COVID-19 and impact on entertainment industry

[Jussi]

Rita Wilson warns she experienced 'extreme side effects' after taking chloroquine

 

[kihei]

I wouldn't predict when any movie will come out or when any production would start. If covid 19 becomes a continuing fact of life until a vaccine is found, the future of restaurants, movies, concerts, and sporting events is completely open to question. Potential fans and customers will be factoring in risk at any social gathering in a way that we never even imagined before.

 

[Jussi]

I wouldn't predict when any movie will come out or when any production would start. If covid 19 becomes a continuing fact of life until a vaccine is found, the future of restaurants, movies, concerts, and sporting events is completely open to question. Potential fans and customers will be factoring in risk at any social gathering in a way that we never even imagined before.

Apparently Finns are more likely to avoid public gatherings even if restrictions were eased up.

 

[missingmika]

Seems like a good time for companies with complete/almost done films that are being held to just put them on a streaming service and get something for it.

I'd watch New Mutants right away if it came to Disney+

 

[discostu]

Seems like a good time for companies with complete/almost done films that are being held to just put them on a streaming service and get something for it.

I'd watch New Mutants right away if it came to Disney+

Trolls World Tour debuted on streaming this past week, with revenues estimated to be about $50M. That's not too bad in terms of recouping losses, but a far cry from what the original brought it.

Anything released digitally is generally only going to return a fraction of what theatrical will bring. It's viable for films that are expected to struggle anyways (like New Mutants), but with newer film production shut down, studios probably don't want to dump their product now, as they may need stuff to fill the calendar as their pipelines gets pushed out.

 

[discostu]

One thought I had the other day is I wonder how television writers are going to address the crisis on shows that take place in the modern world.

Do you write episodes with people on lockdown? Do you reference the broader issue at all?

There was always similar discussion around 9/11, and I think most shows chose to not reference it at all. But, this seems harder to ignore, as it has a much more direct impact on people.

 

[Elvis P]

Comic-Con is cancelled.

 

[Jussi]

One thought I had the other day is I wonder how television writers are going to address the crisis on shows that take place in the modern world.

Do you write episodes with people on lockdown? Do you reference the broader issue at all?

There was always similar discussion around 9/11, and I think most shows chose to not reference it at all. But, this seems harder to ignore, as it has a much more direct impact on people.

I have to say the one show I'm really looking forward to when it comes to handling this, is Grey's Anatomy because it takes place in Seattle.

 

[kihei]

One thought I had the other day is I wonder how television writers are going to address the crisis on shows that take place in the modern world.

Do you write episodes with people on lockdown? Do you reference the broader issue at all?

There was always similar discussion around 9/11, and I think most shows chose to not reference it at all. But, this seems harder to ignore, as it has a much more direct impact on people.

What a great question. I never thought of that. Of course, if we don't get a vaccine and life is drastically altered for a much longer time frame, the new normal will wreak havoc on movie and TV narratives in general.

 

[Jussi]

By the way, 9/11 was referenced in a lot of shows. Cop shows, just recently on Grey's Anatomy, Rescue Me etc.

 

[Jumptheshark]

It will be interesting how the shutdown affects the new fall shows. As of right now only the pilots have been filmed. Vancouver shows usually start filming in mid June with LA based shows in late July. Like all businesses, it will take awhile for the shows to get back up and running

 

[discostu]

It will be interesting how the shutdown affects the new fall shows. As of right now only the pilots have been filmed. Vancouver shows usually start filming in mid June with LA based shows in late July. Like all businesses, it will take awhile for the shows to get back up and running

I'm not sure if many pilots even finished their filming. The whole concept of the new fall network TV season is up in the air. Returning shows will get delayed.

I'm guessing many shows that were on the bubble for renewal are likely to be picked up, as it's probably easier to do that for networks to fast track content.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I'm not sure if many pilots even finished their filming. The whole concept of the new fall network TV season is up in the air. Returning shows will get delayed.

I'm guessing many shows that were on the bubble for renewal are likely to be picked up, as it's probably easier to do that for networks to fast track content.

99% of the pilots were filmed in Jan and Feb with editing and presentation given to the network that order the pilot and decisions made in April for a may unveil.

I know The Green Arrow and the Canaries were one show that did not shoot a pilot as the pilot was sort of back door pilot on mothership Arrow

 

[spintheblackcircle]

By the way, 9/11 was referenced in a lot of shows. Cop shows, just recently on Grey's Anatomy, Rescue Me etc.

The whole series 24 was BECAUSE of 9/11. That was the #1 show forever.

 

[Beau Knows]

One thought I had the other day is I wonder how television writers are going to address the crisis on shows that take place in the modern world.

Do you write episodes with people on lockdown? Do you reference the broader issue at all?

There was always similar discussion around 9/11, and I think most shows chose to not reference it at all. But, this seems harder to ignore, as it has a much more direct impact on people.

