Why Tom Cruise is Right About Covid

Tom Cruise is known for his explosive outbursts over-the-years, but this time, the mass media totally missed the point! Serving as the driving force behind the Mission Impossible franchise, Tom Cruise is helping preserve a divided film industry.

Yet it wasn’t until December 16th, that an incident that’s been long-ignored in the wake of Covid-19 is changing that.

In this article, I’ll tell you why Covid compliance on film sets is no joking matter.

How Covid-19 has changed how Hollywood films are made

This incident that occurred on the set at the Warner Brothers Studio in Leavesden has raised some eyebrows.

The 7th installment of Mission Impossible, a series that has spanned nearly 25 years, has continued to thrive.

However, the latest Coronavirus epidemic has forced US filmmakers to take special measures to keep this franchise on-track. The lure of tax rebates for film making has allowed the UK to become a Hollywood/UK production hub.

It’s become economically cheaper to film in the UK and EU to make the practical filming process cost-effective. But with many EU countries limiting and placing restrictions on film production companies, the answer becomes more obvious.

While many film fans do not understand that film productions receive tax incentives to film in European countries. There are many stipulations and catches’ attached to these rebate deals.

One example is the nationality clause that must show national or historical monuments in the country ‘somewhere’ in the film. A prime example was the Bruce Willis Die Hard film: ‘A Good Day to Die’ where the Heroes Square in Budapest had been featured.

However, the film cleverly sold it to audiences as a communist rally being held in Russia. The Hungarian film commission was not very happy about this mislabeling.

Yet with concerns over smaller country populations aside from the US, many EU countries aren’t taking the risk. Earlier into the MI-7 production back in October, the problems grew when more than 12 people who worked on set in Italy tested positive for Covid-19.

Production had to be shut down for a week and resumed back at the Studio in Leavesden. Earlier in March, the production faced its first shut-down as the news of Covid-19 spread around the world.

Aside from country limitations, it seems that the UK is host to several booming productions that are setting all-time records.

But now it seems that can affect a growing number of US-based productions heading for the UK. If you haven’t begun to understand how Covid compliance on film sets works, this section will explain it further.

The increasing pressure to deliver on-time

Mission Impossible 7 is set to be released by the end of 2021 and is aiming for theatrical global releases. As of this writing, principle photography is nowhere close to being completed and could face further delays.

This has raised major concerns that completion funds, post-production budgets, and delivery of the finished product are also at stake. Another interesting fact is that a film company is punished for not completing their film before the release date obligations. This includes advertising, foreign country voice-overs, post-productions CGI, and other effects.

Most of the UK is working from a budget that hires local studio workers who receive a freelance labor rate.

On top of that, there is an additional SAG-AFTRA agreement that allows union members to receive ‘Hollywood scale pay’ while working in the UK. This ranting incident in question no doubt has everything to do with staying on time to complete filming.

This is easy to understand why Tom Cruise is no-doubt tired of the production delays so far.

If the crew of MI-7 falls behind further, we might see an eventual end of further funding for this venture.

However, the incident did raise further awareness that has exposed the Covid-19 rules at the Warner Brothers UK studio

One major difference at the UK studio is that they do not enforce on-set testing at their studio.

This is a vital point that has led to complaints from those who are from the US film crew. All US film sets employ Covid-19 testing as well as social distancing.

The UK set only allows a visual inspection of how workers are feeling.

A mistake that could spell the end of their booming UK film business, in favor of health and safety rules!

Easily debunking the publicity stunt rumor

It’s not easy to understand the inner-politics of Hollywood films and the process of how films are made. It’s also a common point that time is money and any production shut-down is worth millions that are wasted.

With many in Hollywood calling this a publicity stunt, I beg to differ from the obvious points listed.

A film company faces increasing pressure from any delay, but in the face of Covid compliance on film sets will be disastrous.

I do believe Tom Cruise has every right to point out the obvious since this is affecting everyone on-set. Those who followed the rules as freelance workers are simply not paid if the production shuts down.

But sadly, the SAG-AFTRA members who were called out for their carelessness should be called on their actions. A production shutdown will cause hundreds of employees to lose money and millions lost for the film production itself.

 
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