Pandemic Profile: Charlotte Ariss Locations

Location Managing in the age of Covid

The Locations department guides our film productions when we aren’t shooting in a studio. They often start weeks before a shoot day, showing directors, producers and agencies dozens of options for the production. Local 490 has some of the best location managers and assistants in the Twin Cities. They have worked on features, short films and commercials. They are on the top tier in the MN film industry. In this series, Pandemic Profiles, we are highlighting our union members who are showing us how they are evolving their business in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Next up, Local 490 members Charlotte Ariss Locations and one of her scouts, Todd Sinkewich.

Local 490 members Charlotte Ariss & Todd Sinkewich work together finding the best locations in the Cities. Photo provided by Charlotte Ariss

In their own words, “As location managers we are tasked with providing clean and safe shooting locations. In the time of Covid-19, that task has become even more important for the safety and well-being of our crew and for our location stakeholders.

Photo provided by Charlotte Ariss

We make sure that we have adequate space for each department to set up and maintain social distancing. We keep as much staging outside, or in the garage, as possible. On a couple shoots last summer/fall we gained permission from the City of Minneapolis to shut down an entire residential block for staging crew and gear. This gave us ample room to spread out during the day and for lunch.

Crew meets on a tech scout for the union gig on Xcel energy. Photo provided by Charlotte Ariss

In terms of Charlotte Ariss Locations (CAL) specifically, we have updated our standard protocols for interior locations to include Sani-Set, where a professional cleaner comes in to sanitize all surfaces before the crew arrives and after the shoot so the homeowners can return to a fully sanitized home. We offer hotel lodging to keep homeowners distanced from their home until it can be thoroughly cleaned, and rugs and trash can no longer be transported in CAL personal vehicles.

Some of the Equipment that is used on the set to disinfect the location. Photos provided by Charlotte Ariss

Production changes on set have included mandatory masks, temperature checks, face shields for those close to talent, individually packaged snacks and lunches, more outdoor staging, social distancing, rotating shifts when working on set, sanitizer everywhere, questionnaires, COVID testing, a new COVID coordinator position, and virtual client review to limit those needed on set.

Keeping these realities in mind, we are up leveling our service to include a new product offering from one of our own CAL location managers, the Aware Air kit. Aware Air provides a chemical-free, air purification system that provides a critical layer of protection throughout the day by powerfully sanitizing not only the air but surfaces too. The system releases powerful oxidizers into the air and on surfaces, where they seek and destroy DNA and RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2 (novel coronavirus). Look for this additional service which will be introduced in March 2021.

Masks, Hand sanitizer, chemical disinfectants are now on every set. Photo provided by Charlotte Ariss

Our producers partner with rental companies such as union-endorsed Midwest Mohos & Production Supply to have a bathroom trailer and hand-washing station on the street or in a parking lot for crew to use. We usually reserve one (pre-sanitized) bathroom in the interior location or motorhome exclusively for talent use, and another for hair & makeup. We can sanitize throughout the day with our electro-static sprayer, and work closely with the Covid Safety Coordinator to make sure all industry-standard safety precautions are met and enforced.

Although we are vigilant to help keep things moving smoothly and safely throughout the location, we realize it is not realistic that a doorknob is going get wiped clean every time it is touched, nor can we control when someone sneezes or coughs, and there may be times when crew may find themselves working in closer proximity than 6 feet. Sometimes it simply cannot be avoided.

“Karna” is another member of Ariss Locations, here she is masked up on set. Photo provided by Charlotte Ariss

And throughout all of the pandemic, some things haven't changed..spirits are still high and the energy is positive. Although COVID has put a negative weight on all of our shoulders, shoot after shoot we are impressed by the ability for all of us to still come together, work as a team, and get it done! All with a smile under our masks. ;) “

Local 490 is proud to have members like Charlotte leading the way for a safer and cleaner film industry. You can find out more about her Location Services at https://www.charlottearisslocations.com

Please support our film industry by hiring members like Charlotte Ariss and shooting your next production on a union contract. In doing so, you are getting the best crew in Minnesota, your project will be safe, well run, your crew will be professional. You will be paying the crew good wages, supplying workers comp, unemployment insurance and even retirement benefits. This supports our union brothers and sisters before, during and after your project. Contact our business agent at this email, businessagent@iatse490.net, to find out more about shooting union.

If you would like to be featured in Pandemic Profiles, pls contact Mark Wojahn in the social media committee, or email him at socialmedia@iatse490.net.