Festivals and Film: COVID-19 Impact on Entertainment Travel

The coronavirus pandemic has hit every part of life – even our entertainment. What’s the plan for filmmaking, television production and music festivals in a world where social distancing is the new normal?

From Cannes to Coachella – 2020 Festivals Postponed

The biggest events in entertainment have all either been pushed back into late 2020 (pending review) or cancelled entirely for the year. Every kind of event scheduled for 2020 – from local beer festivals to the 2020 Olympic Games – has faced a postponement of some kind.

The most prominent music festivals in the UK (including Glastonbury, Isle of Wight Festival, BST Hyde Park and Download) have all been cancelled for 2020, with the intention to return in 2021.

While public health is the number one priority in a pandemic situation, cancelling blockbuster events comes at a price. As an economic downturn looms large, the financial impact hits travel companies, venues, catering, security firms – and the artists themselves.

Artists Respond with Creative Solutions

In the world of streaming, Netflix and Spotify are household names. But when it comes to live streaming, the pool of platforms is smaller. Creators and performers have taken to Twitch, a videogame live streaming service, over offerings from YouTube and Facebook. Everyone from amateur, up and coming artists through to established live acts have been using streaming to get content to their audiences.

The games themselves have provided an unusual stage for musicians, too. Fortnite is a massively popular, cross-platform game played by 350 million players around the world. Fortnite made history, hosting the first ever virtual concert of its kind with Marshmello. Party Royale grew from this groundbreaking event, hosting household names like deadmau5 – but the latest outing has been the most audacious use of the platform to date.

Astronomical, an immersive musical performance by Travis Scott, launched during lockdown. It has transformed the entertainment landscape – establishing Fortnite as a channel in it’s own right. And although VR entertainment has yet to take to the mainstream, events like this make a serious case for it becoming a normal way of consuming content.

TV and Film: Shooting on Location

Speaking of streaming – the next season of your favourite TV show is probably going to be delayed. With no way to travel to locations or maintain social distancing on set, TV and moviemaking have some major hurdles to overcome.

With no on-screen kisses, dance numbers, no close-quarters interviews or live studio audiences, regular scheduled TV already looks worlds apart from what we’re used to.

Soaps like Australia’s Neighbours have resumed production, opting for sparsely-populated sets and creative camera angles to make people appear close together. Some Hollywood film studios are even thinking about entering an agreed quarantine together, isolating production teams at a film lot for the duration of a production.

Even if work resumes, it’ll be heavily limited and some shots won’t be possible. So, when restrictions ease, there’s going to be a lot of work to do to get TV and film releases back on schedule. The major backlog of work means that seasons will be filmed back-to-back, reducing production times, costs and allowing studios time to catch up.

Multi-location shoots will have to be managed and planned with extreme efficiency. The logistics of filmmaking can often be counterintuitive, as scenes are rarely shot in chronological order – but with careful planning and skilled teams, multiple productions can be streamlined, reducing back and forth travel for filmmaking.

Are Celebrities Still Flying in Private Jets?

Yes – during the COVID-19 outbreak, private jet usage has increased. Athletes, musicians and film stars are reported to be the top among private flyers. Private jets have also offered a lifeline to many who found themselves stranded or unable to travel during the pandemic, and reports show that even film studios are seeking to use private jets to move stars and crew with fewer risks.

Supporting the Arts through COVID-19

ACC continues to assist organisations with essential travel needs throughout this challenging time. As the entertainment industry starts to recover and flourish once again, our experts are here to help music festivals, film and TV production with their group aircraft charter and private jet air travel needs.

Let’s talk about your return to the stage: call +44 (0)1737 232 230 or request a quote online.