VOA慢速英语--好莱坞迟迟不重启影视制作

Hollywood Slow to Restart Movie and TV Production

Hollywood has been slow to get its cameras rolling again as California starts easing coronavirus restrictions¹.

Only a small number of movie and television (TV) productions have restarted filming in California and other parts of the United States. Actors and crew members are unsure when projects might restart filming, and some expect they will not return to work until 2021.

Los Angeles County is home to the biggest movie and TV production companies in the country. The local government gave approval in June for filming to begin with safety measures in place. Major labor² unions released a 36-page report describing those safeguards³. Producers had hoped to have many projects working again in August.

The number of filming permit requests in the Los Angeles area since mid-June was more than 60 percent lower compared to a normal year. Most of the requests were for advertising⁴ or still film images, reported local organization FilmLA. The group said it expected more television shows and movies to restart filming in September.

Actor Seth Rogen and his partner Evan Goldberg produce both TV shows and films. Rogen said he is exploring the idea of producing some projects overseas.

Speaking with a reporter this month, Rogen said he did not expect filming in America anytime soon in a way that he would accept.

"I look to other countries who have dealt with this whole thing much better and think maybe, if they'll let us in, maybe we can film there," he said.

Overseas production

A few big movies have restarted production in other countries. The next Jurassic World dinosaur⁵ film from Universal Pictures restarted filming in London. And Walt Disney Company is back at work in New Zealand, producing another film in the Avatar movie series.

To restart, producers must meet the industry's COVID-19 guidelines⁶, which takes longer for bigger projects.

"It's not like flipping⁷ a light switch," said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief operating officer and a top lawyer for the actors' union SAG-AFTRA.

The union has approved more than 1,000 return-to-work plans for film and TV projects, Crabtree-Ireland noted⁸. He added that the current production level was "far lower" than normal.

Continuing shutdowns will limit the supply of fresh programming that television stations and online media services can offer.

The crew of Amazon Studios series The Boys recorded a video urging people to wear face coverings to reduce coronavirus spread.

"You want a ‘Boys' season three? They are not going to let us shoot [until] we get the numbers down," actor Jack⁹ Quaid said on the video.

Kissing mannequins

Some TV series have taken steps to increase safety protections, including smaller crews, safety officers and some unusual fixes. For example, some producers are using mannequins for kissing scenes.

Producer Tyler Perry created a "Camp Quarantine" at his Georgia production studio to film his series Sistas in July. No coronavirus cases were reported during a two-week shoot, Perry said.

ViacomCBS, owner of MTV, Comedy Central and other stations, is setting up closed sets called "COVID compounds" to make shows, said Chris McCarthy, a company official.

In the compounds, "we will control it, we'll test, but we'll also contain it and keep everyone as safe as possible," McCarthy said.

A few productions have reported coronavirus infections to SAG-AFTRA, Crabtree-Ireland said. He would not identify the productions. Some temporarily halted production, he said. Other cases involved people who had not yet reported for work.

"In our view, it's a sign the system is working," he said.

I'm Caty Weaver¹⁰.

Words in This Story

page – n. one side of a printed or written sheet of paper

flipping a light switch – expression to do something quickly and easily

shutdown – n. the act of stopping the operation or activity of a business, machine, etc., for a period of time or forever

mannequin – n. a figure shaped like a human body that is used for making or displaying clothes

scene – n. a part of a play, movie, story, etc., in which a particular action or activity occurs

studio – n. a place where motion pictures are made

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 safeguards   

防护措施，安全设施( safeguard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We will introduce legal safeguards against fraud. 我们将推行防止欺诈的法律条款。
• There is a price to be paid for maintaining these safeguards. 维持这些防范措施是要付出代价的。

4 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

5 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

6 guidelines   

n.指导方针，准则

参考例句：

• The government has drawn up guidelines on the treatment of the mentally ill. 政府制订了对待精神病人的指导方针。
• Planners seem a little uncomfortable with the current government guidelines. 规划师似乎不太接受现行的政府指道方针。

7 flipping   

讨厌之极的

参考例句：

• I hate this flipping hotel! 我讨厌这个该死的旅馆！
• Don't go flipping your lid. 别发火。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

10 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。