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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1277879
we touched base with one of the money people we know, Aaron Semmel, CEO of BoomBoom Booya, aaronsemmel@gmail. com. Aaron is an executive producer – a title that can be as broad or narrow as the director, studio/project owner and the individual's experience chose to make it. Suddenly, people with his experience and focus are really, really important to the M&E industry. We first met him a few years ago at an HPA (Hollywood Professional Association) and creative storage conference and discovered EP isn't just a nice title that appears at the end of a movie along with the rest of the scrolling credits Since money greases the industry's wheels, we figured he and other EPs would be a good bellwether as to what production is going to be like when we get out of this tunnel. In other words, when will folks be back to work and what will the new work look like? The quick answers … soon, different. "In two months, the ground rules for the industry have changed dramatically," Semmel said. "There were hundreds, thousands of film/TV projects in various stages of production around the globe abruptly put on hiatus." "The fortunate projects were those that had wrapped production and had moved to post," he continued. "They could do the work remotely and in isolation, moving content from audio/video specialists in the cloud and barely miss a beat. A number of these projects are complete or near completion, so they'll be appearing when the time is right." "The rest of us basically have to take a hard look at everything – including financial and time budgets – as though it's a new project because all of the rules have changed," he added. "It's what every producer, studio and EP we know, including myself, are doing right now." One of the first budget items to change will probably be travel because global travel and location selection will be sharply limited. The days of actors and crews moving from exotic location to exotic location to take advantage of generous tax subsidies will be curtailed if not off the table. According to film industry analyst Stephen Fellows, just under two-thirds of the films shoot in one country, 23 percent in two and 12 percent in three or more countries. While states and cities across the U.S. have been popular shooting destinations, they have faded in recent years with Canada becoming the home away from home. But the rapid construction of large studio facilities, skilled crews and a vaguely familiar language have proven to make the UK an attractive option. True, the generous tax rebates and falling Pound probably also helped in the decision process, but that could change. The eerie silence of Holly wood's studios and backlots could quickly disappear when production opens up again as studios and producers determine it is safer – and faster – to keep the work closer to home.