The Walking Dead: California TV and film production can resume June 12

The Walking Dead season finale inches closer with new California guidelines.

After being in limbo for months on end, California’s film industry finally has a date to resume production: June 12. Governor Gavin Newsom, in conjunction with the California Department of Health, passed down the guidelines during a June 5 press conference. This news paves the way for the final bit post-production work to be completed so that The Walking Dead season 10 finale can finally be released.

The governor’s guidelines are very strict, with measures in place to ensure that no work will begin in areas where COVID-19 is still wreaking havoc. County health officials will work with studios to determine whether it is safe to resume work, and then production companies will need to work under strict guidelines to ensure that their cast and crew remain safe on set.

This is good news for The Walking Dead because it means that if the conditions are met, post-production work could resume soon. However, there are still many factors to consider. Safety is of the utmost importance, and given that the post-production staffers could potentially be all over the country, getting back to Los Angeles could slow things down.

Not only is travel an issue, but California is still a novel coronavirus hotspot despite reopening efforts, so many people are uncomfortable traveling until there is a vaccine or fewer new cases being reported.

Here is the full statement from the California Department of Public Health:

"Music, TV and film production may resume in California, recommended no sooner than June 12, 2020, and subject to approval by county public health officers within the jurisdictions of operations following their review of local epidemiological data including cases per 100,000 population, rate of test positivity, and local preparedness to support a health care surge, vulnerable populations, contact tracing and testing. To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, productions, cast, crew and other industry workers should abide by safety protocols agreed by labor and management, which may be further enhanced by county public health officers. Back office staff and management should adhere to Office Workspace guidelines published by the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Industrial Relations, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission."

The biggest takeaway from this update from the governor is that after June 12, if all of the conditions are met then work can begin again. That’s very good – and very welcome – news.

It’s too early to tell whether or not studios will be rushing to return to work. Like as not, insurance and liability are still a major factor because safety is everything right now. (As it should be) Studios and production companies are still trying to fine-tune the details of new filming safety protocols with all of the industry unions.

In many cases those new protocols will change how work is done on set, and that means a steep learning curve and adjustment for everyone involved. (The last thing anyone wants is for a COVID-19 flare-up to take place on set)

For now, the good news is that there is a date when production can resume, and once AMC gives the post-production team the green light then it’s a matter of a few weeks in the editing bay and then The Walking Dead season 10 finale will be ready.

(When it will air is an entirely different issue, of course…)

Stay tuned to Undead Walking for more details as they become available.