Tyler Perry isn’t jumping to reopen his 330-acre Atlanta studio complex, but we’ve learned he’s working on a really unique, interesting and safe way to shoot TV shows there during the coronavirus pandemic.
Studio sources revealed that Tyler has a plan he’s currently running up the flagpole with his studio execs, and it goes like this. Productions that shoot at his facility would have the cast and crew check in on the first day of filming. Everyone would be tested, and everyone who tests negative would be invited on the lot, where they will live during the entire production.
As for where they’d live, well, there’s plenty of options. The facility used to be an army base, and there are 141 barracks on-site — all usable. There are also 40 historic houses that are habitable. In addition, Tyler built around 30 houses on the lot for various productions, and they’re all functional. And, we’re told if the idea takes off he’d erect some pre-fab hotels.
The cast and crew can use all the facilities, including a gym, a bar and restaurants. A hospital building was built for one of the shows, and we’re told Tyler believes it can become functional enough and he’s thinking of bringing a doctor and nurse on board.
Tyler would first reopen just with his productions — 6 tv shows strong. Each show takes about 2 1/2 weeks to film a season, so the cast and crew would show up and stay for just shy of 3 weeks. A few weeks later the same crew would return to shoot another season of another show, and so on. They’d also get extra pay for dealing with the circumstances.
There are still open issues. What do you do with day players and extras? What happens if there are family medical needs that require a cast or crew member to leave?
Tyler is checking to make sure there are no unions or other issues, but it sounds like a super-creative way of dealing with both the virus and the economy.
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