The unique challenges of filming across the world can also impact medical services. A medical services provider needs to be aware of the film industry’s needs.
For example, filming often occurs in various locations and with constantly changing schedules. To ensure medical services at all locations is sufficient, the medical services provider needs to be aware of these challenges.
While Remote Medical International (RMI) has been providing medical services to the film industry since early 2020, our previous experience in other industries, particularly the marine seismic industry, has made it easier to adapt to the needs of filming.
Responding to Changing Schedules and Locations
Filming at multiple locations is a huge logistical challenge. Everyone needs to be in the right place at the right time. Coordinating so many people often leads to shifting schedules, as the production manager tries to balance all the variables.
In many cases, there is a short window between knowing when and where filming is going to occur and the filming actually starting. Medical services must adapt to these dynamics.
Deploying medical staff under these circumstances is similar to deploying staff for marine seismic companies. Vessels often change ports or the timing of their arrival based on various factors, including the weather and their next assignment. RMI leveraged our experience with the marine seismic industry to successfully staff filming locations too.
Coordinating Across Multiple Locations
Unlike construction projects, which tend to have fixed locations, the film industry disperses its employees across multiple filming locations.
For example, a single production could have multiple filming locations and production headquarters; all need to coordinate medical services. A medical services provider needs to successfully communicate across many time zones and locations.
RMI has already developed multiple global locations to coordinate medical services thanks to our work with the marine seismic industry and others. While communicating across multiple locations can be complex, it is not more challenging than coordinating across moving vessels, which sometimes traverse many time zones.
Following Union & Guild Guidelines
Most industries have rules in place to keep employees healthy and safe. The film industry is no different . When developing medical services for the film industry, RMI had to create a new position to meet the requirements.
However, RMI can adapt its services to comply with regulations. The marine seismic sector has its own rules, including unusual certifications for employees and a unique medical screening standard. We’re accustomed to shifting our services to fit these regulations, so moving into the film industry was a smooth transition.
Filming During COVID-19
As the pandemic changes medical services worldwide, all industries are being challenged to adapt. While past experience can help a medical company pivot into a new industry, no one has past experience with COVID-19 . Medical companies are trying to develop new solutions.
Since entering the film industry, RMI has primarily been providing coronavirus testing and screening solutions to keep the production safe and employees healthy. We’ve been able to develop and scale these solutions for multiple production companies.