canada and Australia. It also received support from the Screen Production Recovery Fund and the New Zealand Screen Production Grant.

Shot on location in Auckland, Mystic is an adventure story with a supernatural twist. Teenager Issie and her gang of horse-mad friends will not only have to tackle all the usual trials and tribulations of being a teenager but battle against new and unexpected threats to their beloved stables and local environment.

Production is underway for season 3. All the best to the team!

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