HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Like many, many other industries, Hollywood is in the process of adapting to life with the coronavirus. As the industry moves closer to reopening, Governor Gavin Newsom has been working with industry leaders to try and formulate a gameplan that will allow production to proceed safely.

“Think there will probably be a very lengthy document and training on how Hollywood is going to operate because this will be the new normal,” said Jessica Alba, who appears in the Spectrum Originals series, LA's Finest.

What You Need To Know


  • Governor Newsom held round table with Hollywood leaders on reopening industry safely

  • Film director Ava DuVernay was among the participants

  • LA's Finest stars Jessica Alba, Gabrielle Union envision a "new normal" for the industry

  • Prodcuction outside of LA could resume next week

“There’s going to be a lot of trial and error which is terrifying to think about,” Alba's co-star, Gabrielle Union said.

In an effort to figure out these trials and hopefully minimize errors, Governor Newsom put together a round table full of people in the entertainment industry earlier this week, including award-winning director/producer Ava DuVernay.

Participants talked about their personal struggles in their respective crafts. They also talked about how they get back to business -- safely. Just as it is on a movie set, actors like Jon Huertas, often look to their director.

“Usually on a film set everyone is there at same time," said DuVernay. "Even if you've already done your job you're just hanging there while the actors are doing their thing. We're thinking of pods, when you're done you leave."

Its not just directors who have ideas. Danny Stephens, Key Grip of IATSE, talked about what the behind-the-scenes team can do to help ease traffic on a set. 

“Wearing wristbands, certain access to set and no access to others," he said. 

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What everyone agree, is it will cost money and . . . that keeping production from going out-of-state should be a priority.

"I appreciate the need for the state to be more competitive in his space," Governor Newsom said.

“I do find comfort that there are people with big brains trying to tackle it with medical professionals as well,” Alba said.

With important discussion like this round table, the picture of what the new normal for Hollywood will look like is starting to take shape.