ΥΠΠΟΑ 17/03/2022

HELLENIC REPUBLIC
MINISTRY OF CULTURE & SPORTS
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CONTEMPORARY CULTURE  

POSTAL ADDRESS: Bouboulinas 20-22
POSTAL CODE: 106 82 ATHENS
TELEPHONE: 2131322528, -851
Email: [email protected]

SUBJECT: UPDATED GUIDELINES FOR SAFE FILM SHOOTS & SOUND RECORDINGS

Relevant documents:

[a] The section from the minutes of the 271st meeting (02.03.2022) of the National Public Health Protection Committee against the COVID-19 coronavirus.
[b] Joint Ministerial Decision no.  Δ1α/ΓΠ.οικ.14709 (ΦΕΚ 1099/Β΄/11.03.2022)

  • This document is based on the guidelines and recommendations of the Hellenic Ministry of Health’s Covid-19 Expert Committee and provides guidance on how to conduct film shoots and sound recording sessions safely.
  • This document replaces any previous document on this subject.
  • Interested parties are requested to regularly visit the announcements page of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport, where they will be notified of any amendments to this directive.

All workers / performers who are not fully vaccinated or who are ill within the meaning of paragraphs 2 and 3 of article 9 respectively of the document below (Article 6[2]), who are physically present inside or outside the facilities / sites where the shoot/recording is taking place are obliged to conduct a diagnostic test twice (2 times) a week by means of the molecular method (PCR) or the COVID-19 rapid coronavirus antigen test (rapid test) in a private diagnostic laboratory, as defined in P.D. 84/2001 (Article 1[70]), or a private clinic or pharmacy or private doctor, at their own expense.

a. Filming / recording venues

  • Indoor spaces must be kept well-ventilated. Only open-circuit air conditioners are permitted.
  • Enclosed spaces must be disinfected using a 10:1 chlorine solution (meaning 9 parts water to one part chlorine) before and after every shoot/recording. The same holds for the toilets. For surfaces which are likely to be damaged by the use of bleach (sodium hypochlorite), a 70% ethanol solution can be used. Particular emphasis should be given to surfaces which are touched frequently, such as door knobs, on/off switches, handrails etc.
  • Antiseptic alcohol solution (70%) must be on hand in all spaces used for film shoots, sound recordings etc.
  • Hygiene rules must be applied in toilets, including:
    • Good ventilation o Closing the toilet lid before flushing o The use of paper or plastic disposable seat covers is desirable o Running water and soap, paper towels and a foot-operated waste bin should be provided
    • Where possible, equipment equipped with a photocell or foot switch (e.g. for the tap, soap dispenser) should be used
    • Hand driers should not be used
    • A line with places marked two (2) metres apart should be in place for when queuing is required
    • Use of a non-medical mask
    • If the sinks have not been used in a long time, it is recommended that the hot water should be left to run for five minutes before the first use.
    • Showers should not be used
  • Calculations should be made to ensure that adequate space is provided in the changing and dressing rooms; changes of clothes should be restricted to the essential. If the space available is insufficient for everyone, it should either be used on a rota basis, or other available spaces should be used as additional changing/dressing rooms. The participants’ personal clothing should be kept in a sealed container.

b. Conducting film shoots / sound recordings

  • The 2-metre rule should be applied
  • The use of non-medical protective masks is obligatory during sound recordings as well as for all personnel involved in a film shoot, except for those participants appearing in each scene / performing on the recording
  • The use of antiseptic alcoholic solution (70%) is recommended
  • Special care should be taken with personnel who belong to vulnerable groups
  • Personnel who manifest symptoms of illness must leave the venue immediately; under no circumstances should they fail to put on a mask before doing so.
  • All equipment used should have been disinfected in the manner specified by the manufacturer prior to being placed in the venue
  • If a scene requires actors to touch, the actors involved must disinfect their hands before and after the scene, and the contact should be kept as momentary as possible. Also, scenes in which one actor has to touch the face of another actor should be avoided.

In relation to costumes, wigs, make-up, etc.:

  • These must only be used by the artists who wear them, and artists should dress themselves
  • Personal clothing should be stored sealed and costumes should be stored with individual covers.
  • Costumes should be steam-cleaned before and after use.
  • Personnel who work with costumes, hairdressing etc. should also be provided with sufficient work space for the distance rules to be applied.
  • Ideally, artists should take care of their own make-up. Should that not be possible, a personal make-up kit should be used for each artist, while personal safety guidelines should be applied. The make-up station must be cleaned after each use. It is extremely important that the different make-up sets are kept separate. In practice, nothing must be shared.
  • Ideally, the hairdressing materials should not be shared, either
  • Professional hairdressers, make-up artists, wardrobe staff et al. will be required to wear gloves (which must be changed for each artist) and a non-medical mask every time they attend to an artist’s appearance. Should the artist choose to attend to his/her own appearance, they should take on an advisory role and keep their distance.

In relation to orchestras and choirs:

  • The choir members should maintain a one and a half (1.5) metre all-round gap from other members and wear a non-medical mask when they are not singing.
  • String players should maintain a one (1) metre from one another, wear a non-medical mask, and each use their own stand.
  • Musicians who play woodwind and percussion instruments are advised to maintain the maximum possible distance from one another, this being at least one (1) metre, to use their own music stands, and in the case of woodwind players, to use Plexiglass screens where this it is possible. In addition, it is recommended that brass players use a special dense-weave silk-type fabric or transparent protective material to cover the bell and prevent the aerosol transmission of the virus. All equipment used should have been disinfected in the manner specified by the manufacturer prior to being placed in the venue In addition, the percussion instruments should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected in accordance with the procedure recommended by the manufacturer.
  • Choir/orchestra conductors are allowed to not wear a mask, so they can perform their roles, on condition that they remain at least two (2) metres from the members of the choir/orchestra. The use of an acrylic screen placed in front of the conductor / choir master is recommended.
  • Shoots/recordings should take place with only essential personnel present, without the presence of an audience.
  • To the extent that it is feasible, shooting should take place to a flexible timetable in order to minimize the number of people present at any one time.
  • All arrivals and departures into the facilities / premises should be logged.
  • To make tracing easier, it is recommended that any symptoms that manifest themselves should also be logged.
  • Used cloth non-medical masks should be placed in plastic bags, washed at 60degrees C, and ironed.
  • Food breaks should take place in a venue where a minimum distance of 1.5 metres can be maintained and hygiene rules applied. The room, tables and chairs should be disinfected before each use. The food should come in individual servings wrapped in cling film. The food should be distributed by staff wearing protective gear (gloves, masks) so a queue does not form. Water, soft drinks, etc. should be distributed in individual sealed packaging. After eating, any left-overs should be placed in special airtight packaging and thrown away.
  • Vehicles which carry staff should be disinfected daily, before and after the transfer.
  • It is recommended that meetings take place via tele-conferencing or video, whenever possible.


The above measures are indicative and cannot cover every possible situation; they must therefore be implemented in parallel with whatever broader measures are in force. For this reason, it is essential to visit the website of the Greek National Health Service at https://eody.gov.gr/ and https://covid19.gov.gr/regularly in order to stay up to date with the latest developments.

Everyone involved should demonstrate the requisite individual responsibility, thereby protecting both themselves and other people. Production companies in particular should take care to protect workers and to implement additional measures stemming from the particular features of a given space or shoot/recording session, at their discretion.

The General Secretary for Contemporary Culture
Eleni Doundoulaki

Unofficial Translation by GREEK FILM CENTRE, Hellenic Film Commission