I remember reading that after WWI and the Spanish Flu most people just wanted to move on and didn't want to spend much time with memorials or analyzing how things got so bad. They had been through so much that they wanted to live their lives almost like nothing had happened.

Obviously this situation is nowhere near as tragic, but I wonder if there will be less of an appetite to relive it then there was after 9/11.

 

[Preds Partisan]

It will be interesting how the shutdown affects the new fall shows. As of right now only the pilots have been filmed. Vancouver shows usually start filming in mid June with LA based shows in late July. Like all businesses, it will take awhile for the shows to get back up and running

Just checking on some random summer shows, it looks like a few are being forced to use cut scenes from previous seasons to fill out whatever "episodes" they'll be showing. Flashbacks I guess.

 

[nameless1]

One thought I had the other day is I wonder how television writers are going to address the crisis on shows that take place in the modern world.

Do you write episodes with people on lockdown? Do you reference the broader issue at all?

There was always similar discussion around 9/11, and I think most shows chose to not reference it at all. But, this seems harder to ignore, as it has a much more direct impact on people.

Perhaps Asia can be used as a point of reference, as production has never halted in places where the situation is largely controlled. I watch a variety talk show from Taiwan and a daily half hour sitcom from Hong Kong, and both try to avoid the issue. So far, the issue has only been made into an episode in the Hong Kong sitcom, but more on the surrounding issue like a lack of face masks, and only once as the main topic on the Taiwan show.

It may be a year or two before the current situation makes it into a television series, but it will only be a veiled reference.

 

[kook10]

99% of the pilots were filmed in Jan and Feb with editing and presentation given to the network that order the pilot and decisions made in April for a may unveil.

I know The Green Arrow and the Canaries were one show that did not shoot a pilot as the pilot was sort of back door pilot on mothership Arrow

I'm not sure if many pilots even finished their filming. The whole concept of the new fall network TV season is up in the air. Returning shows will get delayed.

I'm guessing many shows that were on the bubble for renewal are likely to be picked up, as it's probably easier to do that for networks to fast track content.

Greg Berlanti is on a huge overall deal with WB, so it wouldn't be expected that they would do a pilot for his shows anyway.

Separate note - writers rooms are able to work from home (editors too) so it is easy to keep working and banking scripts. This was a priority even before the virus, as there WGA contract deadline is May 1st, and with them there is always a strike possible (they're pushing the deadline). Some shows have even ordered a full set of 10 scripts before greenlighting pilots. Once the guilds and the IA bargain for acceptable terms to return to work, there should be plenty of content to shoot. The biggest constraint will be cash to shoot the projects, and then next stage space (which is hard to find these days, but may loosen up if production cash dries up).

 

[Transplanted Caper]

This is from a Rolling Stone piece on Better Call Saul. Spoilers if you click the link, but interesting insight into the challenges of filming this fall.

Still, no one knows when people will be able to safely gather in large enough groups to actually produce the show, and there are other logistical headaches to be sorted out. (Studio space is limited, and productions that have already been disrupted by the pandemic could get priority, for instance.) Gould didn’t like it when Saul took 2019 off entirely, and while Gilligan hopes Season Six will be ready to premiere in the fall of 2021, if they can begin filming this autumn, he says, “You’re going to have to ask Dr. Fauci here.”

 

[discostu]

The whole series 24 was BECAUSE of 9/11. That was the #1 show forever.

24 was already filmed and debuted only a couple of months later. It wasn't driven by 9/11, but clearly built its audience on the general atmosphere post 9/11. I'm guessing it was probably slates to debut even earlier, but pushed off because of optics.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

It's time for Hollywood celebs to start doing Youtube sketches. They can't be any worse than actual Youtubers.

 

[Jussi]

It's time for Hollywood celebs to start doing Youtube sketches. They can't be any worse than actual Youtubers.

Parks & Rec are doing a reunion show for NBC with just videoconferencing.

 

[plank]

Bandcamp waiving fees again

 

[Jussi]

David Tennant and Catherine Tate did a follow up of sorts to this:

 

[beowulf]

AMC bans Universal films from its theaters over 'Trolls World Tour' spat - CNN

AMC bans Universal films in their theaters and this is due to Trolls World Tour movie's success as an on-demand release instead of in theaters, due to the pandemic.

That move appears to have paid off: The studio has earned nearly $100 million in rental fees since its digital release April 10. Shell told the newspaper that the movie "exceeded our expectations and demonstrated the viability" of on-demand video.
But it was Shell's next quote that really incensed AMC, which is controlled by China's Dalian Wanda Group and owns Odeon and UCI — Europe's biggest cinema operator.
"As soon as theaters reopen," Shell added, "we expect to release movies on both formats."

The bolded part is what has movie theater owners worried as they would likely loose even more business if more movies become available on-demand at the same time as they open in theaters.