Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1335010
68 W I N T E R 2 0 2 1 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y cared about our well-being, they kept it fun and sparked motivation in their safety announcements. They gave us facts about the statistics in our area, as well as the statistics on our set. And then tips on how to remember to stay socially distant at work and outside the workplace, how and why we keep a strict hand-washing regiment, how often they sanitize high-touch surfaces, and the importance of masks. This person kept us honest, but it never felt condescending or disrespectful. A huge contrast from Tom Cruise yelling at his crew for "breaking protocols." Their motivational and informational announcements were almost sweet in a way which, in this stressful time, were very much needed. CONCLUSION My fear and disappointment toward an almost failed COVID prevention production scenario could not have been more different than between the beginning and end of this production. I'm happy to report how this production turned things around. This story is just one of many from on the ground here in Los Angeles and other production hubs. This has been a challenging year and we're all grateful to be back to work. Having seen it both ways, I can confi dently say that fi lming can be done safely during a pandemic of this nature. With strict rules, we can do this. The testing is just one snapshot in time and it generally allows for catching positives before they can expose others. The masks stack the deck by keeping our (still presumably negative) droplets at bay. The physical distancing (as challenging as it is in a fi lmmaking environment) must be observed when possible. And, as some will attest, the frequent hand washing and surface sanitization was probably long overdue anyway. It feels strange to be considered "essential workers" because, as is often joked when we hustle, "Hey, we're not saving lives, slow down!" Now, even though we're obviously not saving lives, we are doing work that is a collaborative art form that builds into a product that the masses really look to and rely on to get them through their lifetime's fi rst (and hopefully only!) global pandemic quarantine. I am proud to be here and help refi ll that library for my fellow world citizens to enjoy. Stay safe out there my friends! Devendra Devendra Devendra Devendra